The Life and Times of Francis the First, King of France [By J. Bacon] (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1829 edition. Excerpt: ...the king of France and Charles should Chap. both be defeated, the former would aid hisholi-v ness's views in fixing the imperial crown on the head of some less potent prince, from whom Italy would have nothing to fear. Henry of England, who had unequivocally promised Francis his support, behaved to him with still greater duplicity, hy surreptitiously giving it to Charles, (a) The state of Venice adhered to (a) The detection of this fraud is mentioned in a letter of Sir Thomas Boleyn to cardinal Wolsey, March 25th, 1519; in which he relates an audience he had lately had with the duchess d'Angoulfeme, in the absence of Francis, who had gone from Paris during his queen's confinement. From the manner in which the communication was made to the English ambassador, there is little reason to doubt the impression which the discovery had made on the mind of Francis, notwithstanding the courtly turn which the duchess gives to it, and her apparent belief in Henry's sincerity. The letter is, in every respect, a curious one: " My lady toold me that the king her Sonne whan he departed, willed her to shew roe a letter that came now streyt out of Spayn, from his ambassadour there, and therewithall she called to her the tresourer Robertet, and bad hym shewe me that letter, wherein was wrytten by the said ambassador whose name is de la Roche Beauconot, that the king's highnesse had late sent a lettre to the king Catholique, advertysyng hym how the king here had desired the king's highnesse by his letters to write to th'ellectowrs of th'empire in his favour, the rather to atteyn the dygnyte of th'empire; the which the king's highnesse hath refused bicause of the amytie betwixt the king's grace and the king Catholique, and how the king's highnesse had rather...