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to court the king of France with wonderful attention, and BOOK often flattered him with hopes of gratifying at last his. wishes concerning the Milanese, by granting the investi- 1559ture of it either to him or to one of his sons, But, though these hopes and promises were thrown out with no other intention than to detach him from his confederacy with the grand seignior, or to raise suspicions in Solyman's mind, by the appearance of a cordial and familiar intercourse subsisting between the courts of Paris and Madrid. Francis was weak enough to catch at the shadow by which he had been so often amused, and, from eagerness to seize it, relinquished what must have proved a more substantial acquisition. Besides this, the dauphin, jealous to excess of his brother, and unwilling that a prince, who seemed to be of a restless and enterprising nature, should obtain an establishment, which, from its situation, might be con sidered almost as a domestic one, made use of Montmorency, who, by a singular piece of good fortune, was at the same time the favourite of the father and of the son, to defeat the application of the Flemings, and to divert the king from espousing their cause. Montmorency, accordingly, represented, in strong terms, the reputation and power which Francis would acquire by recovering that footing which he had formerly in Italy, and that nothing could be so efficacious to overcome the emperor's aversion to this as a sacred adherence to the truce, and refusing, on an occasion so inviting, to countenance the rebellious subjects of his rival. Francis, apt of himself to overrate the value of the Milanese, because he estimated it from the length of time as well as from the great efforts which he had employed in order to re-conquer it, and fond of every action which had the appearance of generosity, assented, without difficulty, to sentiments so agreeable to his own, rejected the propositions of the citizens of Ghent, and dismissed their deputies with an harsh answer".

Not satisfied with this, by a farther refinement in generosity, he communicated to the emperor his whole negoMem. de Bellay, p. 263. P. Heuter. Rer. Aust lib. xi, 263.

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Communi

to the em

peror.

BOOK ciation with the malecontents, and all that he knew of their schemes and intentions". This convincing proof of Francis's disinterestedness relieved Charles from the most cates their disquieting apprehensions, and opened a way to extricate intentions himself out of all his difficulties. He had already received full information of all the transactions in the Netherlands, and of the rage with which the people of Ghent had taken arms against his government. He was thoroughly acquainted with the genius and qualities of his subjects in that country, with their love of liberty, their attachment to their ancient privileges and customs, as well as the invincible obstinacy with which their minds, slow but firm and persevering, adhered to any measure on which they had deliberately resolved. He easily saw what encouragement and support they might have derived from the assistance of France; and though now free from any danger on that quarter, he was still sensible that some immediate as well as vigorous interposition was necessary, in order to prevent the spirit of disaffection from spreading in a country where the number of cities, the multitude of people, together with the great wealth diffused among them by commerce, rendered it peculiarly formidable, and Charles's would supply it with inexhaustible resources. No expe

deliberations con

journey to

lands.

dient, after long deliberation, appeared to him so effectual cerning his as his going in person to the Netherlands; and the goverthe Netherness, his sister, being of the same opinion, warmly solicited him to undertake the journey. There were only two routes which he could take; one by land through Italy and Germany, the other entirely by sea, from some port in Spain to one in the Low Countries. But the former was more tedious than suited the present exigency of his affairs; nor could he, in consistency with his dignity, or even his safety, pass through Germany without such a train, both of attendants and of troops, as would have added greatly to the time that he must have consumed in his journey; the latter was dangerous at this season; and, while he remained uncertain with respect to the friendship of the king of Sandov. Histor. tom. ii, 284,

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England, was not to be ventured upon, unless under the BOOK convoy of a powerful fleet. This perplexing situation, in which he was under the necessity of choosing, and did not know what to choose, inspired him at last with the singular, and seemingly extravagant, thought of passing through France, as the most expeditious way of reaching Proposes the Netherlands. He proposed in his council to demand through Francis's permission for that purpose. All his counsellors France. joined with one voice in condemning the measure, as no less rash than unprecedented, and which must infallibly expose him to disgrace or danger; to disgrace, if the demand were rejected in the manner that he had reason to expect; to danger, if he put his person in the power of an enemy whom he had often offended, who had ancient injuries to revenge, as well as subjects of present contest still remaining undecided. But Charles, who had studied the character of his rival with greater care, and more profound discernment, than any of his ministers, persisted in his plan, and flattered himself that it might be accomplished not only without danger to his own person, but even without the expence of any concession detrimental to his

crown.

consents.

