Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

66

"it straitly besieged, being the principal city, if not "in ceremony and preeminence, yet in strength and "wealth, of that duchy. Ye may guess at his hopes, "by his attempting of the hardest part of the war first. "The cause of this war he knoweth best. He al"ledgeth the entertaining and succouring of the duke "of Orleans, and some other French lords, whom the King taketh for his enemies. Others divine of other "matters. Both parts have, by their ambassadors, "divers times prayed the King's aids; the French "King aids or neutrality; the Britains aids simply: "for so their case requireth. The King, as a Chris"tian Prince, and blessed son of the holy Church, hath "offered himself, as a mediator, to treat of peace be"tween them. The French King yielded to treat, but "will not stay the prosecution of the war. The Britains, that desire peace most, hearken to it least; not upon confidence or stiffness, but upon distrust of "true meaning, seeing the war goes on. So as the

66

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

King, after as much pains and care to effect a peace, " as ever he took in any business, not being able to "remove the prosecution on the one side, nor the dis"trust on the other, caused by that prosecution, hath "let fall the treaty; not repenting of it, but despairing of it now, as not likely to succeed. Therefore "by this narrative you now understand the state of "the question, whereupon the King prayeth your "advice; which is no other, but whether he shall "enter into an auxiliary and defensive war for the "Britains against France?

"And the better to open your understandings in "this affair, the King hath commanded me to say "somewhat to you from him, of the persons that do "intervene in this business; and somewhat of the

66

66

consequence thereof, as it hath relation to this

kingdom, and somewhat of the example of it in "general: making nevertheless no conclusion or judg"ment of any point, until his grace hath received 66 your faithful and politic advices.

"First, for the King our sovereign himself, who is "the principal person you are to eye in this business;

66

"his grace doth profess, that he truly and constantly "desireth to reign in peace. But his grace saith, he "will neither buy peace with dishonour, nor take it up "at interest of danger to ensue; but shall think it a good change, if it please God to change the inward "troubles and seditions, wherewith he hath been hi"therto exercised, into an honourable foreign war. "And for the other two persons in this action, the "French King and the duke of Britain, his grace doth "declare unto you, that they be the men unto whom "he is of all other friends and allies most bounden: the "one having held over him his hand of protection from "the tyrant; the other having reached forth unto him "his hand of help for the recovery of his kingdom. So "that his affection toward them in his natural person " is upon equal terms. And whereas you may have "heard, that his grace was enforced to fly out of Bri"tain into France, for doubts of being betrayed; his "grace would not in any sort have that reflect upon "the duke of Britain, in defacement of his former "benefits; for that he is throughly informed, that it "was but the practice of some corrupt persons about "him, during the time of his sickness, altogether "without his consent or privity.

"But howsoever these things do interest his grace "in this particular, yet he knoweth well, that the "higher bond that tieth him to procure by all means "the safety and welfare of his loving subjects, doth "disinterest him of these obligations of gratitude, "otherwise than thus; that if his grace be forced to "make a war, he do it without passion or ambition.

"For the consequence of this action towards this "kingdom, it is much as the French King's intention "is. For if it be no more, but to range his subjects "to reason, who bear themselves stout upon the

66

strength of the duke of Britain, it is nothing to us. "But if it be in the French King's purpose, or if it "should not be in his purpose, yet if it shall follow all "one, as if it were sought, that the French King shall "make a province of Britain, and join it to the crown "of France; then it is worthy the consideration, how

"this may import England, as well in the increase"ment of the greatness of France, by the addition of "such a country, that stretcheth his boughs unto our "seas, as in depriving this nation, and leaving it naked "of so firm and assured confederates as the Britains "have always been. For then it will come to pass, "that whereas not long since this realm was mighty "upon the continent, first in territory, and after in "alliance, in respect of Burgundy and Britain, which "were confederates indeed, but dependent confede"rates; now the one being already cast, partly into "the greatness of France; and partly into that of Austria, the other is like wholly to be cast into the greatness of France; and this island shall remain "confined in effect within the salt waters, and girt "about with the coast countries of two mighty mo"narchs.

