He did not dismount from his mule, but merely doffed his cap, and embraced as a brother the temporal head of Christendom.[295] When, after a dispute with the Venetian ambassador, he wished to be friendly, he allowed Giustinian, with royal condescension, and as a special mark of favour, to kiss his hand.[296] He never granted audience either to English peers or foreign ambassadors until the third or fourth time of asking.[297] In 1515 it was the custom of ambassadors to dine with Wolsey before presentation at Court, but four years later they were never served until the viands had been removed from the Cardinal's table.[298] A Venetian, describing Wolsey's (p.

112) embassy to France in 1527, relates that his "attendants served cap in hand, and, when bringing the dishes, knelt before him in the act of presenting them.

Those who waited on the Most Christian King, kept their caps on their heads, dispensing with such exaggerated ceremonies."[299] [Footnote 292: _Ven.

Cal._, iii., 56.] [Footnote 293: _Ibid._, iii., 50.] [Footnote 294: _Ibid._, vol.iii., p.

29.] [Footnote 295: _Ibid._, iii., 298.] [Footnote 296: _L.