ANNE BOLEYN'S HATRED OF WOLSEY (1529).
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."
[42] "I" refers to Cavendish, who was Wolsey's Gentleman Usher.