a new ally in the person of Cardinal
Wolsey, the chief adviser of the young King of England.

Wolsey was ambitious and longed for the supreme honour of the Catholic
Church. He believed that he might possibly attain this through the
nephew of {66} Catherine of Aragon. He commended Charles to his
master, and in the end gained for him an Austrian alliance. There was
even some talk of a marriage between the Emperor and the little
Princess Mary.

A treaty with the Pope made Charles V more sanguine of success than
ever. Leo X belonged to the family of the Medici and hoped to restore
the ancient prestige of that house. He was overjoyed to receive Parma
and Placentia as a result of his friendship with the ambitious Emperor,
and now agreed to the expulsion of the French from Milan on condition
that Naples paid a higher tribute to the Papal See.

These arrangements were concluded without reference to Chievres, the
Flemish councillor, whose influence with Charles had once been
paramount. Henceforward, the Emperor ruled his scattered empire,
relying only upon his own strength and capability. He naturally met
with disaffection among his subjects, for the Spaniards were jealous of
his preference for the Netherlands, where he had been educated, and the
people of Germany resented his long sojourn in Spain, thinking that
they were thereby neglected. It would have been impossible for Charles
to have led a more active life or to have striven more courageously to
retain his hold over far distant countries. He was constantly
travelling to the different parts of his empire, and made eleven
sea-voyages during his reign--an admirable record in days when voyages
were comparatively dangerous.

Charles changed his motto from _Nondum_ to _Plus ultra_ as he proceeded
to send fleets across the ocean that the banner of Castile might float
proudly on the distant shores of the Pacific. But the war with France
was the real interest of the Emperor's life and he pursued it
vigorously, obtaining supplies from the Spanish {67} _Cortes_ or
legislative authority of Spain. He gained the sympathy of that nation
during his residence at Madrid from 1522-9 and pacified the rebellious
spirit of the _Communes_ which administered local affairs. His
marriage with Isabella of Portugal proved, too, that he would maintain
the traditions of the Spanish monarchy.

In 1521 the French were driven from the Duchy of Milan and in 1522 they
were compelled to r