The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

326 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII.
haven: and thanking his holiness that he had his father, received the kingdom of France in more
honoured the celebration of his marriage with the flourishing and spread estate than it had been of
presence of his ambassador; and offering both his many years before; being redintegrate in those
person and the forces of his kingdom, upon all oc- principal members, which anciently had been
casions, to do him service. portions of the crown of France, and were afterT'Ihe ambassador making his oration to the pope, ward dissevered, so as they remained only in hoin the presence of the cardinals, did so magnify mage and not in sovereignty, being governed byabthe king and queen, as was enough to glut the solute princes of their own, Anjou, Normandy, Prohearers. But then he did again so extol and dei- vence, and Burgundy. There remained only Brify the pope, as made all that he had said in praise tain to be reunited, and so the monarchy of France
of his master and mistress seem temperate and to be reduced to the ancient terms and bounds.
passable. But he was very honourably entertain- King Charles was not a little inflamed with an
ed, and extremely much made on by the pope: ambition to re-purchase and re-annex that duchy:
who knowing himself to be lazy and unprofitable which his ambition was a wise and well-weighed
to the Christian world, was wonderfully glad to ambition; not like unto the ambitions of his suchear that there were such echoes of him sounding ceeding enterprises' of Italy. For at that time,
in remote parts. He obtained also of the pope a being newly come to the crown, he was somewhat
very just and honourable bull, qualifying the pri- guided by his father's counsels, counsels not counvileges of sanctuary, wherewith the king had been sellors, for his father was his own council, and
extremely gulled in three points. had few able men about him. And that king, he
The first, that if any sanctuary man did by night, knew well, had ever distasted the designs of Italy,
or otherwise, get out of sanctuary privily, and and in particular had an eye upon Britain. There
commit mischief and trespass, and then come in were many circumstances that did feed the amagain, he should lose the benefit of sanctuary for- bition of Charles with pregnant and apparent
ever after. The second, that howsoever the per- hopes of success: the Duke of Britain, old, and
son of the sanctuary man was protected from his entered into a lethargy, and served with mercecreditors, yet his goods out of sanctuary should nary counsellors, father of two only daughters,
not. The third, that if any took sanctuary for case the one sickly and not likely to continue; King
of treason, the king might appoint him keepers to Charles himself in the flower of age, and the sublook to him in sanctuary. jects of France at that time well trained for war,
The king also, for the better securing of his es- both for leaders and soldiers; men of service betate against mutinous and malcontented subjects, ing not yet worn out since the wars of Lewis
whereof he saw the realm was full, who might against Burgundy. He found himself also in
have their refuge into Scotland, which was not peace with all his neighbour princes. As for
under key as the ports were; for that cause rather those that might oppose to his enterprise, Maxithan for any doubt of hostility from those parts, milian King of the Romans, his rival in the same
before his coming to London, when he was at desires, (as well for the duchy, as the daughter,)
Newcastle, had sent a solemn ambassage unto feeble in means; and King Henry of England, as
James the Third, King of Scotland, to treat and well somewhat obnoxious to him for his favours
conclude a peace with him. The ambassadors and benefits, as busied in his particular troubles
were, Richard Fox, Bishop of Exeter, and Sir at home. There was also a fair and specious
Richard Edgeombe, comptroller of the king's occasion offered him to hide his ambition, and to
house, who were honourably received and enter- justify his warring upon Britain; for that the
tained there. But the King of Scotland, labour- duke had received and succoured Lewis Duke of
ing of the same disease that King Henry did, Orleans, and other of the French nobility, which
though more mortal, as afterwards appeared, that had taken arms against their king. Wherefore,
is, discontented subjects, apt to rise and raise tu- King Charles, being resolved upon that war,
mult, although in his own affection he did much knew well he could not receive any opposition so
d(esire to make a peace with the king; yet finding potent, as if King Henry should, either upon pohis nobles averse, and not daring to displease licy of stateinpreventing the growing greatness of
them, concluded only a truce for seven years; France, orupongratitude unto the Duke of Britain
giving nevertheless promise in private, that it for his former favours in thetimeof his distress, esshould be renewed from time to time during the pouse that quarrel, and declare himself in aid of the
two king's lives. duke. Therefore he no sooner heard that King
Hitherto the king had been exercised in settling Henry was settled by his victory, but forthwiith
his affairs at home. But about this time brake he sent ambassadors unto him to pray his assistforth an occasion that drew him to look abroad, ance, or at least that he would stand neutral.
and to hearken to foreign business. Charles the Which ambassadors found the king at Leicester,
Eighth, the French king, by the virtue and good for- and delivered their embassage to this effect: they
tune ofhis two immediate predecessors, Charles the first imparted unto the king the success that their
Seventh, his grandfather, and Lewis the Eleventh, master had had a little before against Maximilian,