of taking umbrage at it, he only made it
a subject of vanity; and believed that, as his favor was Wolsey's sole
support, the obeisance of such mighty monarchs to his servant was, in
reality, a more conspicuous homage to his own grandeur.

The day of Charles's departure, Henry went over to Calais with the queen
and his whole court; and thence proceeded to Guisnes, a small town near
the frontiers. Francis, attended in like manner, came to Ardres, a few
miles distant; and the two monarchs met, for the first time, in the
fields, at a place situated between these two towns, but still within
the English pale; for Francis agreed to pay this compliment to Henry, in
consideration of that prince's passing the sea that he might be
present at the interview. Wolsey, to whom both kings had intrusted the
regulation of the ceremonial, contrived this circumstance, in order to
do honor to his master. The nobility both of France and England here
displayed their magnificence with such emulation and profuse expense, as
procured to the place of interview the name of "the field of the cloth
of gold."

The two monarchs, after saluting each other in the most cordial manner,
retired into a tent which had been erected on purpose, and they held a
secret conference together. Henry here proposed to make some amendments
on the articles of their former alliance; and he began to read the
treaty, "I Henry, king:" these were the first words; and he stopped
a moment. He subjoined only the words "of England," without adding
"France," the usual style of the English monarchs.[*] Francis remarked
this delicacy, and expressed by a smile his approbation of it.

He took an opportunity soon after of paying a compliment to Henry of a
more flattering nature. That generous prince, full of honor himself,
and incapable of distrusting others, was shocked at all the precautions
which were observed whenever he had an interview with the English
monarch: the number of their guards and attendants was carefully
reckoned on both sides: every step was scrupulously measured and
adjusted: and if the two kings intended to pay a visit to the queens,
they departed from their respective quarters at the same instant, which
was marked by the firing of a culverin; they passed each other in the
middle point between the places; and the moment that Henry entered
Ardres, Francis put himself into the hands of the English at Guisnes.
In order to break off this tedious ceremonial, which con