THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR CHARLES V. By WILLIAM ROBERTSON, D. D. PRINCIPAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH, AND VOLUME IV. The SIXTI EDITION, Corrected. LONDON: Printed for A. STRAHAN; T. CADELL, in the Strand; MDCCLXXXVII. THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR CHARLES V. W BOOK X. X. 1549. HILE Charles laboured, with fuch BOOK unwearied industry, to perfuade or to force the Proteftants to adopt his regu- The rope's lations with refpect to religion, the effects of his fchemes against the fteadiness in the execution of his plan were rendered Emperor. lefs confiderable, by his rupture with the Fope, which daily increased. The firm refolution which the Emperor feemed to have taken against rectoring Placentia, together with his repeated encroachments on the ecclefiaftical jurifdiction, not only by the regulations contained in the Interim, but by his attempt to re-affemble a council at Trent, exafperated Paul to the utmoft, who, with the weakness incident to old age, grew more attached to his family, and more jealous of his authority, as he advanced in years. Puhed on by thefe paffions, he made new efforts to draw the French King into B VOL. IV. an X. 1549. BOOK an alliance against the Emperor: But finding that Monarch, notwithstanding the hereditary enmity between him and Charles, and the jealoufy with which he viewed the fuccefsful progrefs of the Imperial arms, as unwilling as formerly to involve himself in immediate hoftilities, he was obliged to contract his views, and to think of preventing future encroachments, fince it was not in his power to inflict vengeance on account of those which were past. For this purpose, he determined to recal his grant of Parma and Placentia, and after declaring them to be re-annexed to the Holy See, to indemnify his grandfon Octavio by a new establishment in the ecclefiaftical ftate. By this expedient he hoped to gain two points of no small confequence. He, first of all, rendered his poffeffion. of Parma more fecure; as the Emperor would be cautious of invading the patrimony of the church, though he might feize without fcruple a town belonging to the house of Farnese. In the next place, he would acquire a better chance of recovering Placentia, as his folicitations to that effect might decently be urged with greater importunity, and would infallibly be attended with greater effect, when he was confidered not as pleading the cause of his own family, but as an advocate for the intereft of the church. But while Paul was. priding himself on this device, as a happy refinement in policy, Octavio, an ambitious and highfpirited young man, who could not bear with patience to be fpoiled of one half of his terria Mem. de Ribier, ii. 230. |