to export it out of the land, and to lay it upon his new ally, Ferdinando king of Spain. For these two kings understanding one another at half a word, so it was that there were letters shewed out of Spain whereby in the passages concerning the treaty of the marriage, Ferdinando had written to the king in plain terms, that he saw no assurance of his succession as long as the earl of Warwick lived; and that he was loth to send his daughter to troubles and dangers. But hereby, as the king did in some part remove the envy from himself; so he did not observe, that he did withal bring a kind of malediction and infausting upon the marriage, as an ill prognostic: which in event so far proved true, as both Prince Arthur enjoyed a very small time after the marriage, and the lady Catharine herself, a sad and a religious woman, long after, when king Henry the eighth his resolution of a divorce from her was first made known to her, used some words, that she had not offended, but it was a judgment of God, for that her former marriage was made in blood; meaning that of the earl of Warwick.

This fifteenth year of the king, there was a great plague both in London and in divers parts of the kingdom. Wherefore the king, after often change of places, whether to avoid the danger of the sickness, or to give occasion of an interview with the archduke, or both, sailed over with his queen to Calais. Upon his coming thither, the archduke sent an honourable embassage unto him, as well to welcome him into those parts, as to let him know, that if it pleased him, he would come and do him reverence. But it was saidwithal, that the king might be pleased to appoint some place, that were out of any walled town or fortress, for that he had denied the same upon like occasion to the French king: and though, he said, he made a great difference between the two kings, yet he would be loth to give a precedent, that might make it after to be expected at his hands, by another whom he trusted less. The king accepted of the courtesy, and admitted of his excuse, and appointed the place to be at Saint Peter's church without Calais. But withal he

did visit the archduke with ambassadors sent from himself, which were the lord St. John, and the secretary; unto whom the archduke did the honour, as, going to mass at Saint Omer's, to set the lord St. John on his right hand, and the secretary on his left, and so to ride between them to church. The day appointed for the interview the king went on horseback some distance from St. Peter's church, to receive the archduke; and upon their approaching,, the archduke made haste to light, and offered to hold the king's stirrup at his alighting; which the king would not permit, but descending from horseback, they embraced with great affection; and withdrawing into the church to a place prepared, they had long conference, not only upon the confirmation of former treaties, and the freeing of commerce, but upon cross marriages, to be had between the duke of York, the king's second son, and the archduke's daughter; and again between Charles, the archduke's son and heir, and Mary the King's second daughter. But these blossoms of unripe marriages were but friendly wishes, and the airs of loving entertainment; though one of them came afterwards to conclusion in treaty, though not in effect. But during the time that the two princes conversed and communed together in the suburbs of Calais, the demonstrations on both sides were passing hearty and affectionate, especially on the part of the archduke: who, besides that he was a prince of an excellent good nature, being conscious to himself how drily the king had been used by his council in the matter of Perkin, did strive by all means to recover it in the king's affection. And having also his ears continually beaten with the counsels of his father and father-in-law, who, in respect of their jealous hatred against the French king, did always advise the archduke to anchor himself upon the amity of king Henry of England; was glad upon this occasion to put in use and practice their precepts, calling the king patron, and father, and protector, these very words the king repeats, when he certified of the loving behaviour of the archduke to the city, and what else he could devise, to express his love and observance to the king. There came also to the king

the governor of Picardy, and the bailiff of Amiens, sent from Lewis the French king to do him honour, and to give him knowledge of his victory, and winning of the duchy of Milan. It seemeth the king was well pleased with the honours he received from those parts, while he was at Calais; for he did himself certify all the news and occurrents of them in every particular, from Calais, to the mayor and aldermen of London, which, no doubt, made no small talk in the city. For the king, though he could not entertain the good-will of the citizens, as Edward the Fourth did; yet by affability and other princely graces, did ever make very much of them, and apply himself to them.

