Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/172

152 , appeared to lie in the success of a commission which, in the beginning of June, met at Gravelines to discuss the various difficulties which had arisen under the treaty. It was composed of Sir William Petre, Dr Thirlby, and Eustace Chapuys,. the late Ambassador of the Emperor in London. To the English representatives instructions characteristic of the givers were furnished by the King and by Sir William Paget.

The privy council, writing at Henry's dictation, after dwelling on the many injuries of which English subjects complained, continued thus:—

'Either they think we are afraid of them, which if they do they are abused, for we have God on our side, and he will keep us when all the world will be against us; or else they think us beasts that, doing us openly and wittingly wrong in ten things, look to have redress at their beck at our hands in every one thing seeming to them wrong. Pray them to weigh things more indifferently. To charge us with breach of covenant when they break first, to bind us to the words of a treaty when it maketh for their purpose, and to use the benefit of a glosed interpretation when the words make against them, what equity, reason, honour, justice, treaty, or amity, can bear it? and this his Majesty would were told them earnestly, vehemently, and yet as it were by way of friendly complaint, that an old friend making himself in felicity and quietness partaker of his friend's trouble and un quietness, should for his good will and friendship not only be left alone in the hands of their