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large fhare of natural parts, were joined a fweet and noble temper, and a love of letters. He was now nineteen years of age; and having laid a good foundation of learning at Oxford, it was determined, according to the custom of the times, to fend him to Italy for further improvement, where the liberal arts and sciences then, as they ever did, particularly flourished. This destination was highly agreeable to him; he had urged his own folicitations for it; and the king provided him a fupport fuitable to his rank, befides the profits of his preferments in the church. He went, therefore, accompanied with a learned attendance; and on his arrival, after vifiting feveral universities, he made Padua his choice, then most flourishing for eloquence. Here he hired a handsome houfe, and fettled a proper houshold. Such a distinguished figure could not fail of draw. ing the eyes of all the learned men of the place upon him, and by that means he had it in his power to make the best advantage of their abilities, towards perfecting the plan of his ftudies. To this end, the learned philofopher and excellent Grecian, Nicholas Leonicus, was of great use to him in philofophy; and he heard his lectures upon feveral parts of the works of Plato and Ariftotle. He entertained in his family Christopher Longolius, a Belgian, famous for the ftudies of eloquence. time he became familiarly acquainted with At the fame the celebrated Italian Peter Bembo, and with Thomas Lupfet an Englishman, eminent for oratory, learning, and piety, in as great a degree as any person of his country. These were the men with whom he constantly conversed; and they have told us he became the delight of that part of the world for his learning, politeness, and religious difpofition. At the fame time he was not lefs the darling of his own country, where every one endeavoured to heap favours on him; and particularly Richard Fox, bishop of Winchester, having lately founded the college of Corpus Chrifti, in Oxford, entered, and made him fellow of it. From Padua he went to Venice, where he continued for fome time, and then vifited feveral other parts of Italy.

1523

Having spent five years abroad, he was now recalled home; but being very defirous to fee the Jubilee, which was to be celebrated at Rome, he made a tour to that city; and paffing by the way of Flo

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rence, he was honourably received, and had presents made to him there as well as at other places on the road. At Rome he having feen the Jubilee, and satisfied his was entertained with the fame refpect, and curiofity in vifiting the court, religious honours, and rarities there (thefe favours being chiefly procured him by John Matthew Gilbert, bishop of Vehim) he returned to England, and was rerona, who had a great esteem for ceived with great affection by their majefties the king and queen, and with the highest honour by the court, and all the his manners, which he had greatly imnobility; the sweetness and politeness of proved by his travels, gaining him the love miration. of all men, as his learning did their ad

could poffibly create a fondness in him for Thus he faw every thing at court which it; but at present these had no charms for fole delight, and that he might enjoy his taste. Devotion and ftudy were his them freely, he refolved to retire to his old habitation, among the Carthufians at Shene; having obtained a grant from the king of the apartment which the late worthy dean of St. Paul's, Dr. Colet, had cifes. built for his own ufe, in the fame exerpleasure in this retirement, when Henry Two years he paffed with great VIII. began first to start some scruples about the lawfulness of his marriage with in a determination to be divorced from her. queen Catherine of Arragon, which ended His kinfman foreseeing the commotions this incident would occafion, and that it ing involved in them, if he remained in would not be in his power to escape beEngland, prudently desired the king's leave ing his ftudies, which was granted him. to go to Paris, under pretence of complettrain, he paffed his time in that tranquilHere carrying fome learned persons in his lity which is fo much the defire of, and fo neceffary for, ftudious perfons. In the of his divorce, and fent to the most noted mean while, the king prosecuted the affair universities in Europe, for their opinion as this occafion Dr. Pole was defired, or rato the illegitimacy of the marriage. On king's agents in procuring the fubfcripther commanded, to concur with the tions, and feals of the univerfity of Paris, and other univerfities in France. determined to leave the affair wholly to greatly perplexed him; but at length, he L112

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thofe whom Henry had joined with him in the commiffion, and to excufe himself to the king as improperly qualified for fuch - an office, fince his ftudies had ever been quite of a different kind. But Henry VIII. was not a man to be put off with fuch apologies. His temper knew not how to brook the leaft incompliance with his humour; and when Pole returned home, he was advised by all means to clear himself of all disloyalty, and to prevent further mifchief by appeasing his majefty's anger. By fome means or other the king forgave him; and having thus averted the ftorm for the prefent, he again retired to his apartments' at Shene, where he pro'ecured his ftudies and devotions for two years, undisturbed.

