XXI.

He is a fish on the dry shore, when the tide of his master's love hath left him.-So that if he be not the more wise, he will be made a prey to the next that finds him. Several are the causes of favourites' falls, proceeding either from the king's pleasure, their enemies' malice, or their own default. Different the degrees and manner of their ruin: some, when grown too great, are shifted under honourable colours of employment into a foreign air, there to purge and lessen; others receive their condemnation at home. But, how bad soever his cast be, see how he betters it by good playing it :

XXII.

He submits himself, without contesting, to the pleasure of his prince.-For, being a tenant-at-will to the favour of his sovereign, it is vain to strive to keep violent possession when his landlord will out him. Such struggling makes the hook of his enemies' malice strike the deeper into him. And whilst his adversaries spur him with injuries, on purpose to make him spring out into rebellious practices, he reins-in his passions with the stronger patience.

XXIII.

If he must down, he seeks to fall easily, and, if possible, to light on his legs.-If stripped out of his robes, he strives to keep his clothes; losing his honour, yet to hold his lands; if not them, his life; and thanks his prince, for giving him whatsoever he takes not away from him.

To conclude: A favourite is a trade, whereof he that breaks once, seldom sets up again. Rare are the examples of those who have compounded and thrived well afterwards. Mean men are like underwood, which the law calls sylva cædua, quæ succisa renascitur,* "being cut down, it may spring again." But favourites are like oaks, which scarce thrive after, (to make timber,) being lopped; but, if once cut down, never grow more. If we light on any who have flourished the second time, impute it to their prince's pleasure to cross the common observation, and to show that nothing is past cure with so great a surgeon, who can even set a broken favourite.

Now, to show the inconstancy of greatness not supported with virtue, we will first insist in a remarkable pattern in holy

Scripture. Next, will we produce a parallel of two favourites in our English court, living in the same time and height of honour with their sovereign; the one, through his viciousness, ending in misery; the other, by his virtuous demeanour, shining bright to his death: for I count it a wrong to our country to import precedents out of foreign histories, when our home-chronicles afford us as plentiful and proper examples.

CHAPTER II.

THE LIFE OF HAMAN.

HAMAN, the son of Hammedatha, of the kindred of Agag, and people of Amalek, was highly favoured by Ahasuerus, emperor of Persia. I find not what precious properties he had. Sure, he was a pearl in the eye of Ahasuerus, who commanded all his subjects to do lowly reverence unto him: only Mordecai the Jew excepted himself from that rule, denying him the payment of so humble an observance.

I fathom not the depth of Mordecai's refusal :-perchance, Haman interpreted this reverence, farther than it was intended, as a divine honour, and therefore Mordecai would not blow wind into so empty a bladder, and be accessary to puff him up with self-conceit;-or because Amalek was the devil's first-fruits, which first brake the peace with Israel, and God commanded an antipathy against them ;-or he had some private countermand from God, not to reverence him. Whatever it was, I had rather accuse myself of ignorance, than Mordecai of pride.

Haman swells at this neglect: "Will not his knees bow? his neck shall break with a halter!" But, O! this was but poor and private revenge: one lark will not fill the belly of such a vulture. What, if Mordecai will not stoop to Haman, must Haman stoop to Mordecai to be revenged of him alone? Wherefore he plotteth, with the king's sword, to cut off the whole nation of the Jews.

Repairing to Ahasuerus, he requested that all the Jews might be destroyed. He backs his petition with three arguments : First, it was a scattered nation; had they inhabited one entire

country, their extirpation would have weakened his empire; but being dispersed, though killed every where, they would have been missed no where. Secondly, his empire would be more uniform when this irregular people, not observing his laws, were taken away. Thirdly, ten thousand talents Haman would pay, into the bargain, into the king's treasure.

What, out of his own purse? I see, his pride was above his covetousness; and spiteful men count their revenge a purchase which cannot be over-bought: or, perchance, this money should arise out of the confiscation of their goods. Thus Ahasuerus should lock all the Jews into his chest, and, by help of Haman's chemistry, convert them into silver.

See how this grand destroyer of a whole nation pleads the king's profit! Thus our puny depopulators allege, for their doings, the king's and country's good; and we will believe them when they can persuade us, that their private coffers are the king's exchequer. But never any wounded the commonwealth, but first they kissed it, pretending the public good.

Haman's silver is dross with Ahasuerus: only his pleasure is current with him. If Haman will have it so, so it shall freely be; he will give him and not sell him his favour. It is woful when great judges see parties accused, by other men's eyes; but condemn them, by their own mouths. And now posts were sent through all Persia, to execute the king's cruel decree.

