216 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



&quot; time of his sickness, altogether without his consent 

 &quot; or privity. 



&quot; But howsoever these things do interest his 

 &quot; grace in this particular, yet he knoweth well that 

 &quot; the higher bond that tieth him to procure by all 

 &quot; means the safety and welfare of his loving subjects, 

 &quot; doth disinterest him of these obligations of grati- 

 &quot; tude otherwise than thus ; that if his grace be 

 &quot; forced to make a war, he do it without passion or 

 &quot; ambition. 



&quot; For the consequence of this action towards 

 &quot; this kingdom, it is much as the French king s in- 

 &quot; tention is. For if it be no more, but to range his 

 Ci subjects to reason, who bear themselves stout upon 

 &quot; the strength of the Duke of Britain, it is nothing 

 &quot; to us. But if it be in the French king s purpose, 

 &quot; or if it should not be in his purpose, yet if it shall 

 &quot; follow all one, as if it were sought, that the French 

 &quot; king shall make a province of Britain, and join it 

 &quot; to the crown of France ; then it is worthy the con- 

 &quot; sideration, how this may import England, as well 

 &quot; in the increasement of the greatness of France, by 

 ff the addition of such a country, that stretcheth his 

 &quot; boughs unto our seas, as in depriving this na- 

 &quot; tion, and leaving it naked of so firm and assured 

 &quot; confederates as the Britains have always been. 

 &quot; For then it will come to pass, that whereas not 

 &quot; long since this realm was mighty upon the conti- 

 &quot; nent, first in territory, and after in alliance, in 

 &quot; respect of Burgundy and Britain, which were con- 

 &quot; federates indeed, but dependent confederates ; now 



