But rather he wished, that in the action of the empire, they might follow the example and order of two yoong louers, who albeit they follow the quest of one ladie, and either one laboureth by his industrie to carie hir; yet they forbere to come to contention. The king of Spaine alluded with good right, that the em|pire apperteined to him,The king of Spains claim to the empire. as hauing continued by a long succession of time in the house of Austrich, and that it had not béene the custome of the electors to depriue the issue of the emperour, without mani|fest cause of their disabilitie, neither was there anie in Germanie of that puissance and authoritie to make him equall to stand competitor with him in that election. And least of all did he hold it iust or like|lie, that the electors would transport to a forreine or strange prince, so great a dignitie continued by so manie ages in the nation of Germanie.

And albeit some particular amongst them, ei|ther through the insinuation of monie, or other pro|pertie of corruption, might be allured to another intention, yet he hoped to stop him with force prepa|red in time conuenient, not doubting also but the o|ther electors also would oppose against him, and the princes and frée townes of Germanie would not in|dure so vniuersall an infamie, speciallie to suffer it to be laid vpon the person of the French king, which would be no other thing than to make great the puis|sance of a king enimie vnto their nation, and from whome there was no suertie that the imperiall dig|nitie would euer returne into Germanie: he thought it would be an action easie to obteine and reduce to perfection, that which had bin solicited by his grand|father, who had alreadie compounded for recompen|ses and donations, and other diuidents for euerie of the electors.

On the other side, the desire of the French king was as great, and no lesse were his hopes,The French king in hope to be emperor as well as the Spanish. which tooke their principall foundation vpon an opinion he had to corrupt the voices of the electors with his huge summes of monie: especiallie for that there were a|mongest them both pensionaries to him, and other|wise assured by manie good offices, who incouraging him with the facilitie of the enterprise, pushed him on to imbrace it. And for his part, as mortall men are apt to beléeue the thing they desire, so he nourished that hope with reasons rather apparant than true: he knew that commonlie it was a matter grieuous to the princes of Germanie to haue the emperors mightie; being gealous that in so great a puissance, they would not either in part or in all, quarrell the iu|risdictions and authorities imperiall occupied by manie of them. In which reason he persuaded him|selfe, that they would in no sort consent to the election of the Spaniard, & so of themselues to subiect them|selues to an emperor more mightie than had beene since a long descent and race of emperors. A matter which in his person séemed to be qualified, for that ha|uing neither estates nor ancient aliances in Ger|manie, they had no occasion of suspicion of his great|nesse.