The Life and Times of Francis the First, King of France (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830 edition. Excerpt: ...extremely valuable, were associated with the admiral, and a sum of 400,000 crowns placed at their disposal, to be distributed among the electoral princes, whose poverty and rapacity laid them extremely open to this temptation. He endeavoured also to gain the interest of such of the foreign powers as were likely to influence their suflrages. The Pope, whose policy it was to prevent the election of either of the competitors, affected to prove his gratitude and attachment to Francis, by promoting his interests; which, however, he secretly traversed in the hope that after the king of France and Charles should ""'both be defeated, the former would aid his h0li-v' ness's views in fixing the imperial crown on the head of some less potent prince, from whom Italy would have nothing to fear. Henry of England, who had unequivocally promised Francis his support, behaved to him with still greater duplicity, by surreptitiously giving it to Charles. (a) The state of Venice adhered to (a) The detection of this fraud is mentioned in a letter of Sir Thomas Boleyn to cardinal Wolsey, March 25th, 1519; in which he relates an audience he had lately had with the duchess d' Angouleme, in the absence of Francis, who had gone from Paris during his queen's confinement. From the manner in which the communication was made to the English ambassador, there is little reason to doubt the impression which the discovery had made on the mind of Francis, notwithstanding the courtly turn which the duchess gives to it, and her apparent belief in Henry's sincerity. The letter is, in every respect, acnrious one: " My lady toold me that the king her sonne whan he departed, willed her to shew me a letter that came now streyt out of Spayn, ...