HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 259 



&amp;lt;e forces which are least fit for a defensive war, where 

 * the actions are in the assailant s choice. It was 

 &quot; our discords only that lost France ; and, by the 

 &quot; power of God, it is the good peace which we now 

 &quot; enjoy, that will recover it. God hath hitherto 

 &quot; blessed my sword. I have, in this time that I have 

 &quot; reigned, weeded out my bad subjects, and tried 

 * my good. My people and I know one another, 

 &quot; whicli breeds confidence : and if there should be 

 &quot; any bad blood left in the kingdom, an honourable 

 &quot; foreign war will vent it or purify it. In this great 

 &quot; business let me have your advice and aid. If any 

 &quot; of you were to make his son knight, you might 

 &quot; have aid of your tenants by law. This concerns 

 &quot; the knighthood and spurs of the kingdom, whereof 

 &quot; I am father ; and bound not only to seek to main- 

 &quot; tain it, but to advance it : but for matter of treasure, 

 &quot; let it not be taken from the poorest sort, but from 

 &quot; those to whom the benefit of the war may redound. 

 &quot; France is no wilderness ; and I, that profess good 

 &quot; husbandry, hope to make the war, after the be 

 ginnings to pay itself. Go together in God s 

 &quot; name, and lose no time ; for I have called this par- 

 &quot; liamc nt wholly for this cause.&quot; 



Thus spake the king ; but for all this, though he 

 shewed great forwardness for a war, not only to his 

 parliament and court, but to his privy council like 

 wise, except the two bishops and a few more, yet 

 nevertheless in his secret intentions he had no pur 

 pose to go through with any war upon France. But 

 the truth was, that he did but traffic with that war, 

 to make his return in money. He knew well, that 



