Acting as a bedcover is a Mortlake tapestry sumpter cloth, which was woven for Ralph Montagu 's ambassadorial processions to Versailles.
His determination to restrict the ambassadorial right of asylum, which had been grossly abused, was resented by Louis, who defied him in his own capital, seized the papal territory of Avignon, and talked loudly of a schism, without, however, shaking the pope in his resolution.
Financial considerations, lack of proper transports for an expeditionary corps, fear of displeasing France, dislike of a policy of adventure, misplaced deference towards the ambassadorial conference in Constantinople, and unwillingness to thwart the current of Italian sentiment in favor of the Egyptian nationalists, were the chief motives of the Italian refusal which had the effect of somewhat estranging Great Britain anc Italy.
