New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-01
CARDINAL WOLSEY.
The Life by George CG0endish N
Luxurious Form

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CAR CARD - M9t5
With portraits by HoIbein 4tO. PIP 1s2 Hough-
ton, Miff1in & Co
Among the beautiful reprints OF classic
things which have Of late years been issued
from the Riverside Press. this edition OF ina
rnasterpiece of George CaVendish makes IN
anDeaI of speciaI force II Is, OF COURSE Ike
its predecessors q sterling piece OF DOCK max
,ne and admirers OF fine presswork would
want IL on their shelves If only for the sake
of the brave appearance IT would make tnere
II Is uncom1nonIy well Illustrated. too. with
reproductions in photograTure from some OF Ins
most famous OF HoIbein's portraits pa1rELeo
and drawn But the main point Is that "e
have here a specimen Of old English Hterature
In its best estate. bit Of portralture ID prose-
which from its subject and its style Is as Pols-
nantIy interesting to-day as 1t was When Il
was first circulated IN manuscript CaFenCLa-
produced in this work model or the ART OF
biography No doubt he said a little more ula1
the best that could be said for the master ne
served with the loyalty Of born courder; but
on the other hand, the very good faith Win
which he wrote saved him from the framing OF
g. merely sycophantish narrative Affection
niles his pen yet in these pages does the truth
prevail
Matters which to our modern eyes throw
food Of light on what was least adInlrahle II
Wolsey's character are treated by his frlel0
and biographer with candOr that THINKS 10
evil. When WoIsey is given bishopric, Cav
endish sees nothing to his discredit in the fact
that he was not negligent to take possession
thereof" and noting that the eager chUrchIflan
hurried on his conservation, he adds with an
almost naive simplicity that 1.-The solennization
whereof ended. he found the means to get
the possession Of all his predecessors goods
into his hands, whereof have seen divers times
some part thereof furnish his house. The
passage is Characteristic It does not occur to
Cavendish to gloss over the dubious transac-
lions of the Cardinal. because for all the piety
that he can show on occasion he has no keener
nose for the moral issue than Wolsey had him
self Both men were the creatures Of their
time and acted as seemed to them right and
proper. secure in the conviction that the rules
Of the court were the rules Of virtue Thus tia
frankness Of this devoted biogTapher unwit-
tingly puts US IN possession OF the essential
facts IN Wolsey's development from a reason
ably Jealous servant of the King into a down
right pander to Henry's worst impulses.
There is something almost tragic in the sin
cerity which, in urging CaVendish to paint his
master precisely as he was, led him to give ths
latters critics the readiest handle for their
charges against him Take the question OF
WoIsey's effort at the outset to make himself
Indispensable 10 me King CaVenOlSn cannot
but admire the crafty chancellor who handled
himself so politely" and never dreamed OF
what our modern standards would make see
in the character indicated by such passage
the following:
The king was young and 1usty. disposed all to
mirth and pleasure. and to follow his desire and
appetite, nothing minGing to travail in the
busy affairs of this realm. The which the al
noner perceived very well. and took upon him
therefore TO disburden the king Of weiShty a
charge and troublesome business putting the king
in comfort that he shall not need to spare any
time OF his pleasure for any business that should
necessarily happen in the council as lODE as he
being there and having the kings authority and
commandment doubted not to see all things sufh-
GENTLY furnished and perfected5the which would
first make the king prtvy of all such matters
should pass through their hands before he would
proceed the finishing determining OF the same
whose mind and pleasure he would fulfil and follow
to the utternOSt whereWith the king was wUDderly
pleased. And whereas the other ancient counsel
iurs would according to the office eff good counsel
time an intercourse in the council. there 60 hear
what done in weiShty matters, the Wi,ilL
pleased the kuS nothing at all, for ne loved moth
Ing worse than to be constrained to do anything
contrary to his royal VIII aud pleasure; and tIi]
knew the almOner very well. having q secret IN
telligence of the kings natural inclination. and
so fast the other counScllOrS advised The king
to leave his pleasure, and TO attend the affairs
OF his realm 50 busily did the olInouer persuade
him to the contrary. which delighted him much
and caused him TO have the greater affection and
love to the almoner. Thus the almOner Tulet al
them that before ruled him: such did hts policy