Chapter VII: The Great Cardinal

BEFORE London was actually reached, the party of travellers began to break-up, one going one way, and another taking an opposite direction; so that by the time they had reached the outskirts of the village of Charing, Miles was directed to York House, the Cardinal's London residence, which he had set up not far from the winding Thames and Westminster on one side, and the pleasant green fields of St. Martin on the other.

Miles had heard something of the greatness of the Cardinal before he left Oxford, but he was scarcely prepared for the almost royal state that surrounded this palatial mansion.

Splendidly-dressed guards challenged him as he dismounted at the gate, and he had to remember that he was Sir Thomas Paton's son, as well as the messenger from Cardinal College, or he would not have gained entrance, even to the outer court, so insolent were these lacqueys of the great statesman to Miles, because they fancied he was a mere country bumpkin who had been sent on some trivial errand to their master.

But when Miles drew himself up in anger, at the thought of his precious time being wasted in useless parleying with these servants, and answered them sharply, and bade them announce him without delay, they allowed him to pass to the next set of footmen who were lounging in the inner hall, and did not condescend to turn their heads from the game they were playing, to look at the new comer.

So, after pausing a moment to look round upon the elegantly dressed lacqueys, he passed on without saying a word to them, until he was stopped at the door opposite, by one of them springing up and asking him what business he had to pass through the hall of His Eminence without asking permission of his servants.

"By the urgency of the business that brings me hither, which will brook no delay from the Cardinal's footmen," said Miles, in a commanding tone, and without another word the man preceded him to a corridor where others were waiting to speak to the Cardinal, or one of his numerous secretaries. Having passed the door, Miles was told to wait there while the footman went to announce him to a gentleman sitting at a desk, and, after a minute or two, he was summoned to give his name and address, and the business upon which he desired speech of the Cardinal. When the secretary heard that he was the bearer of private letters from Oxford concerning the Cardinal's College that had been recently established, he summoned a page who was standing near, and bade him take Miles to the ante-room of the Cardinal's private chamber. "You may have to wait some hours," said the secretary, as he told Miles to follow this elegant fop, who was evidently too well pleased at his own appearance, as he caught sight of himself in the Venetian glass that adorned the opposite wall, and which was regarded as a great curiosity and luxury in those days.

"You must wait for His Eminence," lisped the young man.

"Nay, my business will not brook the delay of waiting," said Miles, speaking loud enough to attract the attention of a little procession that was just entering the gallery at the other end.

"Back! Back!" cried the page, pulling at his doublet, and himself following on his knees, while the other gentlemen standing round bowed low, for it was no other than the great Cardinal himself, sumptuously attired and moving slowly, followed closely by several secretaries.

"Back! Back!" hissed the page, once more trying to drag Miles down upon his knees.

But he shook him off, though it was at the cost of a rent in his new cloth doublet; and guessing truly who this imperious-looking man was, he fell on one knee as he approached, and held out the packet entrusted to his care. "Pardon me, my lord, if I have transgressed any rule, but I was bidden to seek you with all haste, and deliver into your own hand alone these letters from Master Clark and others."

"Master Clark hath chosen an over-bold messenger," said Wolsey. But the lad's treatment of the page somewhat amused him, for it reminded him of an episode in his own life; and he bade Miles rise, and promised to read the papers at once.

"Where is your lodging if we should need to send back an answer?" asked the Cardinal, looking at Miles critically; "I have not yet received your name as waiting an audience," he added.

"My name is Miles Paton. I am the son of Sir Thomas Paton, of Paton Hall, near Woodstock. But I have only now arrived from Oxford, and my horse is even now at the gate; but my errand brooked no delay, and so I may not have been over courteous to the servants of your Eminence."

"And does this business concern yourself?" asked Wolsey.

Miles shook his head. "Nay, I am but the messenger," he said, as he stepped back for the great Cardinal to pass on.

"Come hither again to-morrow morning at this hour for the answer to thy missive." And, saying this, the Cardinal hastened through the corridor, and disappeared through a door covered with arras, and which was opened by waiting pages at the approach of their master.

That the Cardinal had condescended to speak to Miles, without any of the formalities usually observed before granting anyone an audience, was sufficient to impress the pages and footmen of the importance of the visitor and his errand; and he was bowed out of the series of waiting-rooms in a fashion that rather embarrassed the simple country lad, who, although he was used to a troop of servants at his father's house, had learned to wait upon himself at the University, and especially during the last few months.

He was glad, therefore, when he reached the street, to find that his importance had slowly evaporated during his passage through the inner hall, and that the guard at the door simply remarked that he had not been long on his errand.

