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 258 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. Wolsey as homage offered to his own dignity and power, as well as of the vast superiority of his favorite. Wolsey had now reached almost the last step of the ladder of fortune. First minister, prime favorite, grand chancellor, archbishop of York, cardinal, sole legate (Campeggio, his colleague in that dignity, having been recalled to Rome), wealth, and power which enabled him to amass it abroad as well as at home, he might surely have been satisfied with the splendor of his lot. In 15 19, an eclat ant proof of the desire of Francis the First to testify his esteem for Henry was given by that monarch requesting him to stand godfather to his second son, Henry, afterwards king of France — a request not only proving his esteem, but likewise illustrative of the high position held by Henry the Eighth at that period in Europe, the friendship of sovereigns being then, as now, dependent on their prosperity and the influence they exercised in political affairs. To Wolsey did Francis confide the whole arrangement of the ceremonial of the interview to be held between him and Henry at Ardres — a flattering proof of his confidence in Wolsey, as great im- portance was attached to all the details of the etiquette and precedence to be maintained in such meetings. In consequence of this privilege, Wolsey, on the 12th of May, 1520, drew up the regulation or programme of the interview, which it was de- cided should take place on the 4th of June following, between Ardres and Guisnes ; that the King of England should advance towards Ardres, as far as was convenient to him, but without quitting that portion of his own territory still held in France, and that the King of France should advance to meet him where he stopped. By this arrangement Wolsey managed that the first visit should be paid by Francis to Henry, assigning for a reason, that, as Henry crossed the sea expressly to see Francis, the latter could do no less than pass his own territory to meet Henry. The royal party consisted of the kings and queens of England and France, Mary, queen-dowager of France, and Louise of Savoy, Duchess of Angouleme, mother to Francis. Each sovereign was to be attended by a princely train, and no expense was to be spared on either side to render the pageant splendid, both monarchs having a decided taste for magnifi- cence. While these arrangements were forming, Wolsey was secretly carrying on a correspondence with Charles the Fifth, who, having discovered his ambition and rapacity, administered to both, as being the best mode of securing his influence with his