1529

King Henry, perceiving the intentions of the court of Rome were only to baffle his proceedings carried on under their authority against Catherine, kindled into a refoJution to thake off the yoke of that affumed authority of the papal fee, and to rely wholly on his own fubjects. To effect fo extraordinary a change, it became advifeable to found the minds of the chief perfons in the kingdom, how they flood affected towards it. This was a fource of new troubles for his relation Pole. He was now univerfally esteemed for his learning and piety, and was befides of the royal blood. It was observed, that his confent would be of great fervice, as an example to the reft; and therefore no means were left uneffayed to win him over. Among other arguments made ufe of on that occafion, the archbishopric of York, or the bishopric of Winchester, his friends affured him, fhould be conferred on him, if he would clearly fhew his wii lingness to please the king, and declare his opinion as his majefty defired. Befides, it was further urged, that the prefervation or fubverfion of his family depended, probably, upon his conduct at this critical juncture. Thus irrefiftably pressed on every fide, he at length confented, and repaired to the king with a defign of giving him fatisfaction; but his confcience checking

him the moment he was about to speak, he was not able for fome time to utter a word. The extremity inspired him with courage, and quitting his former purpose, he fairly spoke his true sentiments to the king, which being fuch as was neither pleafing, nor expected now; Henry, with a countenance flaming with anger, put his hand fometimes to his poniard hanging at his girdle, as if he intended to kill him, but stopped, seemingly overcome with the fimplicity, humanity, and submission of Pole. At length he difmiffed him in tolerable temper, without urging the point any more. Pole, however, being apprehenfive that further danger would inevitably accrue to him, as the king was determined to have the divorce fome way or other, and to be acknowledged fupreme head of the church, he thought it the best way to withdraw; and therefore embraced this favourable opportunity of the king's pacific disposition, to apply by fome friends to him for his confent, under pretence of a farther improvement in the universities abroad: which he obtained; and his majefty was fo far fatisfied at prefent, that he continued his penfion for fome time *. The first place he went to was Avignon, in the province of Narbonne in France, which then flourished in the ftudies of the liberal arts and fciences. The town was under the Pope's jurifdiction, and he continued there unmolested for the space of a year; but the air not agreeing with his conflitution, he removed to Padua, and fixed his refidence in this beloved university a fecond time, now and then making an excurfion to Venice. Divinity claimed his principal attention, yet not fo as to exclude the inferior sciences. Learning and religion went hand in hand; and nature had given him a ftrong turn to that kind of devotion, which in the Roman church is characteristically diftinguished by the appellation of Piety. Mark, a monk, faid to be a perfon of great learning and greater piety, who then taught theology: with him, Pole was ex

1532

There was one

*It is fuppofed that his majesty's good will to Pole was occafioned by his having, as is imagined, figned the inftrument acknowledging the king's fupremacy, which paffed the convocation in 1531. This acknowledgment was figned by Fisher, bishop of Rochester, and many other ftaunch advocates of the papal power; but then it was equivocal in itfelf, fince it contained this referve, as far as it was agreeable to the law of Chrift. The king was glad to have it paffed any how.

ceedingly

ceedingly charmed, and affiduously attended his lectures. In the fame difpofition he admitted into an intimate familiarity Cofmo Sherius, bishop of Fano, in whom, though young, he found an eminent knowledge in feveral branches of literature, joined to a fingular honesty in manners and converfation, and an ardent defire of piety. At Venice alfo, our nobleman became acquainted with the famous Gafpar Contarenus, afterwards a cardinal, and likewife with Peter Caraffa, bishop of Theate, who became in the end, the turbulent Pope Paul IV. and an enemy to Pole. He was intimate with the famous poet, Lampridius of Cremona; and the moderate and pious Jacob Sadolet, afterwards bishop of Carpentras, and cardinal. Lewis Bacatelli he took into his family. He was a student at Padua, and lived with Pole till his death, after which he wrote his life in talian. But above all, there was none fo familiar with him as a noble Venetian called Aloifius Priuli. He was a perfon of fingular worth and integrity; and the friendship now commenced between him and ole ended not but with the death of the latter. Several other perfons of the first reputation, in the republic of letters, are ranked among the acquaintance of our author, who was happy in the esteem of all men.

Thus the days paffed very agreeably in Italy; but England was the scene of fresh troubles. The king had not only divor. ced Catherine, but married Anne Bolen, had entirely thrown off the papal yoke, and affumed the title of fupreme head of the church. Dr. Sampfon, bishop of Chichefter, and afterwards of Litchfield, by the king's defire, wrote a book in defence of the king's proceedings, and of his title. Henry was greatly pleafed with it, and obferving the high credit of Pole, both at home and abroad, he was very defirous to have it approved and confirmed by him. He therefore difpatched a courier with the book, and a letter, requiring his opinion upon the matter. No body was better acquainted with the king's violent temper than Pole. The fate of Sir Thomas More, chancellor, and Fisher, bishop of Rochefter, who had both been beheaded for denying the king's fupremacy, had reached his ears;

