Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/288

268 was most immediate. The problem, therefore, was to keep on terms, if possible, both with the Emperor and with the Protestants—if possible to reconcile them; at any rate, to give a gentle answer to the Elector's invitation.

The position was a difficult one. The privy council, not to send back John Frederick's emissaries with words only, gave with them a present of 50,000 crowns; but they added a stipulation that the liberality should be kept a secret. More directly important and more menacing were, as Paget said, the relations of the country with France.

Francis himself had had enough of wars. The exequies of Henry VIII., which had been neglected at Brussels, were celebrated in Notre Dame, in defiance of the Papal authorities; and so long as Francis lived, peace was in no seeming danger. But on the 22nd of March Francis followed Henry to the grave. The Dauphin had been the leader of the party most opposed to England, and the consequences of the change were immediately felt. The frontier line of the tract of land surrendered with Boulogne had been left undetermined at the peace. Commissioners on both sides had been employed upon the survey, and had almost agreed upon a settlement, when the new King made difficulties, refused to ratify their arrangement, and while he professed to have no sinister intentions, persisted in keeping open an uncertainty which at any