Matters which cut off from him the effects and successe of all occasions, being otherwise a prince most perfect and instructed in the ordering of warre, secret to laie and dispose a plot, diligent to follow it, of bodie able and suffering, of mind affable and easie, and replenished with manie other excellent gifts and ornaments. Unto some of these properties, the good seruice which he did the king of England at Terwin giueth proofe, at what time both he and his people marched vnder the English ensigne, and receiued paie as stipendarie souldiors; whose wages the king had a care to paie, as maie appeare by his coining of siluer monie, whereof was scarsitie in his campe, in respect of gold, wherewith the souldiors were well stored, as one dooth verie well make report, saieng:

Pro mercede nihil nisifuluum soluitur aurum,

Auri militibus radiantis copia totis

Tanta fuit castris, vt rex cudisse coactus

Nummum exargento fuerit.

Assoone as the emperour was dead, the French king and the king of Spaine began manifestlie to aspire to the empire,The French [...] and the Spanish [...] aspire to the empire. the purchase whereof albeit was a matter of right great importance, and no lesse the emulation running betwéene two so mightie prin|ces, yet they ordered their ambition with great mo|destie, neither vsing words of iniurie, nor threats of armes; but either one labouring by his authoritie, & by his meanes, to draw on his side the electors. The French king sundrie times reasoned touching the election with great comelinesse with the Spanish ambassadours, to whom he said it was a matter both agréeable and conuenient, that either of them seue|rallie should séeke by honest meanes to increase the honour of his house by so great a dignitie: which for that in times before had bene transferred into the fa|milies of their predecessours, there was now the lesse occasion to bréed betwéene them two matter of iniu|rie, nor diminution of their amitie and good will.

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.