and he was perfuaded that the present application was a fnare, laid purposely to bring him to the block, as the like method had been practised to bring over the other two to acknowledge the new title; and as the means were the fame, fo he imagined they were defigned to bring on the fame conclufion. He, therefore, contrived fome excufes for deferring his anfwer; and when he found no delays could prevail any longer, he took courage from the fecurity of the Pope's protection, and his being out of the reach of Henry; and not only disapproved the king's divorce,. and feparation from the apoftolic fee, in answer for the prefent, but shortly after drew up his piece, entitled, Of the unity of the church, and fent it to the king of England. This confidence was a notorious proof of his zeal and attachment to the fee of Rome. Befides, ufing very rude and indecent language to bishop Sampfon, he not only preffed the king earnestly to return to the obedience he owed to that fee, but excited the emperor to revenge the injury done to his aunt, the divorced queen Catherine, with many fharp reflections. He compared Henry to Nebuchadnezzar, and ufed many other strange expreffions, a proof how much the Italian air had changed him. However, Dr. Sampfon, it must be owned, had not spared his reflections upon Pole. Befides the Treatife on Unity, the latter wrote a letter to Tonftal, bishop of Durham, to incline the king to it; but instead of acting in the manner Pole defired, Tonftal wrote him a very sharp anfwer to his book, in which he reproved his bitterness, and advised him to burn his treatife. He also, in a fermon preached at St. Paul's, fet forth Pole's unnatural ingratitude.

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Henry VIII was much difpleafed with this conduct of Pole; and fenfible that the book could not lie concealed long in Italy, though Pole had promised not to publish it, fent for the author to England, that he might explain to him certain pasfages, which he found fomewhat obscure* and difficult. But Pole, well aware that it was made treason to deny the king's fupremacy, which was the principal scope of his book, chose not to obey the call; but defired his majefty, as he was now freed

Bishop Burnet fays this piece was more efteemed for the high quality of the au ther than for any found reasoning in it.

from

from Catherine, who had been the occafion of all this, to embrace the prefent happy opportunity of reinftating himself with his holiness, and appear at the council affembling at Mantua, according to his fummons; whereby he might have the honour of being the cause of the reformation of the church in doctrine and manners, for which the council was chiefly in tended; affuring him, that otherwife he would be in great danger.

The king determined to keep measures no longer with a man, who thus dared haughtily to dictate to him in the language of a fuperior. It was manifeft from what fountain he now drew; and therefore Henry difcontinued his penfion; ftripped him of all his dignities in England; and caufed an act of attainder of high treafon to be awarded against him. Pole was abundantly compensated for thefe Joffes and fufferings by the bounty of the Pope and emperor. The former created him a cardinal by feveral titles, and fent him with the character of nuncio, to France and Flanders; that being near England, he might hold a correspondence with the Catholics there, in order to keep them ftedfaft in the faith of the church of Rome. The emperor conferred feveral favours on him, and honoured him with the highest esteem, for the zeal he had ufed in vindicating the marriage of his aunt queen Catherine.

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[An. 1536.] The king of England was fenfible that Pole chofe the character of nuncio, in order to foment the mutinous difpofition of those who favoured the papal power in his dominions; and he therefore remonftrated in fuch a vigorous manner with the queen of Hungry, regent of the Low-Countries, that the difmiffed the legate from Flanders, without allowing him to exercife his commission. Paris the cardinal was received very honourably; but Henry would not fuffer him to have any peace in a place fo near England; and therefore fent to demand him of the French king, who notifying it to Pole, the latter removed to Cambray, and put himself under the protection of the bishop of that place. The enmity which king Henry bore Pole being become fo open and violent, the cardinal now

1538

kept no farther measures in his intrigues against him. He was fufpected of aspiring to the crown, by means of a marriage with the princefs Mary; and the king was every day alarmed by informations which he received, of the correspondence maintained in England by this fugitive: Courtney, marquis of Exeter, had entered into a confpiracy with him; Sir Edward Nevil, brother to the lord Abergavenny, Sir Nicholas Carew, master of the horse, and knight of the garter; Henry de la Pole, lord Montague, and Sir Geoffrey de la Pole, brother to the cardinal. These perfons were indicted, tried, and convicted, before the lord Audley, who prefided in the trial as lord-high-steward. They were all executed, except Sir Geoffrey Pole, who was pardoned; and he owed this grace to his having first carried to the king fecret intelligence of the conspiracy. A price was now fet on the head of the cardinal, and he was now publicly proclaimed a traitor. Upon this account, and by reafon of the war between France and the Empire, he was tired of Cambray; which he thought a place of not fufficient fafety, fince Henry was engaged in this war, and English foldiers continually harraffing thos● parts. In this perplexity, cardinal Erardus à Marchia, bishop of Liege, inviting him to his fee, he immediately joyfully repaired thither, was received as a brother, and met with the most liberal entertainment; fix months he continued here, waiting till things fhould be quieter in England, and the disputes between the emperor and France determined: but thefe expectations proving vain, for feme reafon or other, he thought he was still in danger of being delivered up to Henry VIII. whereupon he left Liege, and by the Pope's command, returned through Germany to Rome, where he was very gracioufly received; and not long after he attended his Holiness to Nice, in the province of Narbonne, in France, to assist in bringing on, and concluding a treaty of peace between the emperor Charles V. and the French monarch Francis I, which he used his utmost endeavours to effect; and his Imperial majesty gave orders, that his minifters fhould pay all imaginable respects

