1519.

French Monarch, who still continued to the last in C H A P. the belief that the majority of the electoral college XXVIII. was engaged in his favour. And as he was some years superior in age to his rival, and, after his chosen victory at Marignan, and conquest of the Milanese, Emperor. much superior in renown, he could not suppress his indignation at being thus, in the face of the world, after long and anxious expectation, disappointed in so important a pretension. From this competition, as much as from opposition of interests, arose that emulation between those two great Monarchs; which while it kept their whole age in movement, sets them in so remarkable a contrast to each other: Both of them Princes endowed with talents and abilities; brave, aspiring, active, warlike; beloved by their servants and subjects, dreaded by their enemies, and respected by all the world: Francis, open, frank, liberal, munificent, carrying these virtues to an excess which prejudiced his affairs : Charles, political, close, artful, frugal; better qualified to obtain success in wars and in negotiations, especially the latter. The one the more amiable man; the other the greater monarch. The King from his oversights and indiscretions, naturally exposed to misfortunes; but qualified by his spirit and magnanimity, to extricate himself from them with honour: The Emperor, by his designing interested character, fitted, in his greatest successes, to excite jealousy and opposition even among his allies, and to rouse up a multitude of enemies in the place of one whom he had subdued. And as the personal qualities of these Princes thus counterpoised each other, so did the advantages and disadvantages of their dominions. Fortune alone, without the concurrence of prudence or valour, never reared up of a sudden, so great a power as that which centred in the Emperor Charles. He reaped the succession of Castile, of Arragon, of Austria, of the Netherlands: He inherited

CHAP. the conquest of Naples, of Grenada: Election enXXVIII. titled him to the empire: Even the bounds of the

globe seemed to be enlarged a little before his time, 1519. that he might possess the whole treasure, as yet entire and unrifled, of the new world. But though the concurrence of all these advantages formed an empire, greater and more extensive than any known in Europe since that of the Romans, the kingdom of France alone, being close, compact, united, rich, populous, and being interposed between the provinces of the Emperor's dominions, was able to make a vigorous opposition to his progress, and maintain the contest against him.

1520.

HENRY possessed the felicity of being able, both by the native force of his kingdom and its situation, to hold the balance between those two powers; and had he known to improve, by policy and prudence, this singular and inestimable advantage, he was really, by means of it, a greater potentate than either of those mighty monarchs, who seemed to strive for the dominion of Europe. But this Prince was, in his character, heedless, inconsiderate, capricious, impolitic; guided by his passions or his favourite; vain, imperious, haughty; sometimes actuated by friendship for foreign powers, oftener by resentment, seldom by his true interest. And thus, though he exulted in that superiority which his situation in Europe gave him, he never employed it to his own essential and durable advantage, or to that of his kingdom.

FRANCIS was well acquainted with Henry's chaInterview racter, and endeavoured to accommodate his conHenry and duct to it. He solicited an interview near Calais; Francis at in expectation of being able, by familiar conver

between

Calais.

sation, to gain upon his friendship and confidence. Wolsey earnestly seconded this proposal; and hoped, in the presence of both courts, to make parade of his riches, his splendour, and his influence

W

over both monarchs. And as Henry himself loved CHAP show and magnificence, and had entertained a cu- XXVIII. riosity of being personally acquainted with the 1520. French King, he cheerfully adjusted all the preliminaries of this interview. The nobility of both nations vied with each other in pomp and expence : Many of them involved themselves in great debts, and were not able, by the penury of their whole lives, to repair the vain splendour of a few days. The Duke of Buckingham, who, though very rich, was somewhat addicted to frugality, finding his preparations for this festival amount to immense sums, threw out some expressions of displeasure against the cardinal, whom he believed the author of that measure: An imprudence which was not forgotten by this minister.

