He had apparently seized 30,000 (p.

091) crowns of Henry's pay for the Swiss;[217] the Fuggers, Welzers and Frescobaldi, were also accused of failing to keep their engagements, and only the first month's pay had been received by the Swiss when they reached Milan.

On the Emperor's retreat the wretched Pace was seized by the Swiss and kept in prison as security for the remainder.[218] His task had been rendered all the more difficult by the folly of Wingfield, ambassador at Maximilian's Court, who, said Pace, "took the Emperor for a god and believed that all his deeds and thoughts proceeded _ex Spiritu Sancto_".[219] There was no love lost between them; the lively Pace nicknamed his colleague "Summer shall be green," in illusion perhaps to Wingfield's unending platitudes, or to his limitless belief in the Emperor's integrity and wisdom.[220] Wingfield opened Pace's letters and discovered the gibe, which he parried by avowing that he had never known the time when summer was not green.[221] On another occasion he forged Pace's signature, with a view of obtaining funds for Maximilian;[222] and he had the hardihood to protest against Pace's appointment as Henry's secretary.

At last his conduct brought down a stinging rebuke from Henry;[223] but the King's long-suffering was not yet exhausted, and Wingfield continued as ambassador to the Emperors Court.
[Footnote 215: _Ibid._, ii., 1877.] [Footnote 216: _Ibid._, ii., 2152, 1892, 1896, 2034, 2035.] [Footnote 217: _L.

and P._, ii., 1231, 1792, 1854.] [Footnote 218: _Ibid._, ii., 1877.] [Footnote 219: _Ibid._, ii., 1817.] [Footnote 220: _Ibid._, ii., 1566, 1567.] [Footnote 221: _Ibid._, ii., 1775.] [Footnote 222: _Ibid._, ii., 1813.] [Footnote 223: _Ibid._, ii., 2177.] * * * * * The failure of the Milan expedition taught Wolsey and Henry a bitter but salutary lesson.