His honored presence so did me enflame, That though[2070] being then in presence of my peeres, Daine not the lesse to[2071] meet him as he came, (That very hardly could containe my teares) Kindly salute him, call him by his name, And oft together aske him how he cheares, With still along maintaining the extreame: Yet thought the man he[2072] had been in a dreame. 77. At length t’awake[2073] him gently I began With this demaund, if once he did not know One _Thomas Cromwell_, a poore English man By him relieu’d, when he was driuen low: When I perceiu’d he my remembrance wan, Yet with his teares it silently did show: I wept for woe, to see mine host distrest, But he for ioy to see his happie guest. 78. Him to the lords I publisht by my praise, And at my table carefully him set, Recounting them the many sundrie waies I was vnto this gentleman[2074] in debt, How great he was in Florence in those daies, With all that grace or reuerence him might get: Which all the while yet silently he heares, Moisting among his viands with his teares. 79. And to lend fulnesse lastly to his fate, Great summes I gaue him, and what was his due Made knowne, my selfe became his aduocate, And at my charge his creditors I sue, Recouering him vnto his former state: Thus he the world began by me anew, That shall to all posteritie expresse His honored bountie, and my thankfulnesse. 80. But muse recount, before thou further passe, How this great change so quickly came about, And what the cause of this sad downefall was, In euery part the spatious realme throughout, Being effected in so little space, Leaue not thereof posteritie to doubt, That with[2075] the world obscured else may bee, If in this place reuealed not by thee. 81. If the whole land did on the church relie, Hauing full power kings to account to call, That to the world read only policie, Besides heauen’s keyes to stop or let in all, Let me but know from her supremacie How she should come so suddenly to fall: ’Twas more then chance sure put a hand thereto, That had the power so great a thing to do. 82. Or ought there were had biding vnder sunne, Who would haue thought those edifices great, Which first religion holily begunne, The church approu’d, and wisdome richly seate, Deuotion nourish’d, faith allowance wonne, And all that them might any[2076] way compleate, Should in their ruines lastly buried lie, But that begun and ended from the skie? 83.