"No, I am to have an audience of His Eminence to-morrow," said Miles, in a matter of fact tone. "Now, can you recommend me to a lodging in this neighbourhood?" he added, "for I am but now come from Oxford and know little of the ways of this town."

"Most young gallants speedily learn them, though," said the man, with a short laugh.

"Well, I have not time, seeing my business will not brook delay, so prithee tell me where I can find an hostelry that will give rest and food to me and my horse with as little delay as possible."

Miles having delivered his precious packet began to feel very hungry, for he would not wait even for breakfast before finding his way to York House; and once there he must needs complete the business he had come upon. It was fortunate for him that the Cardinal had departed from his usual custom, for he might have had to wait about all day, faint and hungry, without a chance of obtaining any food: and the guard told him this when he said he had not yet had any breakfast.

The man directed him to an hostelry close by, for the frequent coming and going of messengers between York House and all parts of the kingdom, had made it a busy centre, in spite of its being outside London, and Westminster too, for people must needs find accommodation close at hand, when so many hours were often wasted waiting for a chance to bring some case before Wolsey, either in his capacity of Lord Chancellor of England, or Cardinal Legate of the Court of Rome.

So Miles found his way to the tavern where accommodation could be had for his horse as well as himself, and where he found all the talk of the customers was about the doings of the Great Cardinal.

It seemed that, in spite of the enormous amount of business and powerful interests that were accumulated in Wolsey's hands, he gave personal attention to every case that came before him, and clients had their cases decided quickly and fairly; so that everywhere men tried to get their causes brought before the Lord Chancellor, that the wearisome delays of the Law, that were often so ruinous, might be done away with.

There was talk now of a subordinate court being set up, to be called the Rolls Court, that would relieve some of this pressure of business that so frequently hindered the Cardinal from spending as much time with the king as he wished, and which Henry the Eighth was inclined to construe into negligence on the part of his great minister.

As Wolsey held all his great offices at the will of the king, and was never weary of proclaiming that all the power vested in him, he did but wield as the king's servant, Henry was not likely to brook anything like neglect from this servant, and it would not do to let him feel that he was of less importance than some weighty concern of Church or State.

So it often happened that the Cardinal hurried away from the business of the Court of Chancery, or the considering of some ecclesiastical cause of great moment to the Church and Realm, to join in some merry frolic at Greenwich or at the Tower.

Whether Wolsey himself ever really liked this side of his life, no one ever knew, for he carried out practically in his own life what he declared was the king's right over the persons and possessions of his subjects; only he did it in such a way that he always made it subserve his own purpose, while seeming to serve only the king. Of his hauteur, pride, and ambition there could be no question; but still the tavern gossips all agreed that he was ruling England well, and doing what he could to foster the growing trade in wool; as well as encouraging the new learning, which some of the bishops and clergy were beginning to hate.

After a good stoup of ale and a slice from a boar's head for his own breakfast Miles went to see that his horse was fed and cared for, and then wandered out to see the barges on the river and the sloping gardens of the great noblemen who had dwelling-houses along the Strand.

Miles found plenty to amuse and interest him all that day, and he hoped to be able to set out on his return to Oxford the following noon or the next morning. And before he went to bed that night he asked the landlord to tell anyone he knew of, who was going that way, that he should like to join them.

"Aye, to be sure, it would not be safe to set out on such a journey alone; and I will send Dick the ostler to enquire at the 'Falcon' whether they have any travellers there who are going that way."

"The 'Falcon' is the starting place, then?" enquired Miles.

"Yes, it is hard by the village of Charing; but Dick shall find out all that is needful to learn, for, if they have none journeying so far just now, you must needs abide here for a day or two. There is plenty to see in London town," said the landlord, persuasively.

Miles thought of his score as he smiled and shook his head. He, however, accepted the landlord's offer to send the ostler, but was not surprised when he returned and said a party would set off to Oxford that day week, and the roads would not be safe to travel sooner than that, as there had been a great flood, and all the fords were impassable.

Miles laughed. "So these are your tricks upon travellers," he said, but he made no further remark, resolving to make enquiries for himself the next day; doubtless these London tavern keepers played into each other's hands whenever it was possible to do so at the cost of some unwary wight. He went to bed, and slept soundly till the morning, in spite of the watchmen crying the time every half-hour under his window in most stentorian tones.

