Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/456

 328 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. the investing himself of Britain. But first, he was utterly unwilling, howsoever he gave out, to enter into war with France. A fame of a war he liked well, but not an achievement; for the one he Ihought would make him richer, and the other poorer ; and he was possessed with many secret fears touching his own people, which he w therefore loath to arm, and put weapons into their hands. Yet notwithstanding, as a prudent and courageous prince, he was not so averse from a war, hut that he was resolved to choose it, rather than to have Britain carried by France, being so great and opulent a duchy, and situate so oppor tunely to annoy England, either for coast or trade. But the king s hopes were, that partly by negligence, commonly imputed to the French, especially in the court of a young king, and partly by the native power of Britain itself, which was not small ; but chiefly in respect of the great party that the Duke of Orleans had in the kingdom of France, and thereby means to stir up civil troubles, to divert the French king from the enterprise of Britain. And lastly, in regard of the power of Maximilian, who was co-rival to the French king in that pursuit, the enterprise would either bow to a peace, or break in itself. In all which the king measured and valued things amiss, as afterwards appeared. He sent therefore forthwith to the French king Christopher Urswick, his chaplain, a person by him much trusted and employed : choosing, him the rather, because he was a churchman, as best sorting with an embassy of pacification: and giving him also a commission, that if the French king consented to treat, he should thence repair to the Duke of Britain, and ripen the treaty on both parts. Urswick made declaration to the French king, much to the purpose of the king s answer to the French ambassadors here, instill ing also tenderly, some overture of receiving to grace the Duke of Orleans, and some taste of conditions of accord. But the French king, on the other side proceeded not sincerely, but with a great deal of art and dissimulation in this treaty; having for his end, to gain time, and so put off the English succours under hope of peace, till he had got good footing in Britain by force of arms. Wherefore he answered the ambassador, that he would put himself into the king s hands, and make him arbiter of the peace; and willingly consented, that the ambassador should straight- ways pass into Britain, to signify this his con sent, and to know the duke s mind likewise; Well foreseeing that the Duke of Orleans, by whom the Duke of Britain was wholly led, taking himself to be upon terms irreconcilable with him, would admit of no treaty of peace. Whereby he should in one, both generally abroad veil over his ambition, and win the reputation of )ust and moderate proceedings ; and should withal endear himself in the affections of the King of England, as one that had committed all to his will; nay, and which was yet more fine, make faith in him, that although he went on with the war, yet it should be but with the sword in his hand, to bend the stitFness of the other paity to accept of peace; and so the king should take no umbrage of his arming and prosreuti n; hut the treaty to be kept on foot to the very last in stant, till he were master of the field. Which grounds being by the French king wisely laid, all things fell out as he expected. For when the English ambassador came to the court of Britain, the duke was then scarcely per fect in his memory, and all things were directed by the Duke of Orleans, who gave audirnce to the chaplain Urswick, and upon his ambassage delivered, made answer in somewhat high terms : that the Duke of Britain having been a host, and a kind of parent or foster-father to the king, in his tenderness of age and weakness of fortune, did look for at this time from King Henry, the renowned King of England, rather brave troops for his succours, than a vain treaty of peace. And if the king could forget the good offices of the duke done unto hirn aforetime ; yet, he knew well, he would in his wisdom consider of the future, how much it imported his own safety and reputation, both in foreign parts, and with his own people, not to suffer Britain, the old con federates of England, to be swallowed up by France, and so many good ports and strong towns upon the coast be in the command of so potent a neighbour king, and so ancient an enemy: and therefore humbly desired the king to think of this business as his own: and therewith brake off and denied any further conference for treaty. Urswick returned first to the French king, and related to him what had passed. Who finding things to sort to his desire, took hold of them, and said; that the ambassador might perceive now that, which he for his part partly imagined before. That considering in what hands the Duke of Britain was, there would be no peace, but by a mixed treaty of force and persuasion : and there- bre he would go on with the one, and desired the dng not to desist from the other. But for his own part, he did faithfully promise to be still in the king s power, to rule him in the matter of jeace. This was accordingly represented unto ashion, as if the treaty were in no sort desperate, but rather stayed for a better hour, till the ham mer had wrought and beat the party of Britain more pliant. Whereupon there passed continu ally packets and despatches between the two vings, from the one out of desire, and from the other out of dissimulation, about the negotiation of peace. The French king mean while invaded Britain with great forces, and distressed the city of Nantz with a strait siege; and, as one, who hough he had no great judgment, yet had that,
 * he king by Urswick at his return, and in such a