Next morning accordingly Marshal de Boisdaulphin and de Bonoeil came with royal coaches to the Hotel Gondy and escorted the ambassadors to the Louvre.  On the way they met de Bethune, who had returned solo from the Hague bringing despatches for the King and for themselves.  While in the antechamber, they had opportunity to read their letters from the States-General, his Majesty sending word that he was expecting them with impatience, but preferred that they should read the despatches before the audience.

They found the King somewhat out of humour.  He expressed himself as tolerably well satisfied with the general tenour of the despatches brought by de Bethune, but complained loudly of the request now made by the States, that the maintenance and other expenses of 4000 French in the States’ service should be paid in the coming campaign out of the royal exchequer.  He declared that this proposition was “a small manifestation of ingratitude,” that my Lords the, States were “little misers,” and that such proceedings were “little avaricious tricks” such as he had not expected of them.

So far as England was concerned, he said there was a great difference.  The English took away what he was giving.  He did cheerfully a great deal for his friends, he said, and was always ready doubly to repay what they did for him.  If, however, the States persisted in this course, he should call his troops home again.

The King, as he went on, became more and more excited, and showed decided dissatisfaction in his language and manner.  It was not to be wondered at, for we have seen how persistently he had been urging that the Advocate should come in person with “the bridle on his neck,” and now he had sent his son-in-law and two colleagues tightly tied up by stringent instructions.  And over an above all this, while he was contemplating a general war with intention to draw upon the States for unlimited supplies, behold, they were haggling for the support of a couple of regiments which were virtually their own troops.

There were reasons, however, for this cautiousness besides those unfounded, although not entirely chimerical, suspicions as to the King’s good faith, to which we have alluded.  It should not be forgotten that, although Henry had conversed secretly with the States’ ambassador at full length on his far-reaching plans, with instructions that he should confidentially inform the Advocate and demand his co-operation, not a word of it had been officially propounded to the States-General, nor to the special embassy with whom he was now negotiating.  No treaty of alliance offensive or defensive existed between the Kingdom and the Republic or between the Republic and any power whatever.  It would have been culpable carelessness therefore at this moment for the prime minister of the States to have committed his government in writing to a full participation in a general assault upon the House of Austria; the first step in which would have been a breach of the treaty just concluded and instant hostilities with the Archdukes Albert and Isabella.