all things," said the Earl of Worcester (who,
though by marriage nearly connected to Warwick, eyed his power with
the jealous scorn which the man of book-lore often feels for one whose
talent lies in action),--"so held our masters in all state-craft, the
Greek and Roman."

"Certes," said Sir Anthony Woodville, "it grieveth the pride of an
English knight that we should be beholden for courtesies to the born foe
of England, which I take the Frenchman naturally to be."

"Ah," said Edward, smiling sternly, "I would rather be myself, with
banner and trump, before the walls of Paris, than sending my cousin the
earl to beg the French king's brother to accept my sister as a bride.
And what is to become of my good merchant-ships if Burgundy take umbrage
and close its ports?"

"Beau sire," said Hastings, "thou knowest how little cause I have to
love the Earl of Warwick. We all here, save your gracious self, bear the
memory of some affront rendered to us by his pride and heat of mood! but
in this council I must cease to be William de Hastings, and be all and
wholly the king's servant. I say first, then, with reference to these
noble peers, that Warwick's faith to the House of York is too well
proven to become suspected because of the courtesies of King Louis,--an
artful craft, as it clearly seems to me, of the wily Frenchman, to
weaken your throne, by provoking your distrust of its great supporter.
Fall we not into such a snare! Moreover, we may be sure that Warwick
cannot be false, if he achieve the object of his embassy,--namely,
detach Louis from the side of Margaret and Lancaster by close alliance
with Edward and York. Secondly, sire, with regard to that alliance,
which it seems you would repent,--I hold now, as I have held ever, that
it is a master-stroke in policy, and the earl in this proves his sharp
brain worthy his strong arm; for as his highness the Duke of Gloucester
hath now clearly discovered that Margaret of Anjou has been of late
in London, and that treasonable designs were meditated, though now
frustrated, so we may ask why the friends of Lancaster really stood
aloof; why all conspiracy was, and is, in vain?--Because, sire, of this
very alliance with France; because the gold and subsidies of Louis are
not forthcoming; because the Lancastrians see that if once Lord Warwick
win France from the Red Rose, nothing short of such a miracle as their
gaining Warwick instead can give a hope to their treason. Your Highness