A great deal of the time we were
all talking at once, but for some strange reason we were all silent when
George said laughingly, though nervously, that the French king had sent
word to Frances that we would pay her ten thousand pounds if George's
mission proved successful.
Having anticipated the possible necessity for quick action at the proper
time, George had brought with him two copies of a treaty, written in
Latin. He brought also plenary authority from the French king, under
the great Seal of France, authorizing Monsieur l'Abbe du Boise to sign,
execute, and deliver the treaty on the part of France and to receive
in return the treaty to be executed by the English king. He also bore
authority to make and deliver to King Charles a bill of exchange on
Backwell, the goldsmith, for the purchase money of Dunkirk. Thus all
would be ready for immediate conclusion the moment King Charles accepted
the French king's offer.
That night near the hour of one o'clock, Lilly called by appointment to
see me at De Grammont's house, coming from Whitehall, where he had been
closeted with the king for three or four hours, explaining to his Majesty
the message of the stars as read by the light of two thousand pounds.
"I explained to his Majesty," said Lilly, "that in all my calculations
and observations, Mars intruded with alarming persistency in conjunction
with King Louis's star. I tried to show him that the recurrences of this
untoward conjunction were so rapid and constant as to denote war at a
very early date if conditions were not affected at once by the
intervention of the messenger, Mercury, whose sign fortunately
accompanied each unfortuitous conjunction.
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