Hampton Court ... Illustrated with forty-three drawings by Herbert ...

54
HAMPTON COURT
The priest shall not be able to deny it in my presence,
for Iwas at the delivery thereof: who hath gotten
diversother rich ornamentsintohis hands,the which be
not rehearsed or registered in any of my Lord's books
of inventory or other writings, whereby any man is
able to charge him therewithbut only I.' ' Well, then,'
quoth the King, ' let me alone, and keep this gear
secret between yourself and me, and let no man know
thereof; for ifIhear any more of it, thenIknow by
whom it came out. Howbeit,' quoth he, ' three may
keep counselif two be away; and ifIknew that my
cap were privy ofmy counsel,Iwould cast it into the
fire and burn it. And for your truth and honesty ye
shall be our servant, and be in that same room with us
wherein you were with your old master. Therefore go
your ways untoSir John Gage our vice-chamberlain, to
whomIhave spoken already to give you your oath,
and to admit you our servant in the said room;and
then go to my Lord Norfolk, and he shall pay you
your whole year's wages, which is ten pounds, is it not
so ? ' '
quoth the King. Yes, forsooth,' quoth I, ' and
Iam behind for three-quarters of a year of the same
'
wages.' That is true,' quoth the King, ' therefore ye
shall have your whole year's wages, with our reward,delivered
you by the Duke of Norfolk : ' promising me,
furthermore, to be my singular good lord, whensoever
occasion should serve. And thusIdeparted from
the King." '
The sordid story — Henry's utter absence of real
1 Wordsworth's "EcclesiasticalBiography," i. 547-550.