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Christopher Bayubrigg*.

CARDINAL OF ST. PRAXEDE, LEGATE TO THE COURT OF ROME, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, MASTER OF THE ROLLS, &c.

1460-1514.

"O Cromwell, Cromwell!

Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my King, he would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies."

SHAKESPEAR.

DR

E mortuis nil nisi bonum is the pall which the hand of Charity commonly throws over the memory of the dead; but Charity, sublime and Godlike as it is, like every other virtue has its stated limits, beyond which it ceases to be. As we cannot here in a few words ascertain its just boundary line, we must be content with saying that as a rule of action, the maxim can have no place in Biographical History, nor indeed in any Public Record meant for the instruction or edification of mankind. On History's page, whether winged for the future or but for life's little day, Truth-the white-robed son of

* It is sometimes written Bainbrigg, and sometimes Bainbridge, but he himself signed it as above.

Light-reigns supreme over all; the Will and Understanding are alike vassals to his throne; let their allegiance for an instant be withdrawn, and the scribe becomes, like every liar, brave towards God and a coward towards man. Hence our bounden duty here, in the lives of Baynbrigg and Curwen especially, waiving aside this false Form of Charity, to set about the task with loins girt with Truth, and our feet washed with pure water.

Before we proceed to the narrative of his life, we must be allowed to make another remark, rather perhaps an apology, for an apparent anachronism in placing in a work purporting to commence with the Reformation, the adventures of a man who lived. and died a member of the Church of Rome, and before the period usually assigned to the final separation of this Island from her power. The inconsistency lies only in appearance, in reality there is none; for when we calmly and dispassionately consider the course of things, when with the eye of reason we survey the world as it passes by us, when the difficulty, if not impossibility of determining the punctum indifferens (where the arterial and venous blood of the system social as well as physical commingles-where the one ends and the other begins) is acknowledged, surely no great impropriety (if any) will be laid to our charge, for carrying back the first Reformation-movement to the commencement of the reign of Henry the 8th. Indeed if the German Historians are right, we might

go back still further: this however is enough for our measure*.

Wolsey, the great child of fortune, destined so soon to succeed Baynbrigg in his honours at York and Rome in all their dignities and dangers, was from an humble stock, but fashioned to much honor. Our Cardinal was nobili ortus famili↗ was of a noble stock, and no less fashioned to much honor. Such is the race of life. He was born at Hilton (Bacon) in the County of Westmorland about the year 1460: according to Anthony Wood Hiltona (ut fertur) secus Applebeiam natus ; and Dr. Burn seems to think that he was born at Burton in the Parish of Warcop; but we adhere, after much consideration and research to Hilton as founded on sounder data and better authority.

Concerning his school days we are quite at fault. The first quest of him is in Queen's College Oxford; and of the course of his studies there, of his general demeanor, of the hopes and expectations

*For the same reason might have been included in these Memoirs the Life of Thomas Langton, Bishop of Winchester (1493) born at Appleby, Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, &c. and that of Bishop Redman, but it is necessary to draw the line somewhere, and we begin with the learned Cardinal.

† Godwin.

See Wood's Ath. Oxon. 116 (Edit Bliss); Godwin and Surtees Hist. of Durham,

§ This College was founded in 1340, by Robert Egglesfield, Confessor to Philippa Queen of Edward iii. (from whence it is called Queen's College) for a Provost and 12 Fellows, since increased to 16, to be chosen from the counties of Cumberland and

raised of his advancement in after life, we feel also obliged to kiss the rod and plead ignorance. Certain however it is, that he was successively pauper puer serviens*, pauper puer or Tabardert, Fellow, and some years afterwards Provost of the College.

As soon as his probationary state in College was over, he seems at once to have thrown off his monastic habit, and for a while, at least, left the University; for not long after this we find him inducted into the Rectory of Aller in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, which he held until 1505. From his induction into this living, where he resided some time, our story is one almost of figures or dates of promotions, following each other in such rapid and brilliant succession, that competition. seems to have fled from him as from the glance of

Westmorland. This is called by way of distinction the Old Foundation. The New Foundation was by John Mitchell, Esq. of Richmond, in Surrey, but in that Westmorland men have no interest. There are also five Exhibitions of £.100 a-year (about to be increased in value to about £.120) for natives of any Counties coming from certain schools in Yorkshire, Westmorland, and Cumberland, by Lady Betty Hastings; the Schools in Westmorland are those at Appleby and Heversham.

A poor serving child that waited on the Fellows in Hall and in their Chambers; a system of fagging which high and low on the Old Foundation were formerly subjected to. This service is now done by Bedmakers.

+ Tabarder or Tabitter, so called from the coat or upper gowns they wore, according to the fashion of those belonging to Heralds. But the Tyrant Reform has stripped even this little pauper puer of his badge of distinction.

Destiny. In 1485, he became Prebendary of South Grantham, (which he resigned for that of Chardstock in the same year) and of Horton in 1486, all in the Cathedral of Salisbury. In 1495 he was chosen Provost of Queen's, the duties whereof he discharged until his elevation to the see of Durham, a period of thirteen years or thereabouts. To this College (according to Godwin) he was a liberal benefactor. While Provost, namely, in September 1503 he was made Prebendary of Strenshall in the County of York; and in December following was instituted into the Deanery. In 1505 (21 Hen. 7) he became Dean of Windsor: and in the same year Master of the Rolls*. In 1507, as already stated, he was consecrated Bishop of Durham. On the 22 September 1508 he was enthroned, in the room of Thomas Savage, in the Archbishoprick of York. His fortunes however were not to end even here; his star was still in the ascendant, and had to move onwards and to influence other regions still higher and more remote, but in an orbit for a time eccentric. On the 24th September 1509 (1 Hen. 8) he was sent as Legate to the Court of Rome†. It is also said that he was Almoner to Henry VIIth, and sent by him Ambassador to the Emperor Maximilian, Charles the 8th of France, and other European Powers; but we feel satisfied that he is in these

* Surtees Hist. of Durham, cxiv.

13 Vol. Rymer's Foedera 265, contains his Commission (London 4to. 1712.)

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