The life and death of Thomas Wolsey Cardinall Diuided into three parts: his aspiring, triumph, and death. By Thomas Storer student of Christ-church in Oxford.

¶ To the Author, of the life and death of T. W. Cardinall.

THus long a slaue to Silence hast thou seru'de, Breake out (O Muse) into thy first assayes. Was therefore this mine infant verse reseru'de, In fatall darknesse to record thy prayse, O Witte diuine, that hast so well deseru'de The fruitfull garland of eternal Bayes? Then let thy Fame erect my drooping eies, And by thy praise begin my selfe to rise.

Let me while Eagle-wise thou mountes on height, Be as thy shade with lowly cariage, And whiles aboue thou spread'st with piercing flight Prowde Wolseys life; let me in humble rage Condemne the world below, that wanting light, See'th brightsome candles burne vpon her stage, Till vitall humor faileth to sustaine them, Yet (Niggard!) giues no matter to maintaine them.

There was a time, when Laureats in their cell, Diuinely rauisht, wrate those tragicke playes, That after should in loftie Buskin swell; Whiles they with huge applause, and frolike bayes, (Their learn'de ambitious browes beseeming well) Sate prowdly tickled with the peoples prayse: And from th'indulgent Consuls wondring hand, Extort a rich reward, and Laurell band.

It was the worldes first youth that ware the Socke, And wanton Myrtill ensigne of her sport, That had the force to moue a sencelesse blocke To gentle laughter, and by force extort Sweete teares of myrth, euen from the stubborne looke, Of men obdurate and vnfeeling sort: So sharpe and piercing were those wittes of olde: "No whetstone giue's a better edge than Golde.

Uirgil that with his two-fold oaten reede, Then with his thrise-admired Cornet sings, Had great Augustus patron of his deede, And sweete Mecoenas sprung from grandsire Kings, Whiles he their names from death, they him from neede, With mutuall freedome one another brings: "Where Vertue doth for Learning honor frame, "There thankful Learning addes to Vertue fame.

Our age, an aged world, euen doating olde, That like a miser with a curelesse gowte, Hugges on those heapes that neuer may be tolde: So mong that greedie and promiscuous rowte, Ere one Mecoenas spread the salue of golde, Our bleare-eyde Horace's may looke them out: A speech long saide, but not perform'd before, That Homer and the Muses stand at doore.

Great patrons giue vs leaue their brasse to guilde, And from deserued graue dead names to rayse, Crowning Minerua for her speare and shielde With golden wreathe, her booke with only bayes, Because they thinke that fitter for the fielde, And men of learning well repaide with praise: They giue the spurre of praise, but adde the raine And curbe of want, to checke them backe againe.

And so with spurre of praise are Poets paide, Their muse, their labour and industrious art, That rightly spur-galled they may be sayde. But if in equall ballance of desart, Gentle vngentle, men with men were wayde, Not poizing men by birth, but by their partes: Their vertues of their minde, their witte and wordes, Kings were but Poets, Poets more then Lordes.

And thou sweete Storer that in golden twine, Hast liuely portraide out our Cardinal, Shewing the course of prouidence diuine, That lets high mounters catch the greater fall; Worthie was he to change for that of thine, And thou for thy desert his priestly pal: Thou his, for well employing of thy Muse, He thine, for his great fortunes great abuse.

As if a second Nemroth came to reare Prowde Babel towers, that in their ruines lie, His buildings taught (as his ambition) were, To haue none end nor measure till the skie: Had Wolsey layde his first foundation there, And made his turrets spire to God on high, His name, himselfe, his vertuous deedes and all, Had not beene subiect to their hideous fall.

O see how widdow-like (poore soule!) she standes, That college he began with curious frame, So left, (though not without demaine and landes) As bush or ensigne of her builders shame; Which though he rearde, with his ambitious handes, I dare not call him Founder of the same: How can he be of Christchurch Founder deemde, That of Christs church no member is esteemde?

And yet as though to recompence the fall And want of walles, that neuer were erect, See how the greatest Architect of al Rebuildes the same, and in a deare respect, Hath plac't a reuerend steward, that doth call, The painfull builders, and their worke direct: By whom true labors haue their due regard, And well-deseruing letters findes reward.

And so the ruines that our house before, So deeply blemisht with defect of stones, Now farre more glorious, farre triumphant more, Is made by sweete supply of learned ones, That daily takes increase by daily store And carefull noursing of her toward sonnes, So flourish still, and still encrease thy fame, And make thy selfe by deede, thy selfe by name.

Among the Series of this learned traine, O Storer liue, and grace them with thy witte: Redeeme thy name, nor enuiously containe Thy thoughts, that with applause thou maist committe Vnto the presse; so thine admired vaine, Shall keepe thee from thy graue and darksome pitte: When (as thy Wolsey) volumes thou shalt frame, That shall (thou dead) immortalize thy name.

May therefore this be propagated well, Then blesse posterity, and sow the seede, And vse thy sweeter Muse, that then shall smel Ful like a Rose, in midst of many a weede, And sound abroad thy praises as a bell, Vnto those posterne ages, that shall neede Another Storer, in their wanting times, To tell the worth of these thy piercing rimes.

Iohannes Sprint aedis Christi.