The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 339
that he is in good peace with all his neighbour forces of the best and straitestconfederates to meet
princes, and especially with the King of Eng- and draw blood in the field. Nay many times
land, whom for good causes he esteemeth most. there be aids of the same nation on both sides,,, But now my lords, give me leave to use a few and yet it is not, for all that, a kingdom divided in
words to remove all scruples and misunderstand- itself.
ings between your sovereign and ours, concerning "It resteth, my lords, that I impart unto you a
some late actions; which, if they be not cleared, matter that I know your lordships all will much
may perhaps hinder this peace. To the end that rejoice to hear; as that which importeth the
for matters past neither king may conceive un- Christian common weal more than any action that
kindness of other, nor think the other conceiveth hath happened of long time. The king our masunkindness of him. The late actions are two; ter hath a purpose and determination to make war
that of Britain and that of Flanders. In both upon the kingdom of Naples; being now in the
which it is true that the subjects' swords of possession of a bastard slip of Arragon, but apperboth kings have encountered and stricken, and taining unto his majesty by clear and undoubted
the ways and inclinations also of the two kings, right; which if he should not by just arms seek
in respect of their confederates and allies, have to recover, he could neither acquit his honour nor
severed. answer it to his people. But his noble and Chris"; For that of Britain, the king your sovereign tian thoughts rest not here: for his resolution and
knoweth best what hath passed. It was a war hope is, to make the reconquest of Naples but as a
of necessity on our master's part. And though the bridge to transport his forces into Grecia; and not
motives of it were sharp and piquant as could be, to spare blood or treasure, if it were to the imyet did he make that war rather with an olive- pawning of his crown and dispeopling of France,
branch, than a laurel-branch in his hand, more till either he hath overthrown the empire of the
desiring peace than victory. Besides, from time Ottomans, or taken it in his way to Paradise. The
to time he sent, as it were, blank papers to your king knoweth well, that this is a design that could
king to write the conditions of peace. For though not arise in the mind of any king that did not
both his honour and safety went upon it, yet he steadfastly look up unto God, whose quarrel this
thought neither of them too precious to put into is, and from whom cometh both the will and the
the King of England's hands. Neither doth our deed. But yet it is agreeable to the person that
kin(r on the other side make any unfriendly inter- he beareth, though unworthy of the thrice Chrispretation of yourking's sending of succours to the tian king and the eldest son of the church. WhereDuke of Britain; for the king knoweth well that unto he is also invited by the example, in more
many things must be done of kings for satisfac- ancient time, of King Henry the Fourth of Engtion of their people; and it is not hard to discern land, the first renowned king of the house of
what is a king's own. But this matter of Britain Lancaster; ancestor, though not progenitor to your
is now, by the act of God, ended and passed; and, king; who had a purpose towards the end of his
as the king hopeth, like the way of a ship in the time, as you know better, to make an expedition
sea, without leaving any impression in either of into the Holy Land; and by the example also,
the kings' minds; as he as sure for his part it hath present before his eyes, of that honourable and renot done in his. ligious war which the King of Spain now mak-,, For the action of Flanders: as the former of eth, and hath almost brought to perfection, for
Britain was a war of necessity, so this was a war the recovery of the realm of Granada from the
of justice; which with a good king is of equal Moors. And although this enterprise may seem
necessity with danger of estate, for else he should vast and unmeasured, for the king to attempt that
leave to be a king. The subjects of Burgundy by his own forces, wherein heretofore a conjuncare subjects in chief to the crown of France, and tion of most of the Christian princes hath found
their duke the homager and vassal of France. work enough; yet his majesty wisely considerThey had wont to he good subjects, howsoever eth, that sometimes smaller forces being united
Maximilian hath of late distempered them. They under one command, are more effectual in proof,
fled to the king for justice and deliverance from though not so promising in opinion and fame, than
oppression. Justicehe could not deny: purchase much greater forces, variously compounded by
he did not seek. This was good for Maximilian, association and leagues, which commonly in a short
if he could have seen it in people mutinied, to ar- time after their beginnings turn to dissociations
rest fury, and prevent despair. My lords, it may and divisions. But, my lords, that which is a
be this I have said is needless, save that the king voice from heaven, that calleth the king to this
our master is tender in any thing that may glance enterprise, is a rent at this time in the house of the
upon the friendship of England. The amity be- Ottomans. I do not, say but there hath been brotween the two kings, no doubt, stands entire and ther against brother in that house before, but
inviolate; and that their subjects' swords have never any that had refuge to the arms of the Chrisclashed, it is nothing unto the public peace of the tian as now hath Gemes, brother unto Bajazet that
crowns: it being a thing very usual in auxiliary reigneth, the far braver man of the two, the other