202 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



master was enforced to enter into a just and neces 

 sary war with the duke of Britain, for that he had 

 received and succoured those that were traitors and 

 declared enemies unto his person and state. That 

 they were no mean, distressed, and calamitous per 

 sons that fled to him for refuge, but of so great 

 quality, as it was apparent that they came not thither 

 to protect their own fortune, but to infest and invade 

 his ; the head of them being the Duke of Orleans, 

 the first prince of the blood, and the second person 

 of France. That therefore, rightly to understand 

 it, it was rather on their master s part a defensive 

 war than an offensive ; as that could not be omitted 

 or forborn, if he tendered the conservation of his 

 own estate ; and that it was not the first blow that 

 made the war invasive, for that no wise prince would 

 stay for, but the first provocation, or at least the 

 first preparation ; nay, that this war was rather a 

 suppression of rebels, than a war with a just enemy ; 

 where the case is, that his subjects, traitors, are 

 received by the Duke of Britain his homager. That 

 King Henry knew well what went upon it in ex 

 ample, if neighbour princes should patronize and 

 comfort rebels against the law of nations and of 

 leagues. Nevertheless that their master was not 

 ignorant, that the king had been beholden to the 

 Duke of Britain in his adversity ; as on the other 

 side, they knew he would not forget also the readi 

 ness of their king, in aiding him when the Duke of 

 Britain, or his mercenary counsellors, failed him, 

 and would have betrayed him ; and that there was a 



