[Cromwell has taken to his bed from pure sorrow]
21 April.[1536] 700. Chapuys to Granvelle.
Wishes Granvelle knew the great anxiety he has had to recall this King to the beginning of the right road. But the illness he has had ever since he has been here, and the unspeakable obstinacy of the King, have not allowed it. Not only Chapuys, but all those of his Council, very much regret this, especially Cromwell—who has taken to his bed from pure sorrow. He has certainly shown himself in this an honest man; for although he knew it displeased his master, and that he incurred some danger, he would not retract anything he had said to me. Thinks the King, on the one hand, would only desire the Emperor's friendship, which he knows he stands in need of; but, on the other hand, God or the Devil will not let him, and, by the language he holds, he means to persist in the demand made when Chapuys asked leave to go to the late Queen, viz., that the Emperor should revoke the sentence, or at least confess that it was influenced by the Pope's fear of himself. Refers it to Granvelle's judgment whether there be dissimulation in this. Among other reproaches that he made against the Emperor, he said that by his money he had put in the hands of his Majesty—.
Forbore to say that in that case he had caused the money to be restored at Rome, and that there had been no possibility in the camp by Pavia of taking a single shilling out of it. Let the matter pass withs ome other things that he might satiate himself with glory (pour le saouler de gloire et non l'irriter); but he grew the more arrogant, as you will see by the letters which I write to his Majesty. Certainly, if it were lawful to speak what one thinks of princes, I could say something of this King, and so could Cromwell, if there were occasion to recur to the subject. Among other merry or idle news (frisques ou frasques novelles), the King assured me that the Emperor had taken from duke Alexander the duchy of Florence, and given it to another, and that Tunis had been recovered by Barbarossa. I refrained from blaming the French too much for the mistrust of those here, and from urging them to take arms against the French, speaking only in general terms of the observance of treaties.
This was not to Cromwell, who gave me to understand at the last answer he made to me on behalf of the King his master that when letters came from the Emperor for this King, we might have a league such as we pleased. I have done my best, both with the King and Cromwell, to get them to declare, in case the letters came, what they proposed to treat as regards the fourth point, but they would come to no particulars. Nevertheless, at the end of our negociations I left those here with fair words and hope of a good issue. Thanks Granvelle for his advice by the secretary Maitre Antoine not to be so intent on severe remedies. God knows why he has used them. Hopes he will not be disobedient hereafter. London, 21 April 1536
