* * * * *
George I. was remarkably fond of seeing the play of _Henry VIII_. which
had something in it that seemed to hit the taste of that monarch. One
night being very attentive to that part of the play where Henry VIII.
commands his minister, Wolsey, to write circular letters of indemnity to
every county where the payment of certain heavy taxes had been disputed,
and remarking the manner in which the minister artfully communicated these
commands to his secretary, Cromwell, whispering thus:--
"A word with you:
Let there be letters writ to every shire
Of the King's grace and pardon; the griev'd commons
Hardly conceive of me--Let it be nois'd
That thro' _our intercession_ this revokement
And pardon comes."----
--The king could not help smiling at the craft of the minister, in
filching from his master the merit of the action, though he himself had
been the author of the evil complained of; and turning to the Prince of
Wales, said, "You see, George, what you have one day to expect; an English
minister will be an English minister in every age and in every reign."