He asks my hand for his brother Thomas Seymour, provided you choose his sister, Lady Margaret, for your wife." "Never!" cried the earl.

"Never will Henry Howard present his hand to a daughter of that house; never condescend so far as to elevate a Seymour to be his wife.

That is well enough for a king--not for a Howard!" "Brother, you insult the king!" "Well, I insult him, then! He has insulted me, too, in arranging this base scheme." "Brother, reflect; the Seymours are powerful, and stand high in the king's favor." "Yes, in the king's favor they stand high! But the people know their proud, cruel, and arrogant disposition; and the people and nobility despise them.

The Seymours have the voice of the king in their favor; the Howards the voice of the whole country, and that is of more consequence.

The king can exalt the Seymours, for they stand far beneath him.