HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 221 



It was no hard matter to dispose and affect the 

 parliament in this business, as well in respect of the 

 emulation between the nations, and the envy at the late 

 growth of the French monarchy; as in regard of the 

 danger to puffer the French to make their approaches 

 upon England, by obtaining so goodly a maritime 

 province, full of sea-towns and havens, that might 

 do mischief to the English, either by invasion or by 

 interruption of traffic. The parliament was also 

 moved with the point of oppression ; for although 

 the French seemed to speak reason, yet arguments 

 are ever with multitudes too weak for suspicions. 

 Wherefore they did advise the king roundly to em 

 brace the Britons quarrel, and to send them speedy 

 aids; and with much alacrity and forwardness granted 

 to the king a great rate of subsidy in contempla 

 tion of these aids. But the king, both to keep a 

 decency towards the French king, to whom he pro- 

 fest himself to be obliged, and indeed desirous rather 

 to shew war than to make it, sent new solemn am 

 bassadors to intimate unto him the decree of his 

 estates, and to iterate his motion, that the French 

 would desist from hostility ; or if war must follow, 

 to desire him to take it in good part, if at the motion 

 of his people, who were sensible of the cause of the 

 Britons as their ancient friends and confederates, he 

 did send them succours ; with protestation never 

 theless, that, to save all treaties and laws of friend 

 ship, he had limited his forces, to proceed in aid of 

 the Britons, but in no wise to war upon the French, 

 otherwise than as they maintained the possession of 



