+Source.+--Cavendish's _Life of Wolsey_ (published by Harding and
Lepard, 1827), p. 241.
And as I[42] heard it reported by them that waited upon the king at
dinner, that Mistress Anne Boleyn was much offended with the King, as
far as she durst, that he so gently entertained my lord, saying, as
she sat with the King at dinner, in communication of him, "Sir," quoth
she, "is it not a marvellous thing to consider what debt and danger
the cardinal hath brought you in with all your subjects?" "How so,
sweetheart?" quoth the King. "Forsooth," quoth she, "there is not a
man in all your realm, worth five pounds, but he hath indebted you
unto him," (meaning by a loan that the king had but late of his
subjects). "Well, well," quoth the King, "as for that there is in him
no blame; for I know that matter better than you, or any other." "Nay,
Sir," quoth she, "besides all that, what things hath he wrought within
this realm to your great slander and dishonour? There is never a
nobleman within this realm that if he had done but half so much as he
hath done, but he were well worthy to lose his head. If my Lord of
Norfolk, my Lord of Suffolk, my lord my father, or any other noble
person within your realm, had done much less than he, but they should
have lost their heads ere this." "Why, then, I perceive," quoth the
king, "ye are not the Cardinal's friend?" "Forsooth, Sir," then quoth
she, "I have no cause, nor any other that loveth your grace, no more
have your grace if ye consider well his doings."
[Footnote 42: "I" refers to Cavendish, who was Wolsey's Gentleman Usher.]