"fign upon the Kingdom of Naples, that the Title " of Deliverer of Italy, which Julius fuffered himself "to be flattered with, he declared, was but an emp-. T 66 66 the ty Name, whilft the Spaniards were poffeffed of Na "ples; this one Circumftance gave him fo much Un"eafinefs, that he was once heard to fay, If God let "me act, ftriking his Stick upon the Ground, this fball not last long; meaning, that he would not be long before he should endeavour to drive the Spa"niards out of Italy, as he had done the French." Hiftorians fay further of him, "That he was a Lover "of Wine and Women :" And du Pleffio puts following Words into Maximilian's Mouth," Good "God! what would become of the World, if thou "didft not take a particular Care of it under the Reign "of fuch an Emperor as I am, who am but a poor "Hunter, and under that of fo wicked and drunken a "Pope, as Julius the IId.' Francis Hotman fays, "That Julius's Hatred against France was fo exceffive, "that he ordered all the French to be killed which "could be met with:" And fome affirm further, "That his Rage had no Bounds against Lewis, for that " he had actually made a Decree, to transfer the "Kingdom of France, and the Title of Moft Chrif "tian, to the King of England; but, juft as he was upon the Point of publishing it, he was called out "of the World. His Difeafe was a hectic Feaver, caused, as himself said, by the Uneafiness he was "under, that he could not bring the Venetians to a'gree with the Emperor.' We fhall conclude our Account of Pope Julius with the following fevere Lines, made on him, He that from Greece and Genoa had his Blood, VOL. II. X As As foon as it was known that the Pope was dead, the Vice-Roy of Naples, having recovered his Spirits, loft at the Battle of Ravenna, entered Placentia without Oppofition, which he delivered, as well as Parma, to Maximilian, Duke of Milan. Before the Death of Julius, Ferdinand was employed in framing a Plot perfectly tallying with the reft of his fly Pranks; for, the beginning of the Year, he had fent two Monks into France, to make some O vertures to Lewis, in Relation to a Peace with him, by Means of Queen Anne, to whom they had Access: But, as Lewis thought it not poffible to make a Peace, or even a Truce, with Ferdinand, without leaving him in Poffeffion of Navarre, he at first received them very coldly; yet, at length confidering, he could hardly expect to recover the Dutchy of Milan, whilft the King of Spain was his Enemy, (who had excited the King of England alfo to enter into a War against him) conceived it proper to agree to a Truce for a Year, on Condition Henry was included in it, and Italy excepted, apprehending that, during this Truce, he fhould be able to reconquer the Dutchy of Milan, after which he fhould be fufficiently ftrong to defend his own Kingdom against the English. Truce of Orthez. Nothing was further from Henry's Thoughts than fuch a Truce, which would have broke all his Measures, and yet Ferdinand anfwered for him, as if he was fure of his Confent. This Affair was begun in January, when Lewis empowered Lautrec, to treat with Ferdinand's Commiffioners, and the Truce was concluded, at Orthez in Bearne, the 1ft of April, which runs thus: "That there fhould be a Truce for a Year (in Italy 86 excepted) between the King of France, the King of Scotland, and the Duke of Guelders on the one Part; "and on the other the Emperor, the King of Spain, and "the King of England." But, as Ferdinand knew he fhould not easily obtain Henry's Confent, he caused this Stipulation Stipulation to be inferted, "That it should be ra"tified within a Month by himself and Lewis, but "that the other Parties should be allowed two Months, " and that the Truce fhould take Place, as to them, "from the Day they figned." Never fure did any Prince act in fo bold a Manner as Ferdinand did on this Occafion; but his Affurance (as we may phrase it) was ftill more palpable, in that he not only took no Steps to perfuade Henry to do what he had undertaken for him, but even concealed the Truce from him, tho' at that very Time Henry was making mighty Preparations for War against France, and greatly encouraged therein by Ferdinand himself. As foon as the Truce was figned Ferdinand took care to publish to the World, that he had been very ill used by the Allies of the League in Italy, inafmuch as the Pope and the Venetians had acquired many Places, when he (poor Soul!) had gained nothing at all, and yet they refused to fend the Supply to his Army, which they had