that he neuer sawe a better in all his life.
"You haue reason," sayde the kyng, "and I beleue that if a
Gentleman were determined to kyll mee, and did knowe the force
of myne armes, and the goodnesse of myne harte accompanied with
this sword, he would bee twyse well aduised before hee attempted
that enterprise. Notwithstanding I would accompt him but a
cowarde, wee being alone withoute witnesses, if he did not
attempt that, which he were disposed to do." The Counte
Guillaume with bashfull and astonned countenaunce aunsweared:
"Sir, the wickednesse of the enterprise were very great, but the
folly in the execution were no lesse." The king with those
wordes fell in a laughter, and put the sword in the skaberd
againe: and hearing that the chase drewe neare him, he made to
the same so faste as he coulde. When he was come thether, he
said nothing of that which had passed betweene theim, and
verelye thoughte that the Counte Guillaume although that he was
a stronge and stoute gentleman, yet he was no man to do so great
an enterprise. But the Counte Guillaume, fearing to be bewrayed
or suspected of the fact, next day morning repayred to Robertet
the Secretarie of the kinge's reuenues, and saide that hee had
well wayed the giftes and annuities which the kinge would giue
him to tarrie, but he perceiued that they were not sufficient to
interteigne him for halfe a yeare, and that if it pleased not
the king to double the same, hee should be forced to departe,
praying the sayde Robertet to know his grace's pleasure so sone
as he coulde, who sayd vnto him, that he himselfe could without
further commission disbursse no more vnto him, but gladly
without further delay he would repaire to the king: which he did
more willingly, because he had seene the aduertisements of the
Gouernor aforesaid. And so sone as the kinge was awake, he
declared the matter vnto him in the presence of Monsier
Trimouille and Monsier Bouinet, lord admirall, who were vtterly
ignorant of that which the king had done. To whom the kinge
said: "Loe, ye haue bene miscontented for that I would not put
away the Counte Guillaume, but now ye see he putteth away
himselfe. Wherefore Robertet (quoth the king) tell him, that if
he be not content with the state which he receiued at his first
entrie into my seruice, whereof many gentlemen of good houses
would thinke themselues happie, it is meete that he seeke his
better fortune, and tell him that I would be lothe to hinder
him