Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 3.djvu/581

1543.] honestly lend his help towards the settlement of the kingdom, he would gratefully accept his friendship; and should a change of sides entail the loss of his preferments in France, he undertook to see him substantially indemnified.

Sir Ralph Sadler, on the spot, saw clearer than Henry in London: and, though shaken, he could not wholly share his change of confidences. It was possible that the Queen and Cardinal were desiring only to create suspicion between the Court of England and the Regent and his advisers. It was possible that the latter were still partially honest, and had broken their promises as much from inability to keep them as from unwillingness. He continued, therefore, for the present, to listen to both sides—to wait, as he expressed it, for 'better experience of the fidelity and truth of French and Scottish than he had had as yet, before he would presume to give a certain judgment.' He informed Arran of his interview with Mary. Arran assured him that, whatever she pretended, 'he would find her, in the end, a right Frenchwoman.' Her only object was to preserve Scotland to France, and to prevent the alliance with England which she professed to desire. 'This,' he said, 'is her device, while, as she is both subtle and wily, so she hath a vengeable engine and wit to work her purpose. She laboureth, by all means