Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/455

 HISTORY OF KIX&amp;lt;; HKNliY VII. in recovery of certain towns from him ; which was done in a kind of privacy, and inwardness towards the king, as if the French king did not esteem him fur an outward or formal confederate, but as one that had part in his affections and for tunes, ami with whom he took pleasure to commu nicate his business. After this compliment, and some gratulation for the king s victory, they fell to their errand; declaring to the king, that their master was enforced to enter into a just and neces sary war with the Duke of Britain, for that he had received and succoured those that were traitors and declared enemies unto his person and state. That they were no mean, distressed, and calami tous persons that fled to him for refuge, but of so great quality, as it was apparent that they came not thither to protect their own fortune, but to in fest and invade his; the head of them being the Duke of Orleans, the first prince of the blood and the second person of France. That therefore, rightly to understand it, it was rather on their master s part a defensive war than an offensive ; as that could not be omitted or forborne, if he tendered the conservation of his own estate ; and that it was not the first blow that made the war invasive, for that no wise prince would stay for, but the first provocation, or at least the first pre paration ; nay, that this war was rather a sup pression of rebels, than a war with a just enemy; where the case is, that his subjects, traitors, are received by the Duke of Britain his homager. That King Henry knew well what went upon it in example, if neighbour princes should patronise and comfort rebels against the law of nations and of leagues. Nevertheless that their master was not ignorant, that the king had been beholden to the Duke of Britain in his adversity ; as on the other side, they knew he would not forget also the readiness of their king, in aiding him when the Duke of Britain or his mercenary counsellors failed him, and would have betrayed him; and that there was a great difference between the courtesies received from their master, and the Duke of Britain : for that the duke s might have ends of utility and bargain ; whereas their master s could not have proceeded but out of en tire affection ; for that, if it had been measured by a politic line, it had been better for his affairs, that a tyrant should have reigned in England, troubled and hated, than such a prince, whose virtues could not fail to make him great and po tent, whensoever he was come to be master of his affairs. But howsoever it stood for the point of obligation which the king might owe to the Duke of Britain, yet their master was well as sured, it would not divert King Henry of England from doing that that was just, nor ever embark him in so ill-grounded a quarrel. Therefore, since this war, which their master was now to make, was hut to deliver himself from imminent dangers, their king hoped the king would show the like affection to the conservation of their master s estate, as their master had, when time was, showed to the king s acquisition of his king dom. At the least, that, according to the inclination which the king had ever professed of peace, he would look on, and stand neutral ; for that their master could not with reason press him to under take part in the war, being so newly settled and recovered from intestine seditions. Bat teaching the mystery of re-annexing of the Duchy of Britain to the crown of France, either by war, or by mar riage with the daughter of Britain, the ambas sadors hare aloof from it as from a rock, knowing that it made most against them. And therefore by all means declined any mention thereof, but contrariwise interlaced, in their conference with the king, the assured purpose of their master to ma*ch with the daughter of Maximilian ; and entsrtained the king with some wandering dis courses of their king s purpose, to recover by arms his right to the kingdom of Naples, by an expe dition in person; all to remove the king from all jealousy of any design in these hither parts upon Britain, otherwise than for quenching of the fire which he feared might be kindled in his own es tate. The king, after advice taken with his council, made answer to the ambassadors : and first re turned their compliment, showing he was right glad of the French king s reception of those towns from Maximilian. Then he familiarly re lated some particular passages of his own adven tures and victory passed. As to the business of Britain, the king answered in few words; that the French king, and Duke of Britain, were the two persons to whom he was most obliged of all men ; and that he should think himself very un happy, if things should go so between them, as he should not be able to acquit himself in grati tude towards them both ; and that there was no means for him as a Christian king, and a com- mon friend to them, to satisfy all obligations both to God and man, but to offer himself for a medi ator of an accord and peace between them ; by which course, he doubted not but their king s estate, and honour both, would be preserved with more safety and less envy than by a war; and that he would spare no costs or pains, no if it were to go on pilgrimage, for so good an effect; and concluded, that in this great affair, which he took so much to heart, he would express himself more fully by an ambassage, which he would speedily despatch unto the French king for that purpose. And in this sort the French ambassa dors were dismissed : the king avoiding to unde&amp;gt; stand any thing touching the re-annexing of Britain, as the ambassadors had avoided to mein tion it : save that he gave a little touch of it in the word envy. And so it was, that the king was neither so shallow, nor so ill-advertised, as not to perceive the intention of the French lor