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LETTER XCIX.

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CARDINAL WOLSEY TO KING HENRY THE EIGHTH, CHIEFLY
4UPON THE DISCONTENT EXPRESSED AT THE MANNER OF SUPRESSING
5THE SMALL MONASTERIES WITH WHICH HIS
6COLLEGE AT OXFORD WAS TO BE ENDOWED.

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10    S^r. After my most humble & lowly recommendations,
11it may like your Highness to understand that
12it hath been & is much to my rejoyce & comfort, to
13perceive by the relation of S^r. Tho. More how the discourses
14& communications which I have had with the

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15Chancellor of Alanson sent from my Lady the Fr.
16King's mother for treaty of peace with your Highness,
17have been to your contentation & pleasure; wherein S^r.
18as in all other your affairs, I have not, ne shall pretermit
19any labor, diligence, study, or travail, which may
20be to the conducing of the same to such end as shall be
21to your Highness honor, exaltation, & benefit. And
22where it hath pleased your Highness of your excellent
23goodness & gracious favour, to advertise me by the said
24S^r. Tho. More of such reports as have ben made unto
25your Highness, consisting in two things, the one concerning
26the office of Clerk of the Market within the
27liberties of the Monastery of St. Albans, & the other
28my officers in the Suppression of certain exile & small
29Monasteries, wherein neither God is served, ne religion
30kept, which, with your gracious ayde & assistance,
31converting the same to a far better use, I purpose to
32annex unto your intended College of Oxford, for the
33encrease of good Letters & virtue. I most humbly
34thank your Highness for that it hath pleased the
35same, so like a good & gracious Master, to give unto
36me knowledge & admonition therof, ascertaining your
37Grace, that as to the office of Clerk of the Market
38within the liberties of the said Monastery, I never was
39minded either to extend or to diminish, but in such
40manner to use the same as I found the said Monastery
41possessed aforetime; for at your last being there, the

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42Graunts made by your noble Progenitors, confirmed
43also by the late King of famous memory, your noble
44father, whose soule Jesus pardon, & also by your
45Highness, were show'd unto your Councell, whereby
46they evidently perceived, that neither the Marshall of
47England, ne the Steward of your most hon^ble. Household,
48ne also the office of Clerk of the Markets, shall be
49exercised with the said liberties, by other then the officers
50of the said Monastery, as by the Graunts & Confirmations,
51ready at your good pleasure to be eftsone showed,
52doth right largely appear. Nevertheless, whereas the
53inquest & officers there, have not justly, discreetly, &
54indifferently assessed & taxed the prices of the Market,
55as to right, equity, & the good commodity of your
56Grace's servants hath appertayned; I who knew nothing
57thereof, am not only discontented with them, for
58their misdemeanor in that behalf, & shall with God's
59grace, see them ordered accordingly, but also have
60no small cause most humbly to thank your Highness,
61whome it hath pleased to see the said prices reformed,
62unto the due order & direct course. And God forbid
63that I should, or suffer any man to, encroach upon any
64part of your jurisdiction royall, trusting verily, in consideration
65of my poor service, that your Highness will
66be as good a Lord to that your Monastery, as your
67noble Progenitors have been, as I most humbly, on my
68knees, beseech your Highness to be.
69    And albeit S^r. some folks, which be always more

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70prone to speak evil & report the worst without knowledge
71of the truth, have percase informed your Highness
72of some disorder that should be used by my Commissaries
73in suppressing of the said Monasteries, yet
74most humbly I shall beseech your Highness, after your
75noble & accustomed manner, to give no credence unto
76them unto such time as your Grace may hear my declaration
77in that behalf. For S^r. Allmighty God I
78take to my record, I have not meant, intended, or
79gone about, ne also have willed mine Officers, to do
80any thing concerning the said Suppressions, but under
81such forme & manner, as is & hath largelylargly been to the
82full satisfaction, recompence, & joyous contentation of
83any person which hath had, or could pretend to have
84right or interest in the same, in such wise, that many
85of them giving thanks & laude to God, for the good
86chance succeeded unto them would for nothing, if they
87might, return or be restored, & put again into their
88former State, as your Highness shall abundantly &
89largly perceive, at my next repair unto the same.
90Verily S^r. I would be loath to be noted, that I should
91intend such a vertuous foundation for the encrease of
92your Highnesses merit, profit of your subjects, the
93advancement of good learning, & for the weale of my
94poore soule, to be established or adquired ex rapinis .
95But, God willing, shall in such wise proceed to the
96perfection thereof, with prejudice or derogation of any
97man's right or interest, that it shall appear to all the

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98world, that I am minded to sett forth that act sincerely,
99purely, & without injury, wrong, or damage to any
100person. Howbeit, S^r. I account myself most bounden
101unto your Highness, in that it hath pleased the same
102so favourably & benignly to advertise me, of the reports
103contrived in that behalf, which I trust in such
104wise to avoyd, that your Highness shall not only be
105therwith contented, but also they shall peradventure be
106the more circumspect, to make any such like reports
107hereafter.
108    Finally, S^r, I send herewith unto your Highness, a
109Copy of certain Articles & Clauses excerpted & taken
110out of the Popes Letters now sent unto his Oratour
111here resident, declaring in what terms he doth stand
112with the French King, alledging that he hath nothing
113done, nor intendeth to do, to the prejudice of your
114Highness & the Emperour. And albeit his Holynesses
115demeanor in that behalf, is not so laudable, ne of
116such sort, as I would it were, yet it is not so evill as
117it hath ben bruted & reported, trusting that after the
118arrivall of my last Letters, wherein I have ben rounde
119& plain, his said Holyness shall alter his copie, & percase
120shew himself according to such expectation as
121your Highness & I have had of him. And thus Jesus
122preserve your most noble & royall estate. At my
123Howse besides Westminster y^e 5^th. day of Febr. by
124your
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