"Half-past ten o'clock, and a windy night," came sharply from the street below; and it sounded as though the man's head was just on a level with his casement, and that he bawled the words at him. There was a cry just afterwards of "Watch! watch!" and the sound of running feet, but after this Miles fell asleep, and all the watchman's bawling, or belated travellers' cries for help during the rest of the night, failed to disturb him, for he was tired with his journey and the excitements of the day.

The next morning he presented himself early at York House, but found he was by no means the first, there being a little crowd at the gate, each person having urgent and important business with the Cardinal.

But Miles was not kept waiting to-day. His manner of dealing with semi-royal guards the previous day had not been forgotten, and they simply bowed as he passed, and he was allowed to go on through entrance halls and corridors until the secretary's desk was reached, where his name, address, and business had been taken the previous day. Here he paused, and the gentleman said, "The command from His Eminence is that you are to wait until he is at liberty to see you. Better sit down," he suggested as Miles stepped aside as if to be ready for the audience the next minute.

"Do you think I shall have long to wait?" asked Miles.

"I cannot tell; it is the Cardinal's orders that you should wait, and these we never question."

Miles sat down in the broad window seat close by, and for the first half-hour was amused and interested in watching the different faces of those who presented themselves to the secretary, who directed them to go this way or that, according to the nature of the business they came about. If any began to talk aloud, there was instantly a distinctly uttered "Hush!" from one of the waiting pages; and the business went on silently, swiftly, with just the slightest hum of subdued voices, as men spoke one to the other in whispers, or asked and answered questions at the desk.

This low hum of busy, half-suppressed life went on constantly around him, yet rather soothed than disturbed him. But it grew monotonous at last, and Miles drew from his pouch his precious Greek New Testament, in which he was never weary of reading. And so the hours slipped by, while Miles was mentally translating the gospel of St. John, to be rendered into English when he got back to Oxford.

Hour after hour slipped away, and the afternoon began to decline, and Miles thought he must surely have been forgotten. He was hungry, too, having eaten nothing since the morning, and he was just considering whether he had not better ask this secretary if he should go and come again the next day, when he saw an elegantly dressed gentleman come from another door in the gallery and speak to the secretary, who at once rose and directed his attention to Miles.

"You are waiting to see His Eminence?" said the nobleman, glancing at the book in his hand.

"His Eminence commanded me to wait," said Miles, bowing as he rose from his seat to reply.

"Then follow me," said the gentleman; and, preceded by two pages, he turned and walked away, closely followed by Miles.

It seemed to the lad, as he followed his guide, that the old Hall at Woodstock was nothing to this palace, with its passages and galleries, anterooms and halls, which they traversed before they reached the Cardinal's private room, where, it seemed, he had chosen to receive this messenger from Oxford.

This room was plainly furnished in comparison with those they had passed through, many of which were of surpassing splendour, and quite dazzled simple Miles Paton.

As soon as they entered the presence of the Cardinal he made a sign with his hand, and they were left alone; and then he bade Miles tell him, as shortly as he could, the whole story entrusted to him.

When he had finished he said, "I find you are one who can sweep all obstacles from your path for the sake of the business entrusted to you, and you can also wait patiently for the sake of the same business. I need such a one as you to be about my own person, and as Master John Clark recommends you to me as one careful and studious, and devoted to the new learning, you can, I think, be of great service to me."

Miles was altogether too much surprised to speak for a moment. He understood well enough that this was rather a command than an offer, for, as the King's servant, the Cardinal deemed himself to have the right to command the personal service of any of the King's subjects. Fortunately for Miles he was only too glad to accept this offer, and so, as soon as he could command his voice, he thanked the Cardinal, and most gladly promised to do his utmost to prove himself worthy of the honour and trust reposed in him.

"Very well, I will send my reply to Oxford by another messenger. Return to your lodging now, and present yourself to the Controller of my household to-morrow morning. He will appoint you your lodging here, and give you all needful instructions." Saying this, Wolsey waved his hand in sign of dismissal, and Miles retreated backwards from the room, in the fashion he had seen the gentleman leave the august presence of the man, who demanded that the same reverence given to his royal master should be accorded to himself.

He hardly knew whether he stood on his head or his feet—whether he was glad or sorry that his stay at Oxford was thus suddenly brought to a close. But he went back to the tavern and had a hearty meal first, and then sat down to write a letter to his good friend Master Clark immediately afterwards; and then one to his sister enclosed in it, which he asked his friend to forward to Woodstock by the first messenger going that way. This packet he contrived to send by the Cardinal's messenger to Oxford, who went the next day with the reply to the letter Miles had brought. And Miles went to take up his abode at the Palace of York House—known to us later as Whitehall.