Jibes at Cardinal Wolsey

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 290, 12 January 1945, Page 9

Jibes at Cardinal Wolsey

There are many rhymes celebrating the downfall of Cardinal Wolsey, notably "Old Mother Hubbard." When Woisey lost the favour of Henry VIIL., the Pope tried repeatedly to have him reinstated, but in vain. Thus Old Mother Hubbard, the Pope, examines the cupboard of the King’s favour for the dog Wolsey, but the cupboard remains bare. "Little Boy Blue" ggain refers to the

Cardinal. The references to the sheep and the cow are digs at his humble origin as the son of a butcher and glazier. The Pope again appears to be mentioned in Little Bo-Peep, although one group of students deny this. It is claimed that Bo-Peep herself is the Pope (the similarity of names seems to bear. this out) the shepherd of souls, and that the whole rhyme is a reference to the English Reformation, the lost sheep being the sects which broke away from Rome. Another group, however, sees Bo-Peep as the unhappy Mary, Queen of Scots. Certainly Mary is "Little Miss Muffet," with John Knox as the "great big spider." So far as Bo-Peep is concerned, it is said by this group to refer to the time when Darnley was murdered and Mary was sheltering Bothwell. At that time her sheep or followers deserted her. After the acquittal of Bothwell, she rallied her forces at Carberry Hill, but they had "left their tails behind them" and the Border Lords crushed them. This view, although widely supported, seems far-fetched, and most prefer the concept concerning the Pope. bh]