204 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



against them. And therefore by all means declined 

 any mention thereof, but contrariwise interlaced, in 

 their conference with the king, the assured purpose 

 of their master to match with the daughter of 

 Maximilian; and entertained the king also with 

 some wandering discourses of their king s purpose, 

 to recover by arms his right to the kingdom of 

 Naples, by an expedition in person ; all to remove 

 the king from all jealousy of any design in these 

 hither parts upon Britain, otherwise than for quench 

 ing of the fire which he feared might be kindled in 

 his own estate. 



The king, after advice taken with his council, 

 made answer to the ambassadors : and first returned 

 their compliment, shewing he was right glad of the 

 French king s reception of those towns from Maxi 

 milian. Then he familiarly related some particular 

 passages of his own adventures and victory passed. 

 As to the business of Britain, the king answered in 

 few words ; that the French king, and the duke of 

 Britain, were the two persons to whom he was most 

 obliged of all men ; and that he should think himself 

 very unhappy if things should go so between them, 

 as he should not be able to acquit himself in grati 

 tude towards them both ; and that there was no 

 means for him as a Christian king, and a common 

 friend to them, to satisfy all obligations both to God 

 and man, but to offer himself for a mediator of an 

 accord and peace between them ; by which course 

 he doubted not but their king s estate, and honour 

 both, would be preserved with more safety and less 



