HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 255 



was a question also asked at the table ; whether the 

 French king would agree to have the disposing of 

 the marriage of Britain witli an exception and 

 exclusion that he should not marry her himself? 

 To which the ambassadors answered : That it was 

 so far out of their king s thoughts, as they had re 

 ceived no instructions touching the same. Thus 

 were the ambassadors dismissed, all save the prior ; 

 and were followed immediately by Thomas, Earl of 

 Ormond, and Thomas Goldenston, Prior of Christ 

 Church in Canterbury, who were presently sent over 

 into France. In the mean space Lionel, Bishop of 

 Concordia, was sent as nuncio from Pope Alexander 

 the Sixth to both kings, to move a peace between 

 them. For Pope Alexander, finding himself pent 

 and locked up by a league and association of the 

 principal states of Italy, that he could not make his 

 way for the advancement of his own house, which he 

 immoderately thirsted after, was desirous to trouble 

 the waters in Italy, that he might fish the better ; 

 casting the net not out of St. Peter s, but out of 

 Borgia s bark. And doubting lest the fears from 

 England might stay the French king s voyage into 

 Italy, dispatched this bishop to compose all matters 

 between the two kings if he could : who first re 

 paired to the French king, and finding him well 

 inclined, as he conceived, took on his journey to 

 wards England, and found the English ambassadors 

 at Calais, on their way towards the French king. 

 After some conference with them, he was in honour 

 able manner transported over into England, where 



