Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/136

116 the meaning of it. If ordinary inquiry was baffled, he possessed an art of high-bred insolence, which generally exasperated the best-trained dissemblers into momentary openness. Charles knew him well; and if he had chosen a minister from the English council whom he would have desired not to receive, it was Sir William Paget. He could not refuse him an audience, however, and the conversation commenced with the secretary playing over as a prelude the articles of the treaty with England, and of the Peace of Crêpy. The Emperor, as usual, attempted to 'scold the matter out.' Paget alluded to the contingent under Sir John Wallop, which had been sent to the Netherlands in 1543, and then spoke of the attack on Guisnes, the analogous request which had been made for assistance, and the refusal.

'The French King,' he said, 'invading any one of you, is enemy to both by the treaty. Your Majesty cannot avoid that.'

The Emperor 'was put to the bay;' he 'began to study.' 'You press me with the treaty,' he presently said, 'and you tell me you had respect to my necessity. It was your not going forward according to your treaty that drove me to do as I did.'

The agreement, Paget replied, was selon la raison de la guerre, as the Emperor well knew. Both armies had, in fact, acted in the same manner; neither could go forward, leaving fortified towns in their rear.

'Well,' Charles said, 'I know by the treaty what he should have done.'

'And so do I,' said Paget, 'for I was at the making