Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/143

1545.] rather than men, lest the contingent which he had promised should desert to the English; and Henry, though pressed on so many sides, found leisure to avail himself of the goodwill of his friends in their own country. Ludovico de l'Armi, a Venetian nobleman, raised a corps of free-lances for the English service, who, hovering on the skirts of the territory of the Republic, fluttered the dovecotes of the right-reverend legislators. Reginald Pole, in mere terror of being clutched and carried off to England, durst not adventure to join them till the Pope applied to De l'Armi for a passport. The passport was refused; he was forced to steal to the meeting-place of the cardinals in disguise; and even when arrived within the walls of Trent, he was still insecure, and lived only 'in incredible and continual fear.'

The Germans, too, were stirred by the announcement of Ferdinand into unusual vitality. The Diet replied to his address with a protest which was doubtfully received; and the Landgrave, released for the moment from the influence of the Elector, once more consulted the English, agents. He told them that, if the King continued to wish for the league, he would do his best to 'travel in it;' and, 'wishing only that he had done so when they were last with him,' they undertook to