_"Never did Cardinal bring good to England"_ (Vol. ii., p. 424.).--Your
correspondent O.P.Q. refers to Dr. Lingard's _History of England_, in which
this exclamation of the Duke of Suffolk, on the adjournment of the legatine
inquiry into the validity of the marriage of Henry VIII. and Catharine of
Arragon, is termed an "old saw," and remarks that he should be glad to know
if this saying is to be met with elsewhere, and what gave rise to it.
Before we enter upon the inquiries suggested by O.P.Q., it seems to me that
we have to consider a previous question--what authority is there for
terming it an "old saw." Dr. Lingard refers to "Cavendish, 434.; Herbert,
278." as his authorities for the whole paragraph. But Herbert does not
contain anything of the kind and Cavendish relates the matter very
differently:
"With that stepped forth the Duke of Suffolk from the king, and lay his
commandment spoke these words with a stout and an hault countenance,
'It was never merry in England,' quoth he, 'whilst we had cardinals
amongst us!'"--Cavendish's _Wolsey_, pp. 232, 233, Singer's edition.
Is Dr. Lingard the authority for these words being an "old saw", or has he
merely omitted to give a reference to the place from whence he really
derived them?