nish troops to the emperor. That prince invaded Italy with a
considerable army; but being repulsed from before Milan, he retreated
with his army into Germany, made peace with France and Venice, ceded
Verona to that republic for a sum of money, and thus excluded himself
in some measure from all future access into Italy. And Henry found, that
after expending five or six hundred thousand ducats, in order to gratify
his own and the cardinal's humor, he had only weakened his alliance with
Francis, without diminishing the power of that prince.

* Polyd. Virg. lib. xxvii.

** Petrus de Angleria, epist. 568.

There were many reasons which engaged the king not to proceed further at
present in his enmity against France: he could hope for assistance from
no power in Europe. Ferdinand, his father-in-law, who had often deceived
him, was declining through age and infirmities; and a speedy period
was looked for to the long and prosperous reign of that great monarch.
Charles, prince of Spain, sovereign of the Low Countries, desired
nothing but peace with Francis, who had it so much in his power, if
provoked, to obstruct his peaceable accession to that rich inheritance
which was awaiting him. The pope was overawed by the power of France,
and Venice was engaged in a close alliance with that monarchy.[*] Henry,
therefore, was constrained to remain in tranquillity during some time;
and seemed to give himself no concern with regard to the affairs of
the continent. In vain did Maximilian endeavor to allure him into some
expense, by offering to make a resignation of the imperial crown in
his favor. The artifice was too gross to succeed, even with a prince
so little politic as Henry; and Pace, his envoy, who was perfectly well
acquainted with the emperor's motives and character, gave him warning
that the sole view of that prince, in making him so liberal an offer,
was to draw money from him.

* Guicciard. lib. xii.

{1516.} While a universal peace prevailed in Europe, that event happened
which had so long been looked for, and from which such important
consequences were expected--the death of Ferdinand the Catholic, and the
succession of his grandson Charles to his extensive dominions. The more
Charles advanced in power and authority, the more was Francis sensible
of the necessity he himself lay under of gaining the confidence and
friendship of Henry; and he took at last the only method by which he
could obtain success, the