With this view he communicated the matter to the To which French ambassador at his court, and sent Granville, his Francis chief minister, to Paris, in order to obtain from Francis permission to pass through his dominions, and to promise that he would soon settle the affair of the Milanese to his satisfaction. But, at the same time, he entreated that Francis would not exact any new promise, or even insist on former engagements, at this juncture, lest whatever he should grant, under his present circumstances, might seem rather to be extorted by necessity, than to flow from friendship, or the love of justice. Francis, instead of attending to the snare which such a slight artifice scarcely concealed, was so dazzled with the splendour of overcoming an enemy by acts of generosity, and so pleased with the air of superiority which the rectitude and disinterestedness of his proceedings gave him on this occasion, that he at once

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BOOK assented to all that was demanded. Judging of the em-peror's heart by his own, he imagined that the sentiments of gratitude, arising from the remembrance of good offices, and liberal treatment, would determine him more forcibly to fulfil what he had so often promised, than the most precise stipulations that could be inserted in any treaty.

His recep

tion in that kingdom.

Upon this Charles, to whom every moment was precious, set out, notwithstanding the fears and suspicions of his Spanish subjects, with a small, but splendid, train of about a hundred persons. At Bayonne, on the frontiers of France, he was received by the dauphin and the duke of Orleans, attended by the constable Montmorency. The two princes offered to go into Spain, and to remain there as hostages for the emperor's safety; but this he rejected, declaring, that he relied, with implicit confidence, on the king's honour, and had never demanded, nor would accept, of any other pledge for his security. In all the towns through which he passed, the greatest possible magnificence was displayed; the magistrates presented him the keys of the gates; the prison doors were set open; and, by the royal honours paid to him, he appeared more like the sovereign of the country than a fo1540. reign prince. The king advanced as far as Chatelherault to meet him: their interview was distinguished by the warmest expressions of friendship and regard. They proceeded together towards Paris, and presented to the inhabitants of that city the extraordinary spectacle of two rival monarchs, whose enmity had disturbed and laid waste Europe during twenty years, making their solemn entry together with all the symptoms of a confidential harmony, as if they had forgotten for ever past injuries, and would not revive hostilities for the future.

.

The emre

citude,

Charles remained six days at Paris; but amidst the ror's seli perpetual caresses of the French court, and the various entertainments contrived to amuse or to do him honour, he discovered an extreme impatience to continue his journey, arising as much from an apprehension of danger,

Thuan. Hist. lib. i, c. 14. Mem. de Bellay, 264.

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which constantly haunted him, as from the necessity of BOOK his presence in the Low Countries. Conscious of the disingenuity of his own intentions, he trembled, when he reflected, that some fatal accident might betray them to his rival, or lead him to suspect them; and though his artifices to conceal them should be successful, he could not help fearing that motives of interest might, at last, triumph over the scruples of honour, and tempt Francis to avail himself of the advantage now in his hands. Nor were there wanting persons, among the French ministers, who advised the king to turn his own arts against the emperor; and, as the retribution due for so many instances of fraud or falsehood, to seize and detain his person until he granted him full satisfaction with regard to all the just claims of the French crown. But no consideration could induce Francis to violate the faith which he had pledged, nor could any argument convince him that Charles, after all the promises that he had given, and all the favours which he had received, might still be capable of deceiving him. Full of this false confidence, he accompanied him to St Quintin; and the two princes, who had met him on the borders of Spain, did not take leave of him until he entered his dominions in the Low Countries.

Jan. 24.

As soon as the emperor reached his own territories, the and disinFrench ambassadors demanded the accomplishment of genuity. what he had promised concerning the investiture of Milan; but Charles, under the plausible pretext that his whole attention was then engrossed by the consultations necessary towards suppressing the rebellion in Ghent, put off the matter for some time. But, in order to prevent Francis from suspecting his sincerity, he still continued to talk of his resolutions with respect to that matter in the same strain as when he entered France, and even wrote to the king much to the same purpose, though in general terms, and with equivocal expressions, which he might afterwards explain away, or interpret at pleasure a. Meanwhile, the unfortunate citizens of Ghent, destitute

Memoires de Ribier, i, 501.