1543.]
THE FRENCH WAR.
619
struction equally instant. September.On the 7th of September, with the Duke of Brunswick and ten other gentlemen, he rode in deep mourning into the Imperial camp, and fell at Charles's feet, in time barely to save Venlo from the fate of Duren. He confessed his offences, he implored mercy, he renounced Gueldres, and even offered to do homage for Cleves, which had been hitherto independent.[1] Never in so brief a time had success been more rapid or overwhelming.[2] And the Emperor could say with truth that the defeat of the Duke of Cleves was the heaviest blow which he could have inflicted upon France. But, if it was a blow against France, it was a side-blow at the Reformation. The news was coldly received in England; nor was Henry better pleased when he learnt that, as an immediate sequel of the victory, Charles had sent a menacing message to the Elector to restore the monks and nuns whom he had ejected from their houses in the Duchy of Brunswick. Bad news, too, came from Hungary. The English treasury had supplied money to Ferdinand for a third campaign, which had again been
- ↑ State Papers, vol. ix. pp. 501–6.
- ↑ 'The matter seemeth at a point,' said Wotton, in a second letter, 'the which to me seemeth one of the strangest things that chanced these many years. I would never have believed that for one town cowardly lost by assault, such a great and strong country should have been wholly lost without in manner stroke striking. The Emperor may write to his friends as Cæsar wrote to his friends, veni, vidi, vici. Surely it appeareth that God hath blinded and intendeth to punish the French King that hath none otherwise assisted the Duke of Cleves; for he might by him have wrought more displeasure to the Emperor by a small power, than by himself he shall be able to do with four times as much.'—Wotton to Henry VIII.: ibid. pp. 505–6.
