d arrived
at Calais on the sixth of October, with an army of twenty-five thousand
foot and sixteen hundred horse, which he put under the command of the
duke of Bedford and the earl of Oxford: but as some inferred, from
his opening the campaign in so late a season, that peace would soon be
concluded between the crowns, he was desirous of suggesting a contrary
inference. "He had come over," he said, "to make an entire conquest of
France, which was not the work of one summer. It was therefore of no
consequence at what season he began the invasion; especially as he had
Calais ready for winter quarters." As if he had seriously intended this
enterprise, he instantly marched into the enemy's country, and laid
siege to Boulogne: but notwithstanding this appearance of hostility,
there had been secret advances made towards peace above three months
before; and commissioners had been appointed to treat of the terms. The
better to reconcile the minds of men to this unexpected measure, the
king's ambassadors arrived in the camp from the Low Countries, and
informed him, that Maximilian was in no readiness to join him; nor was
any assistance to be expected from that quarter. Soon after, messengers
came from Spain, and brought news of a peace concluded between that
kingdom and France, in which Charles had made a cession of the counties
of Roussillon and Cerdagne to Ferdinand. Though these articles of
intelligence were carefully dispersed throughout the army, the king was
still apprehensive lest a sudden peace, after such magnificent promises
and high expectations, might expose him to reproach. In order the more
effectually to cover the intended measures, he secretly engaged the
marquis of Dorset, together with twenty-three persons of distinction,
to present him a petition for agreeing to a treaty with France. The
pretence was founded on the late season of the year, the difficulty of
supplying the army at Calais during winter, the obstacles which arose
in the siege of Boulogne, the desertion of those allies whose assistance
had been most relied on: events which might, all of them, have been
foreseen before the embarkation of the forces.

In consequence of these preparatory steps, the bishop of Exeter and Lord
Daubeney were sent to confer at Estaples with the mareschal de Cordes,
and to put the last hand to the treaty. A few days sufficed for that
purpose: the demands of Henry were wholly pecuniary; and the king of
Franco, who deemed the