The same reason also made him beleeue well of the conformitie of the frée townes, in whome much lesse that the regard of the glorie of the nation would carie it from him, séeing it would helpe to peize the ballance on his side, for that with most men the mo|tions of proper and priuate interest maie doo more, than the respect of publike and generall profit.The French king builded his hope vpon the humors of the princes of Germanie. He knewe it was not a little grieuous to manie noble houses of Germanie, pretending to be capable of such a dignitie, to see the empire continue so long time in one house; but much more did it discontent them to suffer that so great an estate, which of right ought sometimes to be giuen to one of them, and sometime to passe to another, should become a perpetuall des|cent and succession in one line: insomuch as they might call inheritance and succession that election, which durst not leaue the line of the emperors. That in that sort the empire was translated from Albert de Austrich to Frederike his brother, and from Fre|derike to Maximilian his sonne; and now there was deuise to passe it from Maximilian to the person of Charles his grandchild.

By these humors and indignations of the prin|ces of Germanie, he tooke hope that the discords and gealousies among [...] themselues might helpe on his cause, the rather for that it often happeneth in the con|tentions of men, that he that is excluded, or the par|tie whome he fauoureth, runneth with a naturall rashnesse rather to call in, and to aduance a third, than to giue place to him that hath opposed against his intention. Moreouer,The French king relieth vpon the [...]a|uour of the pope. the French king was not without his hopes in the fauour of the pope, both in regard of the amitie and aliance newlie past betwixt them; and also for that he was not ignorant how in|conuenient it would be to the sée apostolike to haue EEBO page image 851 [...] EEBO page image 852 the imperiall crowne inuested in Charls, nor so much for his owne greatnesse, as for that by the opportuni|tie and neighbourhood of the realme of Naples to the estate of the church, and the adherencie of the barons of the Gebelins, he had a plaine and open passage to run vp to the gates of Rome.

But in that discourse he considered not that the same reason, which he iudged true against Charles, was also against himselfe: for that the empire being ioined to his person, he was no lesse to be feared of the pope & all others, than Charles. For that though the one of them possessed happilie more realmes and states; yet the other was not to be lesse esteemed, ha|uing his power not dispersed nor separate in manie places, but was prince of a realme entierlie assem|bled and vnited, where the obedience and fidelitie of his subiects was no lesse woonderfull, than his trea|sure and riches infinite. Neuerthelesse, not knowing in himselfe that which he considered in an other, he had recourse to the pope, and implored his fauor vn|der the offer and protestation of his person and king|doms, with all other deuotions of a louing son. Not|withstanding all this, the French king was abused by his vaine hope, which fed him with fansies of the empire, where to he was not allotted nor elected.