'And to avoid having our conscience affected by this matter, we make our personal request to you, and exhort you by the bowels of JESUS CHRIST, to follow the dictates of his evangelical doctrine. Friend, restore what thou owest, for such is the will of God, to prevent the effusion of the blood of man, who was created in his likeness. Such restitution of rights cruelly torn from us, and which we have so frequently demanded by our ambassadors, will be agreeable to the supreme God, and secure peace on earth. 'From our love of peace, we were inclined to refuse fifty thousand golden crowns lately offered us; for, being more desirous of peace than riches, we have preferred enjoying the patrimony left us by our venerable ancestors, with our very dear cousin Catherine, your noble daughter, to iniquitously multiplying our treasures, and thus disgracing the honour of our crown, which God forbid! 'Given under our privy seal, in our castle of Southampton, the 5th day of the month of August.' The above letter having been presented by the herald to the king of France, he was told that the king and council would examine it, and consider more at length its contents,--and that the king would provide accordingly, in such time and place as should seem good to him,--and that he might return to his lord the king of England when he pleased. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 24: Hollingshed styles him 'Antilope, pursuivant at arms.'] CHAP. XXVI. THE KING OF ENGLAND, WHILE AT SOUTHAMPTON, DISCOVERS A CONSPIRACY OF HIS NOBLES AGAINST HIM.--HE LAYS SIEGE TO HARFLEUR, AND WINS THAT TOWN. While the king of England remained at Southampton, to embark his army which was now ready to sail for France, he was informed that many lords of his household had entered into a conspiracy against him, with the intent to place the earl of March, the rightful successor and heir to Richard the second, on the throne of England. True it is, that the earl of Cambridge, with others, had plotted to seize the persons of the king and his brothers, to accomplish the above purpose, and had revealed their plan to the earl of March, who had discovered it to the king, advising him, at the same time, to be on his guard, or he would be betrayed, and named to him the conspirators. King Henry was not long in having them arrested, when the three principal were beheaded, namely, the earl of Cambridge, the lord Scrope of Masham, who every night slept with the king, and sir Thomas Grey. Some others were afterward executed. This matter being ended, the king hastened the embarkation of his army, and put to sea. On the vigil of the assumption of our Lady, they made in the night-time a harbour[25], which lies between Harfleur and Honfleur, where the river Seine enters the sea, and landed without any effusion of blood. Their fleet might consist of about sixteen hundred vessels of all sorts, full of soldiers, and every sorts of warlike stores.