820 
is extremely well defcribed from day to 
day. The author, the celebrated William 
de Vair, afterwards Bifhop of Lifeux 
in the xeign of Louis the Thirteenth, ap- 
pears to have affited at all the delibera- 
tions. He was then counfellor of fiate, 
and appears to have been confidered by 
the two ambafiadors as a confidential 
dervant of the King. 
The refult of this negotiation is too 
wel] known to render it neceflary to enter 
into any detail; but a letter which was 
written by Henry to Elizabeth, while the 
treaty was going on, is too important and 
curious to be omitted. 
We have already remarked how ar- 
dently Elizabeth defired the poffeffion of 
Calais, which had been loft by her prede- 
ceflor Mary. Henry had pofitively re- 
fuied to give it up, but the fiege by the 
Spaniards created new hopes in the 
Queen’s mind. She imagined that fhe 
could certainly get it into her hands by an 
offer to defend it, cr to retake it if it 
fhould furrender® and for accomplifhing 
this defign, without taking any notice to 
Sancy, to whom fhe promifed the immediate 
departure of the reinforcements, fhe fent Sir 
Robert Sidney to Henry with a propofal, 
that he fhould give up Calais and the con- 
“duct of its defence to the Englifh, with an 
intimation, that the affiftance of the Englith 
forces would depend upon his compliance 
or refufal. 
Henry could not conceal his anger on 
receiving Elizabeth’s propofition. He 
turned his back on Sidney, faying at the 
fame time ‘‘ that he had rather be bitten 
by a ion than a lienefs, and would fooner 
be torn to pieces by his enemies than by 
his allies.’ - He dilmiffed him, with a 
letter which is couched in language at 
she fame time firm and friendly: it con- 
tains a bold peremptory refulal, yet ten- 
der fuppiications, reproaches with thanks, 
and politics with gallantry, which appear 
to be the general charaéteriftic of Henry’s 
correfpondence with Elizabeth. The letter 
is in thefe terms : 
‘© Madam, I have received your let- 
ter by the Lord Sidney, who has commu- 
nicated fo me the propofition he had your 
commands to make. I find it fo little 
confiftent with that fincerity and true af- 
feftion I have always found in your good- 
nefs, that I could not but believe it was 
the project of fome one who is little ac- 
quainted with the real feelings of your 
heart; for its author muft have fuppofed 
that that foul which has always been fo 
kind to me, was very differently formed 
from what it is, to think at once fo en- 
Manufcripts relating to Englih Hiftory, 
[May 3; 
tirely to deprive it of a virtue which you 
have always practifed in fuch great per- 
fe&tion ; I mean the fidelity of your friends 
fhip, which, in my particular inftance, has 
neither parallel nor example. 
‘* Permit me then, Madam, notwith- 
ftanding what the Lord Sidney has told 
me, to be yet incredulous that you are 
capable of geverning your friendfhip by 
the degree of advantage you may derive 
from it, even upon this occafion, which 1s 
fo important and preffing as ‘net even to 
allow the time neceflary for deliberation 
on a point of fuch great confequence. 
The time of need, Madam, affords the 
beft proofs whether our affections are 
feigned or fincere; and I am: perfeétly 
convinced that your’s, on the prefent oc- 
cafion, will be found as warm as they 
have always been to me, and as-I hope £ 
have merited by the zealous anxiety I have 
ever fhewn for your fervice and fatisfac- 
tion, for which no one would more rea- 
dily hazard his life than myfelf; and 
I truf&t you will bear as conftantly in 
mind as I do, that I am what I am 
principally through you, to whom and 
whofe fervice Iam and always fhall be 
entirely devoted. Let me intreat you, 
therefore, moft humbly, that you will not 
permit this occafion in which I have ven- 
tured to hope for your proteétion to ef- 
cape. M. de Saricy, who is with. you, 
will enter into further explanations; to 
whom referring myfelf, I fhalk conclude, — 
kiffing moft humbly thofe fair and happy 
hands which hold the keys of my good 
or bad fortune, and I fhall never defire 
better than to be thus taken care of, ° 
Madam, &c.’® 
Sancy found the Queen extremely dif- 
fatisied with Henry’s anfwer;~ but he 
was not to be fhaken, and plainly told the 
een ‘that he thought it more expe- 
dient that the Spaniards fhould take Ca~ 
lais by force, than the King to furrender 
it to another power; ‘* for (added he) if 
the Spaniards take it, we may hope to re- 
take it from them, but if we give up the . 
poffefion to a friend, how fhall we 
get it back again? for when we want it 
returned, we fhall affront that friend, and 
thus have two enemies inftead of one.” 
The Queen made no reply, but obferved, 
that fhe did not think the King had or- 
dered him to make fuch an anfwer, which 
De Sancy owned, adding ‘¢ that the King 
ver thought any one would ever have 
aided to his troubles by making fuch a 
requett.”” ; . 
During thefe delays, the Spaniards cars 
ried the citadel of Calais by ftorm, the 
governos K 
\ 
2 Se ee 