I had almost forgotten how, before this time, Mordecai had discovered the treason which two of the king's chamberlains had plotted against him; which good service of his, though not presently paid, yet was scored up in the chronicles, (not rewarded but recorded,) where it slept till a due occasion did awake it. Perchance, Haman's envy kept it from the king's knowledge; and princes sometimes, to reward the desert of men, want not mind, but minding of it.

To proceed: See the Jews all pitifully pensive and fasting in sackcloth and ashes, even to queen Esther herself, who, unknown to Haman, was one of that nation. And, to be brief, Esther invites Ahasuerus and Haman to a banquet, (whose life shall pay the reckoning!) and, next day, they are both invited to a second entertainment.

Meantime Haman provides a gallows of fifty cubits high, to hang Mordecai on. Five cubits would have served the turn; and, had it taken effect, the height of the gallows had but set his soul so much the farther on his journey towards heaven. His stomach was so sharp set, he could not stay till he had

dined on all the Jews, but first he must break his fast on Mordecai; and fit it was this bell-wether should be sacrificed before the rest of the flock: wherefore he comes to the court, to get leave to put him to death.

The night before, Ahasuerus had passed without sleep. The chronicles are called for, either to invite slumber, or to entertain waking with the less tediousness. God's hand in the margin points the reader to the place where Mordecai's good service was related; and Ahasuerus asketh Haman, (newly come into the presence,) "What shall be done to the man whom the king will honour?"

Haman, being now, as he thought, to measure his own happiness, had been much to blame if he made it not of the largest size. He cuts out a garment of honour, royal both for matter and making, for Mordecai to wear. By the king's command, he becomes Mordecai's herald and page, lackeying by him riding on the king's steed, (who, he hoped, by this time should have mounted the wooden horse,)* and then, pensive in heart, hastes home to bemoan himself to his friends. Haman's wife proves a true prophetess, presaging his ruin. If the feet of a favourite begin to slip on the steep hill of honour, his own weight will down with him to the bottom: once past noon with him, it is presently night.

For, at the next feast, Ahasuerus is mortally incensed against him for plotting the death of Esther, with the rest of her people. (For had his project succeeded, probably the Jew had not been spared for being a queen, but the queen had been killed for being a Jew.) Haman, in a careless, sorrowful posture, more minding his life than his lust, had cast himself on the queen's bed. "Will he force the queen also," said Ahasuerus, "before me in the house?" These words rang his passing-bell in the court; and, according to the Persian fashion, they covered his face, putting him in a winding sheet that was dead in the king's favour. The next news we hear of him is, that, by exchange, Haman inherits the gibbet of Mordecai, and Mordecai, the house and greatness of Haman, the decree against the Jews being generally reversed.

The wooden gallows which Haman had provided.-EDIT.

CHAPTER III.

THE LIFE OF CARDINAL WOLSEY.

THOMAS WOLSEY was born at Ipswich in Suffolk; whose father was a butcher, and an honest man,* and was there brought up at school, where afterwards he built a beautiful College. From Ipswich he went to Oxford, and from thence was preferred to be schoolmaster to the marquess of Dorset's children, where he first learnt to be imperious over noble blood. By the stairs of a parsonage or two, he climbed up at last into the notice of Fox, bishop of Winchester, and was received to be his secretary.

There was, at that time, a faction at court betwixt bishop Fox, and Thomas Howard, earl of Surrey. The bishop, being very old, was scarce able to make good his party; yet it grieved him not so much to stoop to nature, as to the earl, his cor-rival: wherefore, not able to manage the matter himself, he was contented to be the stock whereon Wolsey should be grafted, whom he made heir to his favour, commending him to king Henry VII. for one fit to serve a king, and command others; and, hereupon, he was entertained at court.

Soon after, when Henry his son came to the crown, Wolsey quickly found the length of his foot, and fitted him with an easy shoe. He persuaded him, that it was good accepting of pleasure whilst youth tendered it: let him follow his sports, whilst Wolsey would undertake every night briefly to represent unto him all matters of moment which had passed the council-table: for princes are to take state-affairs not in the mass and whole bulk of them, but only the spirits thereof skilfully extracted. And, hereupon, the king referred all matters to Wolsey's managing, on whom he conferred the bishoprics of Durham, Winchester, and York, with some other spiritual promotions.

Nothing now hindered Wolsey's prospect to overlook the whole court, but the head of Edward Stafford, duke of Buckingham, who was high in birth, honour, and estate. For, as for Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, he stood not in Wolsey's way, but rather beside than against him; Brandon being the

• Parentem habuit virum probum at lanium.-POLYDORUS VIRGILIUS, p. 633.