He was ftiled cardinal deacon of St. Nereus and Achilleus, then of St. Mary in Cofmedin, and at length of St. Prifca,

to him. He was afterwards employed by the pontiff, to perfuade those two princes and fome others, to enter into a league against England; to restore the ancient religion in that kingdom, cleanse it from herefy, and relieve the devotees to the apoftolic fee, then in a very disagreeable and fad condition; an affair of greater neceffity and merit than to war against the Turks, who had appeared in Hungary. To difpatch this embaffy with quickness, and to avoid the toils of Henry VIII. the cardinal went incognito, and with very few attendants, first to the Emperor, then at Toledo in Spain, with the design of proceeding from thence to France. But Henry had been too cunning for the Pope, and had entirely counterworked his project; fo that Pole met with but a cool reception from the Emperor; upon which he returned to Avignon, where he acquainted the Pope with his ill fuccefs, and receiving a letter from his Holiness to continue in those parts, he took this opportunity of making a vifit to his beloved friend and acquaintance, cardinal Jacob Sadolet, at Carpentras; with whom he paffed fix months much to his fatiffaction, and in the utmoft fafety; this place, as well as Avignon, being under the Pope's jurisdiction. His Holinefs having occafion for him to go to Verona, recalled him from Carpentras; and arriving at Verona, he found much friendship and hofpitality from John Matthew Gilbert, bishop of that place. At length the Pope confidering how to reward his fervices, fent him legate to Viterbo; an eafy employment, and where he might refide entirely fafe, out of the reach of his

enemies.

In this poft he remained several years, ftill maintaining his character for piety and learning, and acquiring the love of the people by his moderation towards Proteftants; for which, however, he was charged by those who were bigotted to their own opinions, and who had no chriftian charity, to allow a difference of thinking in others, with favouring herefy. The Pope having called the council of Trent, appointed cardinal Pole, together with the cardinal of Paris, and cardinal John Merone, his three legates there. But the wars in Germany and other countries, rendering it impoffible to hold an affembly at that place

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for fome time, Pole returned to Viterbo, between which and Rome he paffed his time, pursuing his ftudies in great repofe; till the pontiff refolving to have his views in calling a council no longer defeated, iffued a fecond citation for holding it at the fame place; and appointed Pole again, with two different cardinals, (one of them cardinal Monte, afterwards Pope, by the name of Julius III. and the other cardinal St. Crucis, alfo raised afterwards to the papacy by his own name of Marcellus II.) his legates there. Accordingly cardinal Pole attended there as long as he was able; but the bad air bringing a dangerous catarrh upon him, he obtained leave to go to Padua, for the benefit of advice and better air. The council was foon afterwards removed on the fame account to Bononia. About which time, cardinal Pole having recovered his health, returned to Rome, and was received as ufual by the Pope, very graciously, who made him his chief counfellor in matters relating to kings and fovereign princes; and whenever any defences of this or that proceeding were neceffary, Pole was always the penman. Thus, for instance, when the Pope's power to remove the council was contefted by the Emperor's ambassador, he drew up a vindication of that proceeding; and when the emperor fet forth the interim, the cardinal was employed to answer it. This famous decree contained a scheme for an accom> modation, or a truce, to be observed between Papifts and Protestants; but gave great offence to both fides, each thinking too much to be conceded to the other. The tenor of it was in general very favourable to the Romish doctrines, fomewhat foftened, difguifed, and palliated. The only conceffions to the Proteftants were the ufe of the cup in the eucharift, and of marriage to the clergy; and even these were only conditional and temporary, and to continue till a general council thould decide about it. Yet trifling as they were, they were confidered of too great confequence by the Pope to be deemed as confented to by him, and therefore he opposed them. While this was the scene in Italy, the imperious Henry VIII. the great enemy of Pole, had been dead fome time; and as his fon Edward VI. now on the throne, had been bred up a Proteftant, cardinal Pole re

1540

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