HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 213 



though he would not seem to know it till then, he 

 presently summoned his parliament, and in open 

 parliament propounded the cause of Britain to both 

 houses, by his chancellor Morton, archbishop of 

 Canterbury, who spake to this effect. 



&quot; My lords and masters, the king s grace, our 

 &quot; sovereign lord, hath commanded me to declare 

 &quot; unto you the causes that have moved him at this 

 &quot; time to summon this his parliament ; which I shall 

 &quot; do in few words, craving pardon of his grace, and 

 &quot; you all, if I perform it not as I would. 



&quot; His grace doth first of all let you know, that 

 &quot; he retaineth in thankful memory the love and 

 &quot; loyalty shewn to him by you, at your last meeting, 

 &quot; in establishment of his royalty ; freeing and dis- 

 &quot; charging of his partakers, and confiscation of his 

 &quot; traitors and rebels ; more than which could not 

 &quot; come from subjects to their sovereign in one action. 

 &quot; This he taketh so well at your hands, as he hath 

 &quot; made it a resolution to himself, to communicate 

 &quot; with so loving and well approved subjects, in all 

 &quot; affairs that are of public nature at home or abroad. 

 &quot; Two therefore are the causes of your present 

 &quot; assembling : the one a foreign business, the other 

 &quot; matter of government at home. 



&quot; The French king, as no doubt ye have heard, 

 &quot; maketh at this present hot war upon the Duke of 

 &quot; Britain. His army is now before Nantz, and hold- 

 &quot; eth it straitly besieged, being the principal city, if 

 61 not in ceremony and pre-eminence, yet in strength 

 &quot; and wealth, of that duchy. Ye may guess at his 