undertaken to do, in order to get the remaining Places into their Hands, that the French poffeffed in Italy; but this was only to prepare People to receive with lefs Surprize and Indignation the private Truce he had just made with France, without the Knowledge of his Allies. Leo X. elected Pope. Now the Minds of the Publick were taken up with the Election of a new Pope, and, from among the various Candidates for that Dignity, Cardinal John de Medici was elected Pope, March the 11th, who affumed the Name of Leo the Xth, and was but thirty feven Years old, tho' he had been honoured with a Cardinal's Hat, at fourteen Years of Age, by Innocent the VIIIth. He had a noble as well as a very learned Education, and always loved and protected Men of Wit and profound Literature. In his Youth he had the Opportunity of great Experience, having been employed X 2 employed in divers important Affairs. In his Temper he was not fo hot, nor in his Behaviour fo haughty as his immediate Predeceffor, but was much more Politick, and did not leave the Politicians long in Sufpence; for it doubly concerned him to keep the French out of Italy: First, as a Pope, fince Neighbours fo powerful could not but give him Uneafinefs: Secondly, As Head of the House of Medici, he had Cause to fear, that, if Lewis recovered the Milanefe, he would undertake to restore the Florentines to their Liberty. Next his Holiness wished to put an End to the Council of Pifa; the ready Way to do which, he judged, was to engage Lewis in fuch Wars that fhould compel him to make his Peace with the Church. Ferdinand had likewife had his Views to keep the King of France at a diftance from Navarre, Roufillon, and the Kingdom of Naples. As for the Emperor it was his Intereft to difable France from affifting the Venetians; tho' none of them had any defire to carry the War into France, but only fo to manage, that each one's Diversion might be made at another's Expence. They all caft their Eyes upon Henry the VIIIth, as a Prince extremely proper to execute their Designs, because he had ready Money, warlike Subjects, could with ease transport Troops into fome Parts of France, (remote from the Borders of Spain and Italy) was exceeding defirous to fignalize himself by illuftrious Actions, and fcrupled not to fhew it publickly: So each of them laboured with all his Power to forward him in his Defign to wage War with France, by putting him in Hopes of being vigorously supported. Leo the Xth was no fooner in the Papal Chair, but, under Colour of notifying his Promotion, fent Henry a Letter, affuring him, "He was fully determined to adhere to the League formed by his Predeceffor, "and "and ready to conclude a new one with England." But at the fame time he preffed the Emperor to make a Peace with Venice, intirely neglecting, or forgetting, the Treaty his Predeceffor had made with the Emperor against that Republick, to hinder their Union with France, and promised the Venetians to use all his Intereft with the Emperor, to obtain them honourable and advantageous Terms. All these Practices could not be managed fo privately, as to prevent the King of France's getting fome Intelligence of them; fo that he foon grew very jealous of the new Pope. The Pope's Present to the King of England. " it Leo alfo at this Time prefented the King of England with a Sword and a Hat, and, after the ufual Form of Benediction, acquainted him, "That, in Teftimony of the great Regard he entertained for his Majefty, on account of his many excellent Qualities, efpecially his great Zeal for Religion and the Church, "he fent him a confecrated Hat and Sword," the Signification whereof he explained by telling him, "denoted the two Powers Spiritual and Temporal, "wherewith the Roman Pontiff was of Right invested, σε wishing him Succefs and Profperity in the Ufe of "them against the Enemies of the Church, as well 99 as his own.' This Letter is directed to The most Chriftian King, and is the only authentick Inftrument we have met with under that Title, which was promised and granted him by Julius the IId. Treaty of Mechlin. Henry did not want much Sollicitation to carry his Arms into France, his Thoughts being already bent that Way, especially as the Pope, the Emperor, and the King of Spain had promised to act powerfully on his Behalf; therefore readily confented to form a new League with these Princes, and, that it might be the more fecretly carried on, it was agreed, that it fhould be negotiated at Mechlin between Margaret of Austria, (Go vernefs |