issue; and, therefore, Henry said he hoped that his good
brother would use the pope as he had deserved, "doing him to understand his
folly, and [that] unless he had first made amends, he could not find in his
heart to have further amity with him."

If notwithstanding, the instructions concluded, "all these persuasions
cannot have place to let the said meeting, and the French king shall say it
is expedient for him to have in his hands the duchess,[614] under pretence
of marriage for his son, which he cannot obtain but by this means, ye shall
say that ye remember ye heard him say once he would never conclude that
marriage but to do us good, which is now infaisible; and now in the voice
of the world shall do us both more hurt in the diminution of the reputation
of our amity than it should do otherwise profit. Nevertheless, [if] ye
cannot let his precise determination, [ye] can but lament and bewail your
own chance to depart home in this sort; and that yet of the two
inconvenients, it is to you more tolerable to return to us nothing done,
than to be present at the interview and to be compelled to look patiently
upon your master's enemy."

After having entered thus their protest against the French king's conduct,
the embassy was to return to England, leaving a parting intimation of the
single condition under which Henry would consent to treat. If the pope
would declare that "the matrimony with the Lady Catherine was and is
nought, he should do somewhat not to be refused;" except with this
preliminary, no offer whatever could be entertained.[615]

This communication, as Henry anticipated, was not more effectual than the
former in respect of its immediate object. At the meeting of Calais the
interests of Francis had united him with England, and in pursuing the
objects of Henry he was then pursuing his own. The pope and the emperor had
dissolved the coalition by concessions on the least dangerous side. The
interests of Francis lay now in the other direction, and there are few
instances in history in which governments have adhered to obligations
against their advantage from a spirit of honour, when the purposes with
which they contracted those obligations have been otherwise obtained. The
English embassy returned as they were ordered; the French court pursued
their way to Marseilles; not quarrelling with England; intending to abide
by the alliance, and to give all proofs of amity which did not involve
inconvenient sacrifices; b