There were the dean and sub-dean of his chapel; the repeater of the choir; the gospeler, the epistler, or the singing priest; the master of the singers, with his men and children.  In the vestry were a yeoman and two grooms.  In the procession were commonly seen forty priests, all in rich copes and other vestments of white satin, or scarlet, or crimson.  The altar was covered with massy plate, and blazed with jewels and precious stones.  But if such were his general establishment, not less was the array of those who attended on his person.  In his privy chamber he had his chief chamberlain, vice-chamberlain, and two gentlemen-ushers.  Six gentlemen-waiters and twelve yeomen; and at their head nine or ten lords to attend on him, each with their two or three servants, and some more, to wait on them, the Earl of Derby having five.  Three gentlemen-cupbearers, gentlemen-carvers, and servers to the amount of forty in the great and the privy chamber; six gentlemen-ushers and eight grooms.  Attending on his table were twelve doctors and chaplains, clerk of the closet, two clerks of the signet, four counsellors learned in the law, and two secretaries.

He had his riding-clerk; clerk of the crown; clerk of the hamper and chaffer; clerk of the cheque for the chaplains; clerk for the yeomen of the chamber; and “fourteen footmen garnished with rich running-coates, whensoever he had any journey;” besides these, a herald-at-arms, sergeant-at-arms, a physician, an apothecary, four minstrels, a keeper of the tents, an armorer; an instructor of his wards in chancery; “an instructor of his wardrop of roabes;” a keeper of his chamber; a surveyor of York, and clerk of the green cloth....

I am afraid the story of Henry VIII. coming to see this splendid palace on its first being built, and saying in a jealous surprize, “My Lord Cardinal, is this a dwelling for a subject?” and the courtly Cardinal replying, “My gracious liege, it is not intended for a subject; it is meant only for the greatest and most bounteous king in Christendom,” is too good to be true; for altho Wolsey did give up this favorite palace to his royal master, it was long afterward, and only on the palpable outbreak of his displeasure, as a most persuasive peace-offering; an offering which, tho especially acceptable, failed nevertheless to ensure lasting peace.  The sun of the great Cardinal was already in its decline....

Henry VIII. used to keep his court here frequently in great state, and here he used to celebrate Christmas in all its ancient festivity.  Here he lost his third wife, Jane Seymour, a few days after the birth of his son Edward VI., and felt or affected much grief on that account, perhaps because he had not had the pleasure of cutting off her head.  Here he married his sixth wife, Lady Catherine Parr, widow of Neville, Lord Latimer, and sister of the Marquis of Northampton.  This lady, who had the hardihood to marry this royal Bluebeard, after he had divorced two wives and chopped