taken, certainly, in the temper of the English nation; he
believed what the friars told him; and trusting to the promises of
disaffection, insurrection, invasion--those _ignes fatui_ which for
sixty years floated so delusively before the Italian imagination, he
imagined, perhaps, that he might trifle with Henry with impunity. This
only is impossible, that, if he had seriously intended to fulfil the
promises which he had made to the French king, the accidental delay of a
courier could have made so large a difference in his determination. It
is not possible that, if he had assured himself, as he pretended, that
justice was on the side against which he had declared, he would not have
availed himself of any pretext to retreat from a position which ought to
have been intolerable to him.

[Sidenote: Francis warns Henry to prepare for danger.]

[Sidenote: Preparation in Flanders for an invasion of England.]

The question, however, had ended, "as all things in this world do have
their end." The news of the sentence arrived in England at the beginning
of April, with an intimation of the engagements which had been entered
upon by the imperial ambassador for an invasion. Du Bellay returned to
Paris at the same time, to report the failure of his undertaking; and
Francis, disappointed, angry, and alarmed, sent the Duke of Guise to
London with promises of support if an attempt to invade was really made,
and with a warning at the same time to Henry to prepare for danger.
Troops were gathering in Flanders; detachments were on their way out of
Italy, Germany, and Bohemia, to be followed by three thousand Spaniards,
and perhaps many more; and the object avowed for these preparations was
wholly incommensurate with their magnitude.[261] For his own sake,
Francis could not permit a successful invasion of England, unless,
indeed, he himself was to take part in it; and therefore, with entire
sincerity, he offered his services. The cordial understanding for which
Henry had hoped was at an end; but the political confederacy remained,
which the interests of the two countries combined for the present to
preserve unbroken.

[Sidenote: Proposal for a new meeting between Francis and Henry.]

[Sidenote: Which Henry is afraid to accept, lest there should be a
rising in his absence.]

[Sidenote: The French fleet guard the Channel.]

Guise proposed another interview at Calais between the sovereigns. The
king for the moment was afraid to leave Eng