212 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



other expedient, than to set and keep on foot a con 

 tinual treaty of peace, laying it down, and taking it 

 up again, as the occurrence required. Besides, he 

 had in consideration the point of honour, in bearing 

 the blessed person of a pacificator. He thought 

 likewise to make use of the envy that the French 

 king met with by occasion of this war of Britain, 

 in strengthening himself with new alliances ; as, 

 namely, that of Ferdinando of Spain, with whom he 

 had ever a consent even in nature and customs ; and 

 likewise with Maximilian, who was particularly in 

 terested. So that in substance he promised himself 

 money, honour, friends, and peace in the end. But 

 those things were too fine to be fortunate and suc 

 ceed in all parts ; for that great affairs are commonly 

 too rough and stubborn to be wrought upon by the 

 finer edges or points of wit. The king was likewise 

 deceived in his two main grounds. For although he 

 had reason to conceive that the council of France 

 would be wary to put the king into a war against 

 the heir apparent of France ; yet he did not consider 

 that Charles was not guided by any of the principal 

 of the blood or nobility, but by mean men, who 

 would make it their master-piece of credit and 

 favour, to give venturous counsels which no great or 

 wise man durst or would. And for Maximilian, he 

 was thought then a greater matter than he was ; 

 his unstable and necessitous courses being not then 

 known. 



After consultation with the ambassadors, who 

 brought him no other news than he expected before, 



