Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/191

1546.] sought to purchase remission for his dealings with the enemies of the faith; and the Germans awoke to find in their Pharaoh a bruised reed, which had run into their hand and pierced it.

On the 6th of May, no longer with the assistance of mediators or female intriguers, Lord Lisle, Paget, D'Annebault, and Boyard, the president of the French council, met at Ardes for a concluding arrangement, and this time the conference opened with a frankness on both sides which promised well for the result. Paget said that England had been drawn into the war to recover her debts, and four times the amount of the debt, he allowed, had been already spent in the process of recovery.

'You have well scourged us,' D'Annebault said, with equal honesty, 'for that your money was not paid. You have slain our people, and devastated our country, and also compelled us to pay our debts, which is a sufficient pain for nonpayment, and a great honour to your master.'

Honour had been the chief point in the quarrel—England could not submit that its debts should be disowned. Honour being satisfied, it was vain to expect that the whole expenses could be recovered, although it was just to insist upon a portion of them.

Successive offers and successive demands were referred to London and Paris. On the 15th of May, Paget informed the King of the conditions to which the French would agree:—