This year also died John Morton, archbishop of Canterbury, chancellor of England, and cardinal. He was a wise man, and an eloquent, but in his nature harsh and haughty: much accepted by the king, but envied by the nobility, and hated of the people. Neither was his name left out of Perkin's proclamation for any good will, but they would not bring him in amongst the king's casting counters, because he had the image and superscription upon him of the pope, in his honour of cardinal. He won the king with secresy and diligence, but chiefly because he was his old servant in his less fortunes: and also for that, in his affections, he was not without an inveterate malice against the house of York, under whom he had been in trouble. He was willing also to take envy from the king, more than the king was willing to put upon him: for the king cared not for subterfuges, but would stand envy, and appear in any thing that was to his mind; which made envy still grow upon him more universal, but less daring. But in the matter of exactions, time did after shew, that the bishop in feeding the king's humour did rather temper it. He had been by Richard the Third committed, as in custody, to the duke of Buckingham, whom he did secretly incite to revolt from king Richard. But after the duke was engaged, and thought the bishop should have been his chief pilot in the tempest, the bishop was gotten into the cock-boat,

and fled over beyond seas. But whatsoever else was in the man, he deserveth a most happy memory, in that he was the principal mean of joining the two roses. He died of great years, but of strong health and powers.

The next year, which was the sixteenth year of the king, and the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred, was the year of jubilee at Rome. But Pope Alexander, to save the hazard and charges of mens' journeys to Rome, thought good to make over those graces by exchange, to such as would pay a convenient rate, seeing they could not come to fetch them. For which purpose was sent into England, Jasper Pons, a Spaniard, the pope's commissioner, better chosen than were the commissioners of pope Leo afterwards employed for Germany; for he carried the business with great wisdom, and semblance of holiness: insomuch as he levied great sums of money within this land to the pope's use, with little or no scandal. It was thought the king shared in the money. But it appeareth by a letter, which cardinal Adrian, the king's pensioner, wrote to the king from Rome some few years after, that this was not so. For this cardinal, being to persuade pope Julius, on the king's behalf, to expedite the bull of dispensation for the marriage between prince Henry and the lady Catherine, finding the pope difficile in granting thereof, doth use it as a principal argument concerning the king's merit towards that see, that he had touched none of those deniers which had been levied by Pons in England. But that it might the better appear, for the satisfaction of the common people, that this was consecrated money, the same nuncio brought unto the king a brief from the pope, wherein the king was exhorted and summoned to come in person against the Turk: for that the pope, out of the care of an universal father, seeing almost under his eyes the successes and progresses of that great enemy of the faith, had had in the conclave, and with the assistance of the ambassadors of foreign princes, divers consultations about an holy war, and a general expedition of Christian princes against the Turk: wherein it was agreed and thought fit, that

the Hungarians, Polonians, and Bohemians, should make a war upon Thracia; the French and Spaniards upon Græcia; and that the pope, willing to sacrifice himself in so good a cause, in person, and in company of the king of England, the Venetians, and such other states as were great in maritime power, would sail with a puissant navy through the Mediterranean unto Constantinople. And that to this end, his holiness had sent nuncios to all Christian princes; as well for a cessation of all quarrels and differences amongst themselves, as for speedy preparations and contributions of forces and treasure for this sacred enterprise.

To this the king, who understood well the court of Rome, made an answer rather solemn than serious: signifying,

"That no prince on earth should be more forward "and obedient, both by his person, and by all his possible forces and fortunes, to enter into this sa"cred war, than himself. But that the distance of "place was such, as no forces that he should raise "for the seas, could be levied or prepared but with "double the charge, and double the time, at the "least, that they might be from the other princes, "that had their territories near adjoining. Besides, "that neither the manner of his ships, having no

galleys, nor the experience of his pilots and ma66 riners, could be so apt for those seas as theirs. And "therefore that his holiness might do well to move "one of those other kings, who lay fitter for the

purpose, to accompany him by sea. Whereby both "all things would be no sooner put in readiness, and "with less charge, and the emulation and division of

command, which might grow between those kings "of France and Spain, if they should both join in "the war by land upon Græcia, might be wisely "avoided: and that for his part he would not be "wanting in aids and contribution. Yet notwith"standing, if both these kings should refuse, ra"ther than his holiness should go alone, he would wait (6 upon him as soon as he could be ready: always provided, that he might first see all differences of the