66

66

"For the example, it resteth likewise upon the "same question, upon the French King's intent. For "if Britain be carried and swallowed up by France, "as the world abroad, apt to impute and construe the " actions of Princes to ambition, conceive it will; then "it is an example very dangerous and universal, that "the lesser neighbour state should be devoured of the

greater. For this may be the case of Scotland to"wards England; of Portugal towards Spain; of the "smaller estates of Italy towards the greater; and so "of Germany; or as if some of you of the commons "might not live and dwell safely besides some of "these great lords. And the bringing in of this ex"ample will be chiefly laid to the King's charge, as "to him that was most interested, and most able to "forbid it. But then on the other side, there is so "fair a pretext on the French king's part, and yet "pretext is never wanting to power, in regard the

[ocr errors]

danger imminent to his own estate is such, as may "make this enterprise seem rather a work of necessity than of ambition, as doth in reason correct the danger of the example. For that the example of "that which is done in a man's own defence, cannot "be dangerous; because it is in another's power to

66

[blocks in formation]

"avoid it. But in all this business, the King remits "himself to your grave and mature advice, whereupon he purposeth to rely."

66

This was the effect of the lord Chancellor's speech touching the cause of Britain; for the King had commanded him to carry it so, as to affect the parliament towards the business; but without engaging the King in any express declaration.

66

66

The Chancellor went on:

"For that which may concern the government at "home, the King hath commanded me to say unto you; "that he thinketh there was never any King, for the "small time that he hath reigned, had greater and juster "cause of the two contrary passions of joy and sorrow, "than his grace hath. Joy, in respect of the rare and " visible favours of Almighty God, in girding the imperial sword upon his side, and assisting the same his "sword against all his enemies; and likewise in blessing him with so many good and loving servants and "subjects which have never failed to give him faithful "counsel, ready obedience, and courageous defence. "Sorrow, for that it hath not pleased God to suffer him "to sheath his sword, as he greatly desired, otherwise "than for administration of justice, but that he hath "been forced to draw it so oft, to cut off traitorous and disloyal subjects, whom, it seems, God hath left, a "few amongst many good, as the Canaanites amongst "the people of Israel, to be thorns in their sides, to "tempt and try them; though the end hath been "always, God's name be blessed therefore, that the "destruction hath fallen upon their own heads.

[ocr errors]

"Wherefore his grace saith; That he seeth that it " is not the blood spilt in the field that will save the "blood in the city; nor the marshal's sword that will "set this kingdom in perfect peace: but that the true "way is, to stop the seeds of sedition and rebellion "in their beginnings; and for that purpose to devise, "confirm, and quicken good and wholesome laws against riots, and unlawful assemblies of people, "and all combinations and confederacies of them, by "liveries tokens, and other badges of factious de

66

"pendence; that the peace of the land may by these "ordinances, as by bars of iron, be soundly bound in. "and strengthened, and all force, both in court, "country, and private houses, be supprest. The care "hereof, which so much concerneth yourselves, and "which the nature of the times doth instantly call "for, his grace commends to your wisdoms.

"And because it is the King's desire, that this peace, "wherein he hopeth to govern and maintain you, do "not bear only unto you leaves, for you to sit under "the shade of them in safety; but also should bear

66

66

you fruit of riches, wealth, and plenty: therefore his "grace prays you to take into consideration matter of "trade, as also the manufactures of the kingdom, and "to repress the bastard and barren employment of moneys to usury and unlawful exchanges; that they may be, as their natural use is, turned upon com"merce, and lawful and royal trading. And likewise "that our people be set on work in arts and handi"crafts; that the realm may subsist more of itself; "that idleness be avoided, and the draining out of our "treasure for foreign manufactures stopped. But you' "are not to rest here only, but to provide farther, that "whatsoever merchandise shall be brought in from

66

beyond the seas, may be employed upon the com"modities of this land; whereby the kingdom's stock "of treasure may be sure to be kept from being "diminished by any over-trading of the foreigner.

66

"And lastly, because the King is well assured, that "you would not have him poor, that wishes you rich; "he doubteth not but that you will have care, as well "to maintain his revenues of customs and all other natures, as also to supply him with your loving aids, "if the case shall so require. The rather, for that "you know the King is a good husband, and but a "steward in effect for the public; and that what comes "from you, is but as moisture drawn from the earth, "which gathers into a cloud, and falls back upon the "earth again. And you know well, how the kingdoms "about you grow more and more in greatness, and the "times are stirring; and therefore not fit to find the

« AnteriorContinuar »