HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 369 



nature harsh and haughty ; much accepted by the 

 king, but envied by the nobility, and hated of the 

 people. Neither was his name left out of Perkin s 

 proclamation for any good will, but they would not 

 bring him in amongst the king s casting counters, 

 because he had the image and superscription upon 

 him of the pope, in his honour of cardinal. He won 

 the king with secrecy and diligence, but chiefly be 

 cause he was his old servant in his less fortunes : 

 and also for that, in his affections, he was not with 

 out an inveterate malice against the house of York, 

 under whom he had been in trouble. He was willing 

 also to take envy from the king, more than the king 

 was willing to put upon him : for the king cared 

 not for subterfuges, but would stand envy, and 

 appear in any thing that was to his mind ; which 

 made envy still grow upon him more universal, but 

 less daring. But in the matter of exactions, time 

 did after shew, that the bishop in feeding the king s 

 humour did rather temper it. He had been by 

 Richard the Third committed, as in custody, to the 

 Duke of Buckingham, whom he did secretly incite 

 to revolt from King Richard. But after the duke 

 was engaged, and thought the bishop should have 

 been his chief pilot in the tempest, the bishop was 

 gotten into the cock boat, and fled over beyond seas. 

 But whatsoever else was in the man, he deserveth a 

 most happy memory, in that he was the principal 

 mean of joining the two roses. He died of great 

 years, but of strong health and powers. 



The next year, which was the sixteenth year of 



