that he would mediate with France; that, if his mediation was not accepted, he would even threaten to re-open the war, provided it was understood by England that the threat would not be acted on.[1] But this was not reassuring. He felt that he was resting on a field of treacherous ice; and in a mood of characteristic melancholy he poured out his feelings in cipher to his friend Sir William Petre:—
'What care they if what they do make for their purpose? All is one. Nusquam tuta fides. Dissimulation, vanity, flattery, unshamefastness reign most here, and with the same they must be rencontred. There is no remedy as the world goeth now. Surely, Master Petre, you will not believe how this their proceeding with the King's Majesty grieveth me. But what remedy! By my troth none, but wink at it for the time, and dissemble. I intend, if I can, to speak with the Emperor, with whom I intend, with just consideration of the persons both of him and the King's Majesty, to tell so plain a tale as peradventure was never told him, and yet so
- ↑ 'Mistrust not the Emperor,' President Scory said to Paget, 'for, whatever we say unto you, the Emperor intendeth to use all the means he can to bring them to a conformity, and to tell them that you will call upon us for the declaration of war, and that we cannot avoid it, and that they must come to reason; or else we must needs declare ourselves, for we must needs keep our promises unto you.' 'Marry,' quoth I, 'this will be a good tale and a true, and if they will not come to reason, the best part of the tale is to declare indeed.' 'Nay,' quoth he, and laughed, 'there shall be nothing left unsaid that may further the matter.' 'Nor undone?' quoth I. 'I wot what you mean,' quoth he; 'but as for that, however we intend for the advancement of your affairs to use that matter in our conferences with them, yet I pray you molest us not withal.'—Paget to Henry VIII.: State Papers, vol. x. p. 364.
