Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/132

112 from its embarrassments by an advance of 40,000l. The bills were renewed, but only with a slight increase. In August, the entire debts at Antwerp were 108,000l. On the 3rd of October, after the renewal, they were something under 111,000l.; while the home debts 'certainly known to be due' were, on the same 3rd of October, 125,000l. The loan from the City of London partially satisfied the foreign creditors, partially it was applied for the payment of wages, and other obligations at home. The home debts by November were reduced to 109,000l. At last, therefore, there was an attempt to do something, though the something was but small.

But these petty difficulties were not absolutely the results of carelessness and fraud. In this autumn of 1552, England narrowly escaped being again drawn into the European whirlpool.

The Peace of Passau left Charles at war with France; and by the revised treaty of 1543, as has been often