Mery willy. To obtain the 
—v~" cossary that they should 
Be ulogne 
purchased. 
Henry pre- 
pares for 
war with 
Charles. 
564 
j of this ambition, it was ne- 
popular ; and the Duke, 
by his measures in Guienne, undoubtedly acquired 
great popularity. The reformed religion at this time 
was making certain, though not very rapid progress in 
some of France. e King was naturally of a 
mild temper, and a humane disposition ; but these qua- 
lities were not sufficiently strong or enlightened, to with- 
stand the blind and intemperate zeal of the age ; and 
H commanded a number of proselytes to the new 
doctrines to be burnt in his presence. 
The following year, Henry, by the advice of his mi- 
nisters, direct is attention to the reco of Bou- 
logne from the English. It is not improbable, that if 
he had gone to war with this object, he might have 
been successful, as the English councils, during the 
short reign of Edward VI. were weak and distracted ; 
but this very circumstance induced him to hope, that, 
hy means of negociation, he should succeed with even 
more certainty, and with much less expence and trou- 
ble. He accordingly opened a negociation with the mi- 
nisters of Edward for the restoration of Boulogne ; and 
on his offering 400,000 crowns, they immediately ac- 
cepted it, and surrendered this important place, A for- 
mal peace was soon afterwards concluded between 
France and England, in which Scotland was included. 
It was scarcely to be imagined, that the long and ar- 
duous struggles in which Francis I. had been engaged 
with the Emperor Charles V. should not have at an 
impression on the mind of Henry, and led him to regard 
that monarch almost as his hereditary and natural ene- 
my. His personal feeling was strengthened and con- 
firmed by political motives and views. The treaty of 
Crespy could not be regarded as advantageous. or ho- 
nourable to France, The only provision in it, which in 
the smallest degree bore this appearance, related to the 
Duke of Orleans ; and even he survived, and had 
Charles fulfilled this provision respecting him, the crown 
of France could only have been indirectly benefited : 
but there was too much reason to suspect, that Charles 
never intended to fulfil this part of the treaty, and at 
any rate, by the death of the Duke of Orleans, he pub- 
licly declared, that he was no longer bound by it. Hen- 
ry, therefore, considering the treaty of Crespy as injuri- 
ous to his interest, was not sorry that Charles, by refu- 
sing on the ws of the Duke of Orleans, to fulfi} his part 
of it, had a 
test against it. This he accordingly did, and immedi- 
ately afterwards prepared for war. His great object was 
the reconquest of the possessions which the French for- 
merly held in Italy ; and the state of that country filled 
him with the hope, that he should attain that object. 
The duchy of Parma had been given to Octavio Far- 
nese, the grandson of Pope Paul IIT.; and Julius ITI. on 
his accession to the apostolical throne, had at first con- 
firmed him in the possession’ of it. But he withdrew 
his support, and revoked his grant, as so6n as Gonza- 
governor of Milan, a sworn enemy of the house of 
arnese, prepared, by permission of the Emperor, to 
make pod master of Parma. In this critical emer- 
gency, vio applied to Henry, as the only prince 
powerful enough to protect Hien aioe Charles, at 
the same time disposed, both from his antipathy to 
Charles, and his anxiety to re-establish himself in Italy, 
to afford him support. Henry having not only settled 
his own domestic concerns, but brought his transactions 
with the two British kingdoms to such an issue as he 
desiretl, was at complete leisure to poms the measures, 
which his hereditary jealousy of the Emperor's power 
orded him a very fair pretext openly to pro- . 
FRANCE. 
aturall sigyesten. He accordingly listened t6 the History. 
pe Savio aii oT ef eek npeatniny Of pale | Y 
overtures of 
ing a footing in Italy, furnished him with what assist- 
ance he desired. The army which Henry sent into 
Italy, was commanded by thé Marshal Brissac. The 
imperial troops were under Gonzaga. Still, however, 
the two monarchs issued no declaration of war, but, on 
the contrary, affected to maintain inviolably the treaty 
of Crespy. The war of Parma, as it is called, was dis- 
citiguishad by no memorable event. The army of 
France rayaged dot of the ecclesiastical territories, 
while the Imperialists penetrated to the gates of Parma ; 
but they were obliged. to relinquish the siege of that 
city with disgrace. 
At this period, the council of Trent was summoned Council of 
to meet; but the alarm occasioned)in Italy by the war, Treat. 
revented most of the Italian prelates from repairing to 
te on the day appointed, so that the legate and nuncios 
found it necessary to adjourn to a future day, hoping 
that such a number would then assemble, as would ena- 
ble them to begin their deliberations. When that day 
eame, the French ambassador demanded audience, and 
protested, in his mf&ster’s name, against an assembly, 
called at such an improper juncture, when a war wan- 
tonly kindled by the Pope, made it impossible for the 
deputies from the Gallican church to resort to Trent in 
safety, or to deliberate concerning articles of faith and 
discipline with the requisite tranquillity. He declared, 
that Henry did not acknowledge this to be a. 
cecumenic council, but must consider and 
it as a particular and ial convention. The legate, 
however, affected to despise the protest of the King of 
France ; the prelates ed to determine the great 
points in controversy ; and the Emperor, by his autho- 
rity and countenance, endeavoured to ish the com- 
petency and jurisdiction of the assembly. It is unne- 
cessary here to Setar onry= the proceedings of the coun- 
cil of Trent. ‘They were so directl 
treat. 
princes, who, under the promise of liberty 
Emperor against the confederates of Smalkalde, were 
now made sensible that they had been duped by him, 
and that by their own force alone, could they to 
preserve the religion which they had embra from 
secution and probable ruin. But Maurice, who, from 
fis eaperite talents, as well as his superior power, took 
the lead among the Lutheran princes, was ring Hey 
ced, by his knowledge of the character of the Er 
that it would be absolutely necessary to proceed with 
the utmost degree of circumspection and caution, so as 
to excite no suspicion, till all his measures were taken, 
and his scheme was completely ready to be carried into 
full execution, By his former conduct he had lost, in a 
great measure, the good will and confidence of the Pro= 
testants. These it. was necessary for him to regsin's 
but while he was regaining them, it was equally desi- 
rable and necessary, though still more difficult, to're- 
tain the good will and confidence of the Emperor, In 
the execution of his enterprize he succeeded most tho- 
roughly, conducting an intricate plan of policy in such 
a manner, as to deceive the most’artful, experienced, 
and suspicious prince in Europe. Having negoci 
new confederacy of the Protestants, of which he was 
psn the head, it became necessary to ——— 
t confederacy by every means in his power. With 
this view, Maurice turned his thoughts to the King of 
France. There could be no doubt that Henry would 
most chearfully embrace any plan, the object of which 
inst the Protes- state of the 
tants, that Maurice of Saxony, and the other Lutheran Protestants 
of conscience, in Germa- 
and other advantages, had been induced to assist the "Y- 
el | eee 
