The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 345
now made his almoner, and Sir John Risley, to when he began it, especially having Calais at his
Maximilian, to let him know that he was in arms, back, where he might winter, if the reason of the
ready to pass the seas into France, and did but war so required." The sixth of October he emexpect to hear from him, when and where he did barked at Sandwich; and the same day took land
appoint to join with him, according to his at Calais, which was the rendezvous, where all
promise made unto him by Countebalt, his am- the forces were assigned to meet. But in this
bassador. his journey towards the sea-side, wherein, for the
The English ambassadors- having repaired to cause that we shall now speak of, he hovered so
Maximilian, did find his power and promise at a much the longer, he had received letters from the
very great distance; he being utterly unprovided Lord Cordes, who the hotter he was against the
of men, money, and arms, for any such enterprise. English in time of war, had the more credit in a
For Maximilian, having neither wing to fly. on, negotiation of peace; and besides, was held a
for that his patrimony of Austria was not in his man open and of good faith. In which letters
hands, his father being then living, and on the there was made an overture of peace from the
other side, his matrimonial territories of Flanders French king, with such conditions as were somewere partly in dowry to his mother-in-law, and what to the king's taste; but this was carried at
partly not serviceable, in respect of the late rebel- the first with wonderful secrecy. The king was
lions; was thereby destitute of means to enter in- no sooner come to Calais, but the calm winds of
to war. The ambassadors saw this well, but peace began to blow. For first, the English amwisely thought fit to advertise the king thereof, bassadors returned out of Flanders from Maxirather than to return themselves, till the king's milian, and certified the king, that he was not to
further pleasure were known: the rather, for that hope for any aid from Maximilian, for that he
Maximilianhimselfspakeasgreataseverhedidbe- was altogether unprovided. His will was good,
fore, and entertained them with dilatory answers: but he lacked money. And this was made
so as tile formal part of their ambassage might known and spread through the army. And
well warrant and require their further stay. The although the English were therewithal nothing
king hereupon, who doubted as much before, and dismayed, and that it be the manner of soldiers
saw through his business from the beginning, upon bad news to speak the more bravely; yet
wrote back to the ambassadors, commending their nevertheless it was a kind of preparative to a
discretion in not returning, and willing them to peace. Instantly in the neck of this, as the king
keep the state wherein they found Maximilian as had laid it, came the news that Ferdinando and
a secret, till they heard further from him: and Isabella, Kings of Spain, had concluded a peace
meanwhile went on with his voyage royal for with King Charles; and that Charles had restored
France, suppressing for a time this advertisement unto them the counties of Russignon and Perpigtouching Maximilian's poverty and disability. nan, which formerly were mortgagea by John,
By this time was drawn together a great and King ofArragon, Ferdinando's father, unto France
puissant army into the city of London; in which for three hundred thousand crowns: which debt
were Thomas, Marquis Dorset; Thomas, Earl of was also upon this peace by Charles clearly
Arundell; Thomas, Earl of Derby; George, Earl released. This came also handsomely to put on
of Shrewsbury; Edmund, Earl of Suffolk; Ed- the peace; both because so potent a confederate
ward, Earl of Devonshire; George, Earl of Kent; was fallen off, and because it was a fair example
the Earl of Essex; Thomas, Earl of Ormond; of a peace bought: so as the king should not be
with a great number of barons, knights, and prin- the sole merchant in this peace. Upon these airs
cipal gentlemen; and amongst them Richard of peace, the king was content that the Bishop
Thomas, much noted for the brave troops that he of Exeter, and the Lord D'Aubigny, governor of
brought out of Wales. The army rising, in the Calais, should give a meeting unto the Lord
whole, to the number of five-and-twenty thousand Cordes, for the treaty of a peace. But himself,
foot, and sixteen hundred horse; over which the nevertheless, and his army, the fifteenth of October,
king, constant in his accustomed trust and em- removed from Calais, and in four days march sat
ployment, made Jasper, Duke of Bedford, and him down before Boloign.
John, Earl of Oxford, generals under his own During this siege of Boloign, which continued
person. The ninth of September, in the eighth near a month, there passed no memorable action,
year of his reign, he departed from Greenwich nor accident of war; only Sir John Savage, a
towards the sea; all men wondering that he took valiant captain, was slain, riding about the walls
that season, being so near winter, to begin the of the town, to take a view. The town was both
war; and some thereupon gathering, it was a sign well fortified and well manned; yet it was dis
that the war would not be long. Nevertheless tressed,, and ready for an assault. Which, if it
the king gave out the contrary, thus:,' That he, had been given, as was thought, would have cost
intending not to make a summer business of it, much blood: but yet the town would have been
but a resolute war, without term prefixed, until carried in the end. Meanwhile a peace was
tie, had recovered France; it skilled not much concluded by the commissioners, to continue for
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