[625] Clement in turn made suggestions for terms of
alliance between Francis and Charles, "to the advantage of the Most
Christian king;"[626] and thus parried the remonstrances. The only point
positively clear to the observers, was the perfect understanding which
existed between the King of France and his spiritual father.[627] Unusual
activity was remarked in the dockyards; Italian soldiers of fortune were
about the court in unusual numbers, and apparently in favour.[628] An
invasion of Lombardy was talked of among the palace retinue; and the
emperor was said to distrust the intentions of the conference. Possibly
experience had taught all parties to doubt each other's faith. Possibly
they were all in some degree waiting upon events; and had not yet resolved
upon their conduct.

In the midst of this scene arrived Doctor Bonner, in the beginning of
November, with Henry's appeal. He was a strange figure to appear in such a
society. There was little probity, perhaps, either in the court of France,
or in their Italian visitors: but of refinement, of culture, of those
graces which enable men to dispense with the more austere excellences of
character--which transform licentiousness into elegant frailty, and
treachery and falsehood into pardonable finesse--of these there was very
much: and when a rough, coarse, vulgar Englishman was plunged among these
delicate ladies and gentlemen, he formed an element which contrasted
strongly with the general environment. Yet Banner, perhaps, was not without
qualifications which fitted him for his mission. He was not, indeed,
virtuous; but he had a certain downright honesty about him, joined with an
entire insensibility to those finer perceptions which would have interfered
with plain speaking, where plain speaking was desirable; he had a broad,
not ungenial humour, which showed him things and persons in their genuine
light, and enabled him to picture them for us with a distinctness for which
we owe him lasting thanks.

He appeared at Marseilles on the 7th of November, and had much difficulty
in procuring an interview. At length, weary of waiting, and regardless of
the hot lead with which he had been lately threatened, he forced his way
into the room where "the pope was standing, with the Cardinals De Lorraine
and Medici, ready apparelled with his stole to go to the consistory."

"Incontinently upon my coming thither," he wrote to Henry,[629] "the pope,
whose sight is incredulous quick, ey