ish birth.[*]

* Sir John Davis, p. 236.

While Henry's authority was thus established throughout his dominions,
and general tranquillity prevailed, the whole continent was thrown into
combustion by the French invasion of Italy, and by the rapid success
which attended Charles in that rash and ill-concerted enterprise. The
Italians, who had entirely lost the use of arms, and who, in the midst
of continual wars, had become every day more unwarlike, were astonished
to meet an enemy that made the field of battle, not a pompous
tournament, but a scene of blood, and sought, at the hazard of their own
lives, the death of their enemy. Their effeminate troops were dispersed
every where on the approach of the French army: their best fortified
cities opened their gates: kingdoms and states were in an instant
overturned; and through the whole length of Italy, which the French
penetrated without resistance, they seemed rather to be taking quarters
in their own country, than making conquests over an enemy. The maxims
which the Italians during that age followed in negotiations, were as
ill calculated to support their states, as the habits to which they were
addicted in war: a treacherous, deceitful, and inconsistent system of
politics prevailed; and even those small remains of fidelity and honor,
which were preserved in the councils of the other European princes, were
ridiculed in Italy, as proofs of ignorance and rusticity. Ludovico, duke
of Milan, who invited the French to invade Naples, had never desired
or expected their success; and was the first that felt terror from the
prosperous issue of those projects which he himself had concerted. By
his intrigues, a league was formed among several potentates, to oppose
the progress of Charles's conquests, and secure their own independency.
This league was composed of Ludovico himself, the pope, Maximilian, king
of the Romans, Ferdinand of Spain, and the republic of Venice. Henry too
entered into the confederacy; but was not put to any expense or trouble
in consequence of his engagements. The king of France, terrified by so
powerful a combination, retired from Naples with the greater part of
his army, and returned to France. The forces which he left in his new
conquest were, partly by the revolt of the inhabitants, partly by the
invasion of the Spaniards, soon after subdued; and the whole kingdom
of Naples suddenly returned to its allegiance under Ferdinand, son to
Alphonso, who had