'If, therefore, owing to the above-named reasons, I were obliged to marry (another princess), I beg you not to take it in bad part, or suffer it to be the cause of our mutual love and affection being lessened, for I can assure you that I shall wait for your answer, and delay as much as possible the said marriage; and that when the ambassadors receive your powers and communicate your wishes to me, you will be convinced of my goodwill and desire to foster and increase our mutual amity, and to procure your welfare as much as my own. And that you may trust to the sincerity of my professions I hereby affix my signature as a proof of my constant wish to be for ever your good son, brother, nephew and good friend.
Charles
'(Toledo) 12th August 1525'[107]
We do not know how King Henry received the above communication, but soon after, the news reached Margaret that he was thinking of entering into an alliance with France. This she foresaw would probably lead to another war, and at once prepared to put the Netherlands into a state of defence. She summoned the States, and again begged for 100,000 florins. The States refused to grant her request, saying the country had been drained to the uttermost, and commerce was at a standstill. But Margaret would not give in, and the States were convoked again at Gertruydenberg. The Count of Hochstrate, as head of the council of finance, going from town to town trying, by coaxing and promises, to raise the desired sum.
Louise of Savoy now sent her secretary, Viardi, to Brussels to persuade Margaret to arrange a truce of six months in order to give her time to treat for the king's ransom and conclude a peace. Margaret listened favourably to Viardi's mission, and commanded the Count of Hochstrate, the Archbishop of Palermo, and the Count of Berg to meet him at Breda, where a truce was arranged in Henry of Nassau's palace. Charles does not appear to have been consulted as to the terms of this armistice, and, much annoyed, he sent the following sharp rebuke to his aunt:—
'Madame, my good Aunt!—I have received your letters by Richard, and quite approve what you were able to communicate to him in what your memory served you.
'I have received also a copy of the treaty of cessation of hostilities, which you have concluded. But I cannot conceal from you, madame, that I have found it very strange, and very far from satisfactory, that this should have been done without knowing my intentions, and without receiving instructions on this behalf, and powers from me. I have found it convenient, both for the advantage of my affairs and the preservation of my authority as heretofore, to declare to the ambassadors of England, and still more to those of France, that since the said treaty has been entered into without instructions and powers from me, I shall neither acknowledge it, nor ratify it, nor cause it to be observed.
'Before the arrival of the said Richard, I was already in communication on the subject of a cessation of hostilities in all my kingdoms and countries generally, which I consider much more suitable than any partial or particular arrangement, and have just concluded a treaty, with the participation and consent of the said ambassadors of England (as principal contracting parties jointly with myself), wherein the articles are much more to my honour than they were in yours. In fact, there are two points in the latter so ill-advised as to condemn the whole. You bring forward England alone as an ally (as does also the Duke of Cleves), and promise to offer no assistance to the enemies of France, which is directly in contradiction with the treaties in force with England, and tending to call forth war against Spain and other of my states, in which case you become incapable of offering any assistance whatever. Thus the ambassadors of England know very well how to pretend that they cannot escape from the position in which they would be placed, which is in fact as much, or more, to my disadvantage than theirs; and as to the French, they may fairly say that all which has been demanded has been granted them.
'I am quite sure that this great error, madame, is not arising from any oversight of yours, and that you have been led to understand that there was some necessity for it; at the same time I am very far from being satisfied with those who have allowed themselves to proceed in this matter without my command, and who have presumed to counsel you on subjects of such grave importance as ought never to be treated of without my knowledge and approval.
'Madame! I send you a copy of the cessation of hostilities concluded here, in order that you may cause it to be published duly, and at the time therein declared, and to be strictly kept and performed according to its form and tenor, setting aside your own as null and void, as well as the publications which may have taken place; for it is my express intention that it should not be held of the smallest force or value; insomuch that if I had not even concluded a treaty, as aforesaid, here, I would not have permitted yours to be carried into effect.