Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 2.djvu/27

1533.] of Lutherans. Henry therefore wrote to the Duke, telling him generally what he had heard from Home; he mentioned the three topics which he understood were to form the matter of discussion; but he skilfully affected to regard them as having originated with the Imperialists, and not with the French King. In a long paper of instructions, in which earnestness and irony were strangely blended, he directed the ambassador to treat his good brother as if he were still exclusively devoted to the interests of England; and to urge upon him, on the ground of this fresh delay, that the interview should not take place at all.

'Our pleasure is,' he wrote, 'that ye shall say that we be not a little moved in our heart to see our good brother and us, being such princes of Christendom, to be so handled with the Pope, so much to our dishonour, and to the Pope's and the Emperor's advancement; seeming to be at the Pope's commandment to come or tarry as he or his cardinals shall appoint; and to depend upon his pleasure when to meet—that is to say, when he list or never. If our good brother and we were either suitors to make request, the obtaining whereof we did much set by, or had any particular matter of advantage to entreat with him, these proceedings might be the better tolerated; but our good brother having no particular matter of his own, and being … that [no] more glory nor surety could happen to the Emperour than to obtain the effect of the three articles moved by the