410 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



required : and in his buildings was magnificent, but 

 his rewards were very limited : so that his liberality 

 was rather upon his own state and memory than 

 upon the deserts of others. 



He was of an high mind, and loved his own will, 

 and his own way ; as one that revered himself, and 

 would reign indeed. Had he been a private man, 

 he would have been termed proud. But in a wise 

 prince, it was but keeping of distance, which indeed 

 he did towards all ; not admitting any near or full 

 approach, either to his power, or to his secrets, for 

 he was governed by none. His queen, notwithstand 

 ing she had presented him with divers children, and 

 with a crown also, though he would not acknowledge 

 it, could do nothing with him. His mother he re 

 verenced much, heard little. For any person agree 

 able to him for society, such as was Hastings to 

 King Edward the Fourth, or Charles Brandon after 

 to King Henry the Eighth, he had none : except we 

 should account for such persons, Fox, and Bray, and 

 Empson, because they were so much with him : but 

 it was but as the instrument is much with the work 

 man. He had nothing in him of vain glory, but yet 

 kept state and majesty to the height ; being sensible, 

 that majesty maketh the people bow, but vain glory 

 boweth to them. 



To his confederates abroad he was constant and 

 just, but not open. But rather such was his inquiry, 

 and such his closeness, as they stood in the light to 

 wards him, and he stood in the dark to them. Yet 

 without strangeness, but with a semblance of mutual 



