l who aid them as is needful
for the protection of our lands and subjects.

"Written at Middelburg in Zealand, June 20, 1470."[13]

"Tell Monsieur de Warwick that the king will assist him to recover
England either with the help of Queen Margaret or by whatever
other means he may propose.... Only let him communicate his
desires in this respect as speedily as possible and the king will
lay aside all other affairs for the purpose of accomplishing it,"

wrote the complaisant King of France in his directions to the
confidential messenger sent to discuss matters with the English
earl.[14]

But that was not his language towards his cousin of Burgundy, whom he
assured that there should be no infringement of their treaty, and that
it was greatly to his royal displeasure that Flemish property
captured at sea in defiance of that treaty should be sold in French
market-places. There is a hot correspondence,[15] that is, it is hot
on the side of Charles, while Louis's phrases are smoothly surprised
at there being any cause for dissatisfaction. The circumstances shall
be investigated, his cousin satisfied, etc. One letter from the duke
to two of Louis's council is emphatic in its expressions of doubt as
to the good faith of these royal statements:

"ARCHBISHOP AND YOU ADMIRAL:

"The vessels which you assure me are destined by the king for
an attack on England have attempted nothing except against my
subjects; but, by St. George, if some redress be not seen to, I
will take the matter into my own hands without waiting for your
motions, tardy and dilatory as they are."[16]

Reprisals were made accordingly, and the innocent French merchants,
coming peaceably to the fair at Antwerp, suffered confiscation of
their private property, while the duke felt fully justified in
stationing his fleet off the coast of Normandy to guard the Channel.
Philip de Commines was one of the company who went at the duke's
behest to Calais to urge the governor, Wenlock, to be faithful to King
Edward, and to give no shelter to the rebellious earl and his protege
Clarence.[17]

Louis feared an outbreak of hostilities at an inconvenient moment. He
temporised. To Warwick, he denied a personal interview, but at the
same time he sent him a confidential emissary, Sr. du Plessis, to whom
he wrote as follows:

"Monsieur du Plessis, you know the desire I have for Warwick's
return to England, as we