Compare 1577 edition: 1 About this season,King Henrie the eight ta|keth the popes part against the French king. the French king made sharpe warre against pope Iulie: wherefore the king of England wrote to the French king, that he should leaue off to vex the pope in such wise, being his fréend and confederat. But when the French king séemed little to regard that request, the king sent him word to deliuer him his lawfull inheritance both of the duchie of Normandie and Guien, and the countries of Aniou & Maine, and also of his crowne of France; or else he would come with such a power, that by fine force he would obteine his purpose: but notwithstanding those writings, the French king still pursued his warres in Italie. Wherevpon the king of England, ioining in league with Maximili|an the emperour, and Ferdinando king of Spaine, with diuerse other princes, was resolued by aduise of his councell to make warre on the French king and his countries, and made preparation both by sea and land, setting foorth ships to the sea for safegard of his merchants.

¶ The foresaid pope Iulie, the kings confederat, Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 314. Cardinall S. Petri ad v [...]|cula made pope. was (before his aduancement to the popedome) car|dinall of saint Petri ad Uincula, a man mightie in freends, reputation, and riches, who had drawne to him the voices of so manie cardinals, that entering the conclaue, he was with an example all new and without shutting the conclaue, elected pope the verie same night following the deceasse of his predecessor pope Pius (those that were of the contrarie opinion not daring to oppose against him.) He, either hauing regard to his first name Iulie, or (as coniectures were made) to signifie the greatnesse of his concep|tions, or lastlie bicause he would not giue place to A|lexander, no not in the excellencie of name, tooke vp|on him the name of Iulie, the second of that name. Amongest all the popes that had passed, it was woon|dered that by so great consent, they had created for pope, a cardinall who was knowne to be of a dispo|sition rigorous and terrible, and in whome was no ex|pectation of rest and tranquillitie,Pope Iulie a factious fel|low and an enimie to peace. hauing consumed his youth in continuall trauels, offended manie by necessitie, and exercised hatreds against manie great personages; a man to whose wit nothing was more more familiar, than the inuention of trouble, faction, and conspiracie.

But on the other side, the causes of his election to that degrée appeared cléerelie, and surmounted all o|ther difficulties: for he had béene of long time a car|dinall of great power and might, & with his magni|ficence, wherein he had alwaies excéeded the residue, and with the greatnesse of his spirit, by the which he did great things, he had not onelie made himselfe mightie in opinion and freends; but by times and de|grées had erected high his authoritie in the court of Rome, bearing the name, title, and dignitie of the principall defendor of the ecclesiastike libertie. But that which serued most to his aduancement, was the promises immoderate and infinite which he made to the cardinals, princes, and barons,Indirect meanes to at|teine the pope|dome. and to all others whome he might make profitable to him in that ac|tion. Besides, he had the meane to distribute monie, benefices, and spirituall dignities, as well such as were his owne, as those that were the rights of o|thers; for that such was the brute & renowme of his liberalitie, that manie made willing offers to him to dispose as he best liked of their treasures, their names, their offices, and benefices.