The king laughs. “Why would I trust a man with my business, if he could not manage his own?” — Hilary Mantel

The cardinal used to say, the English will forgive a king anything, until he tries to tax them.

A lie is no less a lie because it is a thousand years old.

When have I, when have I ever forced anyone to do anything, he starts to say: but Richard cuts in, “No, you don’t, I agree, it’s just that you are practiced at persuading, and sometimes it’s quite difficult, sir to distinguish being persuaded by you from being knocked down in street and stamped on.”