rated in some degree in his own day; but far more so by subsequent
writers. The brilliancy of his reign, and the homage which surrounded
his person were due to the immense extent of his dominions; and would
never have belonged to him, any more than the states of which he was in
possession, had their attainment depended in any degree on the exercise
of his individual energies. When in the prime of youth, possessed of
repeated opportunities of distinguishing himself at the head of his
armies, he kept aloof, leaving the entire conduct of the war to his
generals. His rival, Francis the First, wounded at Pavia in endeavouring
to rally his flying troops, and at length taken prisoner while half
crushed beneath his dead horse, was greater--as he stood before the
hostile general, his tall figure covered with earth and blood--than the
absent emperor, who was waiting at Valladolid for the news of the war.

Nor were the qualities of the statesman more conspicuous than those of
the warrior on this occasion. Having received the intelligence of his
victory, and of the capture of his illustrious prisoner, he took no
measures--gave no orders. To his general every thing was left; and when
the captive King was, at his own request, conveyed some time after to
Spain, the astonished emperor had received no previous notice of his
coming. He allowed himself to be out-manoeuvred in the treaty for the
liberation of his prisoner; and when Francis broke the pledge he had
given for the restitution of Burgundy, he took no steps to enforce the
execution of the stipulations; and he ultimately gave up the two French
princes, who remained in his power as hostages, in return for a sum of
money.

Far from maintaining the superiority in European councils due to his
extensive dominions, the Italian republics were only prevented with the
greatest difficulty, and by the continual presence of armies, from
repeatedly declaring for France: and even the popes, to whom he paid
continual court, manifested the small estimation in which they held his
influence by constantly deserting his cause in favour of Francis,--the
cause of the champion of Christianity in favour of the ally of the
Infidel, and _that_ frequently in defiance of good faith; shewing how
little they feared the consequences of the imperial displeasure.

If these facts fail in affording testimony to his energy and capacity,
still less does his character shine in consistency. He professed an
unceasing