emperor, no less than the pope, had learned to make religion
subservient to his ambition and policy. He was resolved to employ the
imputation of heresy as a pretence for subduing the Protestant princes,
and oppressing the liberties of Germany; but found it necessary to cover
his intentions under deep artifice, and to prevent the combination
of his adversaries. He separated the Palatine and the elector of
Brandenburgh from the Protestant confederacy: he took arms against the
elector of Saxony and the landgrave of Hesse: by the fortune of war
he made the former prisoner: he employed treachery and prevarication
against the latter, and detained him captive, by breaking a safe-conduct
which he had granted him. He seemed to have reached the summit of his
ambition; and the German princes, who were astonished with his success,
were further discouraged by the intelligence which they had received
of the death, first of Henry VIII., then of Francis I., their usual
resources in every calamity.[**]

Henry II., who succeeded to the crown of France, was a prince of vigor
and abilities; but less hasty in his resolutions than Francis, and
less inflamed with rivalship and animosity against the emperor Charles.
Though he sent ambassadors to the princes of the Smalcaldic league, and
promised them protection, he was unwilling, in the commencement of his
reign, to hurry into a war with so great a power as that of the emperor;
and he thought that the alliance of those princes was a sure resource,
which he could at any time lay hold of.[***] He was much governed by the
duke of Guise and the cardinal of Lorraine; and he hearkened to their
counsel, in choosing rather to give immediate assistance to Scotland,
his ancient ally, which, even before the death of Henry VIII. had loudly
claimed the protection of the French monarchy.

* Father Paul, lib. ii.

** Sleidan.

*** Pere Daniel

The hatred between the two factions, the partisans of the ancient and
those of the new religion, became every day more violent in Scotland;
and the resolution which the cardinal primate had taken, to employ the
most rigorous punishments against the reformers, brought matters to
a quick decision. There was one Wishart, a gentleman by birth, who
employed himself with great zeal in preaching against the ancient
superstitions, and began to give alarm to the clergy, who were justly
terrified with the danger of some fatal revolution in religion. This
man