peror

WHILE Henry was preparing to depart for Calais; The Emhe heard that the Emperor was arrived at Dover; Charles and he immediately hastened thither with the Queen, arrives in in order to give a suitable reception to his royal 25th May. England, guest. That great Prince, politic though young, being informed of the intended interview between Francis and Henry, was apprehensive of the consequences, and was resolved to take the opportunity, in his passage from Spain to the Low Countries, to make the King still a higher compliment by paying him a visit in his own dominions. Besides the marks of regard and attachment which he gave to Henry, he strove by every testimony of friendship, by flattery, protestations, promises, and presents, to gain on the vanity, the avarice, and the ambition of the cardinal. He here instilled into this aspiring prelate the hope of attaining the papacy; and as that was the sole point of elevation beyond his present greatness, it was sure to attract his wishes with the same ardour as if fortune had never yet favoured

W

Polydore Virgil, lib. 27.

* Ibid. Herbert. Hollingshed, p. 855.

c 3

him

CHAP. him with any of her presents. In confidence of XXVIII. reaching this dignity by the Emperor's assistance, he secretly devoted himself to that monarch's interests;

1520. and Charles was perhaps the more liberal of his promises, because Leo was a very young man; and it was not likely that, for many years, he should be called upon to fulfil his engagements. Henry easily observed this courtship paid to his minister; but instead of taking umbrage at it, he only made it a subject of vanity; and believed that, as his favour was Wolsey's sole support, the obeisance of such mighty monarchs to his servant, was in reality a more conspicuous homage to his own grandeur.

30th May.

THE day of Charles's departure, Henry went over to Calais with the Queen and his whole court; and thence proceeded to Guisnes, a small town near the frontiers. Francis, attended in like manner came to Ardres, a few miles distant; and the two monarchs met, for the first time, in the fields, at a place situated between these two towns, but still within the English pale: For Francis agreed to pay this compliment to Henry, in consideration of that Prince's passing the sea that he might be present at the interview. Wolsey, to whom both Kings had entrusted the regulation of the ceremonial, contrived this circumstance, in order to do honour to his master. The nobility both of France and England here displayed their magnificence with such emulation and profuse expence, as procured to the place of interview the name of the field of the cloth of gold.

THE two monarchs, after saluting each other in the most cordial manner, retired into a tent which had been erected on purpose, and they held a secret conference together. Henry here proposed to make some amendments on the articles of their former alliance; and he began to read the treaty, I Henry King: These were the first words; and he stopped a moment. He subjoined He subjoined only the words of England,

XXVIII.

land, without adding France, the usual style of the CHA P. English Monarchs. Francis remarked this delicacy, and expressed by a smile his approbation of it.

He took an opportunity soon after of paying a compliment to Henry of a more flattering nature. That generous Prince, full of honour himself and incapable of distrusting others, was shocked at all the precautions which were observed, whenever he had an interview with the English Monarch: The number of their guards and attendants was carefully reckoned on both sides: Every step was scrupulously measured and adjusted: And if the two Kings intended to pay a visit to the Queens, they departed from their respective quarters at the same instant, which was marked by the firing of a culverin; they passed each other in the middle point between the places; and the moment that Henry entered Ardres, Francis put himself into the hands of the English at Guisnes. In order to break off this tedious ceremonial, which contained so many dishonourable implications, Francis, one day, took with him two gentlemen and a page, and rode directly into Guisnes. The guards were surprised at the presence of the monarch, who called aloud to them, You are all my prisoners: Carry me to your master. Henry was equally astonished at the appearance of Francis; and taking him in his arms, "My brother," said he, "you have here played me the most agreeable "trick in the world, and have shewed me the full "confidence I may place in you: I surrender my"self your prisoner from this moment." He took from his neck a collar of pearls worth 15,000 angels; and putting it about Francis's, begged him to wear it for the sake of his prisoner. Francis agreed, but on condition that Henry should wear a bracelet, of which he made him a present, and

y Mémoires de Fleuranges.

An angel was then estimated at seven shillings, or near twelve of our present money.

C 4

which

1520.