Page:Margaret of Angoulême, Queen of Navarre (Robinson 1886).djvu/141

126 wrong. In the end of spring she declares to Wallup, "The Emperor is a good man." But she goes on, seeing the truth in one supreme moment of disgust, "The King is too light of credence, and trusteth things willingly." Not only Margaret now began to see how little worth were the golden promises of the Emperor, who, having conquered Ghent, sent word to Francis that he could not give him Milan without the consent of the German Electors. This was a quit for Burgundy, which Francis would not yield without the consent of the Notables. By July there was a coolness between the King and the Emperor, and Francis again remembered the Protestant-Venetian-Turkish League. He sent the Royal Order to the King of Denmark. He sent an Embassy to Venice. "But the Venetians now begin to hate the French," says Harvel. He sent an envoy to the Turk; and for some while offended Soliman would not so much as see the envoy. Francis and Margaret occupied themselves with the making and seasoning of certain wild-boar pasties which they sent to the King of England. But Henry, mindful of the fickleness of Francis, would promise now no help against the Emperor.

Francis, nevertheless, was determined to redeem his slip. It seemed natural to redeem it at Margaret's expense. In order to reassure the German princes, he offered his niece of Navarre in marriage to the Duke of Cleves, a Protestant at heart, and avowedly an enemy of the Emperor. "Flanders I can get at any time," said Francis, refusing to accept the Netherlands in lieu of Milan; and probably he thought it well to have a friend so near at hand. But the alliance, though good for France, would be disastrous to Navarre. It could do nothing for the poor confiscated little