I read that passage this morning. It's from the prologue to ACOK. Cressen is late to the banquet, gets run over by Patchface, Melisandre places the fool's belled helmet on Cressen's head, Stannis publicly dismisses Cressen from his cabinet, and then Selyse suggests that Cressen sing aloud any further counsel. Only then does Stannis say, "You go too far, woman. He's an old man and he'd served me well."