All cardinals of authoritie, either for their experi|ence in affaires, or for opinion of their doctrine, or for their familiaritie with the pope. All which things albeit they were begun with great hope and expec|tation, and the vniuersall truce accepted of all men, and all men with no little ostentation and brauerie of words, made shew of their readinesse with their forces to aduance so good a cause: yet, what with the consideration of the perill estéemed vncerteine and farre off, and extending more to one prince than to another, and what by the difficulties and long tract of time that appeared, to introduce a zeale and vnion so vniuersall, priuat interests and respects particular séemed to preuaile more,The popes negociation naked of all hope & issue. than the pietie of the expe|dition: insomuch that the negociation stood not one|lie naked of all hope and issue, but also it was follo|wed verie lightlie, and as it were by ceremonie.
This being one propertie in the nature of men, that those things which in their beginnings appeare fearefull, doo dailie take such degrées of diminution and vanishing, that vnles the first feares be reuiued by new accidents they lead men in processe of time to securitie. Which propertie of negligence, both tou|ching the affaires publike, and affection of priuate and particular men was well confirmed by the death that succéeded not long after to Selim, who,The death of Selim, and succession of Soliman. hauing by a long maladie suspended the preparations of the warre; was in the end consumed by the passions of his disease, and so passed into the other life, leauing so great an empire to Soliman his sonne, yoong in yeares, and iudged to beare a wit and mind not so dis|posed to the warres, although afterwards the effects declared the contrarie.
At this time appeared betweene the pope and the French king a most great and streict coniuncton: for the king gaue to wife to Laurence his nephue,Aliance be|twixt the pope & the French king. the ladie Magdalen noblie descended of the bloud and house of Bullognie, with a yearelie reuenue of ten thousand crownes, whereof part was of the kings gift, and the residue rising of hir owne patrimonie. Besides, the king hauing borne to him a sonne, the pope required that in his baptisme, he would impose vpon him his name. By which occasion Laurence making preparations to go to marrie his new wife, for his more spéed, performed his iournie by post in|to France, where he was receiued with manie ami|ties and much honour of the king, to whome he be|came verie gratious and of deare account, the rather for that (besides other generall respects) he made a de|dication of himselfe wholie to the king, with promise to follow in all accidents, his fortune.]