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reception of those towns from Maximilian. Then he familiarly related some particular passages of his own adventures and victory passed. As to the business of Britain, the King answered in few words; that the French King, and the duke of Britain, were the two persons to whom he was most obliged of all men; and that he should think himself

very unhappy, if things should go so between them, as he should not be able to acquit himself in gratitude towards them both; and that there was no means for him as a Christian King, and a 10 common friend to them, to satisfy all obligations both to God and man, but to offer himself for a mediator of an accord and peace between them; by which course he doubted not but their King's estate, and honour both, would be preserved with more safety and less envy than by a war; and that he would spare no cost or pains, no if it were to go on pilgrimage, for so good an effect; and concluded, that in this great affair, which he took so much to heart, he would express himself more fully by an ambassage, which he would speedily dispatch unto the French King for that purpose. 20 And in this sort the French ambassadors were dismissed : the King avoiding to understand any thing touching the reannexing of Britain, as the ambassadors had avoided to mention it save that he gave a little touch of it in the word envy. And so it was, that the King was neither so shallow, 25 nor so ill advertised, as not to perceive the intention of the French for the investing himself of Britain. But first, he was utterly unwilling, howsoever he gave out, to enter into war with France. A fame of a war he liked well, but not an achievement; for the one he thought would make him 30 richer, and the other poorer; and he was possessed with many secret fears touching his own people, which he was therefore loth to arm, and put weapons into their hands. Yet notwithstanding, as a prudent and courageous Prince,

he was not so averse from a war, but that he was resolved to choose it, rather than to have Britain carried by France, being so great and opulent a duchy, and situate so opportunely to annoy England, either for coast or trade. But the King's hopes were, that partly by negligence, commonly 5 imputed to the French, especially in the court of a young King, and partly by the native power of Britain itself, which was not small; but chiefly in respect of the great party that the duke of Orleans had in the kingdom of France, and thereby means to stir up civil troubles, to divert the French 10 King from the enterprise of Britain. And lastly, in regard of the power of Maximilian, who was co-rival to the French King in that pursuit, the enterprise would either bow to a peace, or break in itself. In all which the King measured and valued things amiss, as afterwards appeared. He sent 15 therefore forthwith to the French King, Christopher Urswick, his chaplain, a person by him much trusted and employed: choosing him the rather, because he was a churchman, as best sorting with an ambassy of pacification: and giving him also a commission, that if the French King consented to 20 treat, h should thence repair to the duke of Britain, and ripen the treaty on both parts. Urswick made declaration to the French King, much to the purpose of the King's answer to the French ambassadors here, instilling also tenderly some overture of receiving to grace the duke of 25 Orleans, and some taste of conditions of accord. But the French King on the other side proceeded not sincerely, but with a great deal of art and dissimulation in this treaty; having for his end, to gain time, and so put off the English succours under hope of peace, till he had got good 30 footing in Britain by force of arms. Wherefore he answered the ambassador, that he would put himself into the King's

hands, and make him arbiter of the peace; and willingly

consented, that the ambassador should straightways pass into Britain, to signify this his consent, and to know the duke's mind likewise; well foreseeing, that the duke of Orleans, by whom the duke of Britain was wholly led, taking 5 himself to be upon terms irreconcileable with him, would admit of no treaty of peace. Whereby he should in one, both generally abroad veil over his ambition, and win the reputation of just and moderate proceedings; and should withal endear himself in the affections of the King of 10 England, as one that had committed all to his will: nay and, which was yet more fine, make faith in him, that although he went on with the war, yet it should be but with his sword in his hand, to bend the stiffness of the other party to accept of peace; and so the King should take no 15 umbrage of his arming and prosecution; but the treaty to be kept on foot to the very last instant, till he were master of the field.

Which grounds being by the French King wisely laid, all things fell out as he expected. For when the English 20 ambassador came to the court of Britain, the duke was then scarcely perfect in his memory, and all things were directed by the duke of Orleans, who gave audience to the chaplain Urswick, and upon his ambassage delivered made answer in somewhat high terms: That the duke of Britain having 25 been an host, and a kind of parent or foster-father to the King, in his tenderness of age and weakness of fortune did look for at this time from King Henry, the renowned King of England, rather brave troops for his succours, than a vain treaty of peace. And if the King could forget the good 30 offices of the duke done unto him aforetime; yet he knew well, he would in his wisdom consider of the future, how much it imported his own safety and reputation, both in foreign parts, and with his own people, not to suffer Britain,

the old confederates of England, to be swallowed up by France, and so many good ports and strong towns upon the coast be in the command of so potent a neighbour King, and so ancient an enemy: And therefore humbly desired the King to think of this business as his own: and there- 5 with brake off, and denied any farther conference for treaty.

Urswick returned first to the French King, and related to him what had passed. Who finding things to sort to his desire, took hold of them, and said; That the ambassador 10 might perceive now that, which he for his part partly imagined before. That considering in what hands the duke of Britain was, there would be no peace, but by a mixed treaty of force and persuasion: and therefore he would. go on with the one, and desired the King not to desist 15 from the other. But for his own part, he did faithfully promise to be still in the King's power, to rule him in the matter of peace. This was accordingly represented unto the King by Urswick at his return, and in such a fashion, as if the treaty were in no sort desperate, but rather stayed for a 20 better hour, till the hammer had wrought and beat the party of Britain more pliant. Whereupon there passed continually packets and despatches between the two Kings, from the one out of desire, and from the other out of dissimulation, about the negotiation of peace. The French King 25 mean while invaded Britain with great forces, and distressed the city of Nantz with a strait siege, and as one, who though he had no great judgment, yet had that, that he could dissemble home, the more he did urge the prosecution of the war, the more he did, at the same time, urge the 30 solicitation of the peace. Insomuch as during the siege of Nantz, after many letters and particular messages, the better to maintain his dissimulation, and to refresh the treaty,

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he sent Bernard D'Aubigny, a person of good quality, to the King, earnestly to desire him to make an end of the business howsoever.

The King was no less ready to revive and quicken the 5 treaty; and thereupon sent three commissioners, the abbot of Abingdon, Sir Richard Tunstal, and chaplain Urswick formerly employed, to do their utmost endeavours to manage the treaty roundly and strongly.

About this time the lord Woodvile, uncle to the Queen, 10 a valiant gentleman, and desirous of honour, sued to the King that he might raise some power of voluntaries under-hand, and without licence or passport (wherein the King might any ways appear) go to the aid of the duke of Britain. The King denied his request, or at least seemed 15 so to do, and laid strait commandment upon him, that he should not stir, for that the King thought his honour would suffer therein, during a treaty, to better a party. Nevertheless this lord, either being unruly, or out of conceit that the King would not inwardly dislike that, which he would not 20 openly avow, sailed directly over into the isle of Wight, whereof he was governor, and levied a fair troop of four hundred men, and with them passed over into Britain, and joined himself with the duke's forces. The news whereof, when it came to the French court, put divers young bloods 25 into such a fury, as the English ambassadors were not without peril to be outraged. But the French King, both to preserve the privilege of ambassadors, and being conscious to himself, that in the business of peace he himself was the greater dissembler of the two, forbad all injuries of fact 30 or word against their persons or followers. And presently

came an agent from the King, to purge himself touching the lord Woodvile's going over; using for a principal argument, to demonstrate that it was without his privity, for that

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