in Context Le Historye certainly can be read in isolation and, if read in this manner, provides a Le Historye nuanced and emotional poetic lamentation for the dead Cardinal. However, to more fully understand characterization of his former master, it is well worth Cavendish’s placing in a wider context. The other poems found in the Le Historye Metrical Visions all deal with the same theme: the rise and fall of great men and women in the Tudor court, and the moral lessons that the reader might draw from them. It ought to be understood, then, that all these poems are organized around this central principle and thus have much in common: to discuss all the poems in this particular context would necessitate a degree of repetition. However, there are a few poems in the collection which, when placed alongside highlight features worth discussing. Le Historye, The first poem to follow (and the second in the collection) is Le Historye which discusses the rise and fall of George Boleyn (c.1504–1536), Vycount / Rocheford, Viscount Rocheford and brother of Anne Boleyn. This poem aptly demonstrates the wide range of figures depicted in the Unlike Wolsey, George was Metrical Visions. born into the highest reaches of the English aristocracy (his father was Thomas Boleyn (1476/7–1539) and his mother was Elizabeth Howard (d. 1538), daughter of Thomas Howard, second duke of Norfolk), and in addition, as his character proudly laments in gave me graces / dame . nature did hir part / Endewed me Vycount / Rocheford, “God with gyftes / of naturall The juxtaposition between the son who qualities”. butcher’s came pouertie to and the scion of a wealthy and powerful family is “ffrome plentie” stark and is consciously positioned in the second stanzas of these two poems respectively. Despite the obvious contrasts between the two men, Cavendish emphasizes their similarities. common birth is largely glossed over, with the Wolsey’s Cardinal focusing instead on his many offices and honors and the rapidity with which they were gained. Similarly, in George Boleyn does not mention his high birth, Vycount but instead speaks about his unusual and praiseworthy gifts which led him to high preferment:
Le Historye in Context Le Historye certainly can be read in isolation and, if read in this manner, provides a nuanced and emotional poetic lamentation for the dead Cardinal. However, to more fully understand Cavendish’s characterization of his former master, it is well worth placing Le Historye in a wider context. The other poems found in the Metrical Visions all deal with the same theme: the rise and fall of great men and women in the Tudor court, and the moral lessons that the reader might draw from them. It ought to be understood, then, that all these poems are organized around this central principle and thus have much in common: to discuss all the poems in this particular context would necessitate a degree of repetition. However, there are a few poems in the collection which, when placed alongside Le Historye, highlight features worth discussing. The first poem to follow Le Historye (and the second in the collection) is Vycount / Rocheford, which discusses the rise and fall of George Boleyn (c.1504–1536), Viscount Rocheford and brother of Anne Boleyn. This poem aptly demonstrates the wide range of figures depicted in the Metrical Visions. Unlike Wolsey, George was born into the highest reaches of the English aristocracy (his father was Thomas Boleyn (1476/7–1539) and his mother was Elizabeth Howard (d. 1538), daughter of Thomas Howard, second duke of Norfolk), and in addition, as his character proudly laments in Vycount / Rocheford, “God gave me graces / dame . nature did hir part / Endewed me with gyftes / of naturall qualities”. The juxtaposition between the butcher’s son who came “ffrome pouertie to plentie” and the scion of a wealthy and powerful family is stark and is consciously positioned in the second stanzas of these two poems respectively. Despite the obvious contrasts between the two men, Cavendish emphasizes their similarities. Wolsey’s common birth is largely glossed over, with the Cardinal focusing instead on his many offices and honors and the rapidity with which they were gained. Similarly, in Vycount George Boleyn does not mention his high birth, but instead speaks about his unusual and praiseworthy gifts which led him to high preferment:
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