Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 4.djvu/289

1547.] time might be the occasion of a quarrel. The Protector replied by a direct violation of the treaty. In the eight years during which Boulogne was to be in the hands of the English, they were to build no fresh fortifications there. An expensive and elaborate embankment was run out towards the sea; avowedly for the protection of the harbour, but in fact to carry cannon and command the approaches. Lord Grey, Sir T. and Sir H. Palmer were standing one day, in the middle of April, watching the workmen, when two French officers approached, and fell into conversation with them. 'Your fort advances apace,' said they. 'No fort,' said we [Lord Grey is reporting], 'but a jetty to amend the haven, to save both your ships and ours.' 'Yea,' said they, 'but you intend to place ordnance upon it.' 'To what end?' quoth we; 'whereunto should we shoot?' 'Well,' said they, 'seeing it is no fort, you may do what you will; but if it was a fortress, we neither might nor would in any case endure it. But what news,' said they, 'we pray you have you of the Protestants?' 'None other,' quoth we, 'but that we hear they have great hopes in your aid, and that they begin to gather men.' 'Will you go walk with us,' said they, 'and we will tell you more. The Protestants say they shall have, ere it be long, fifty thousand men in the field.' 'God send them well to do,' said we. 'And we also,' said they, 'desire no less, for there is no faith in that Emperor. The King that now is [Henry II.] saw enough by his father's time; and to be plain with you,' said they, 'intendeth to be revenged on him. Marry, not this year peradventure: but being once sure of you, yea, that you will but sit still, the next year at the farthest he will make him war. The Emperor,' they said, 'did seek to marry the daughter of England, to the intent he might have the better entry into our realm, and that now it appeareth well that the King of England, being of young years, had no such friend as the King his master; for the Emperor's drift is none other,' saith he, 'but seeing your prince young, the realm governed by divers heads, and tickle to stir upon small occasions, to take advantage of the time, with the credit of the daughter of the realm, and to be revenged for your opinions, whereof it behoveth you to have special regard, and wish good success to the Protestants; for if the Emperor have the overhand of them, he will think himself able to ask every man how he believeth, wherein it