to negotiate with enemies whom he could neither conquer nor deceive.

But this treaty, apparently so honourable for Venice, was fraught with fatal consequences to the republic (A. D. 1507). The pride of the empire was wounded, the jealousy of the French excited, and the hostility of the irascible Julius confirmed. The pontiff never forgave the shelter that had been accorded to his enemy Bentivoglio, and the refusal of the bishopric of Vicenza to one of his nephews; he organized a formidable league against the Venetians, and their republic was soon called upon to defend itself against the aggressions of confederated Europe.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

THE LEAGUE OF CAMBRAY.-COMMENCEMENT OF THE REFORMATION.

FROM A. D. 1508 To A. D. 1542.

VENICE was the most powerful and richest state of Italy; its civil constitution, established on a firm basis, had suffered no considerable alteration for several centuries; the senate adhered to the maxims of policy by which the republic had grown into greatness with uniform consistency,—a circumstance which gave their commonwealth a decided advantage over those states whose forms of government, and rules of conduct, were changing with the persons who guided the administration. It had long taken the lead in resisting the Turkish empire; it was, indeed, the great bulwark of southern Europe against the rapid progress of Turkish domination. This honourable post ought to have ensured it the favour of those who called themselves the protectors of Christendom, and checked the hatred and jealousy with which its glory inspired ambitious neighbours. But the eminence of Venice was well calculated to excite the enmity of those monarchs and princes who had claims on the Italian peninsula; absolute governments, in such a limited space, feel that the destruction of free states is a condition of their

existence, and they were hurried to attack Venice by the instinct of self-preservation.

But the Venetian republic had committed a grievous error of policy; it owed all its prosperity to commerce, but this began to be abandoned through lust of conquest. The sea was the natural element of the republic,

Its march was o'er the mountain-waves,
Its home was on the deep;

but, in an evil hour, the Venetian rulers became ambitious of extending their territories on the continent, and the waters of the Adriatic were abandoned for the plains of Lombardy.

The dissensions and feebleness of the popes had induced the Venetians to violate the Patrimony of St. Peter; their government, whose policy was so famous, misunderstood the principle that Rome never pardons an attack nor forgives a defeat. Treaties and oaths are but veils for pontifical resentment, and weakness itself only a reason for adjourning claims, whose force is supposed to be immortal. Julius II. was resolved to be the sole master of Italy, and, with consummate ability, he organized a league against the Venetians, the members of which were separated by the most discordant interests, and who only agreed in being the tools of the ambitious pontiff.

Maximilian hoped to revive the ancient power of the Roman empire; Louis XII. expected to secure

the inheritance of the Visconti, and the house of Anjou; perhaps, even to re-establish the power which the French monarchs possessed in the days of Charlemagne: Ferdinand trusted to regain the whole of the Neapolitan kingdom. By the active exertions and consummate skill of Julius, the alliance between these rival monarchs was signed on the 10th of December, 1508; and scarcely was it completed, when the pope offered to sell a separate peace to the Venetians, on the condition of their restoring the places of which they had taken possession within the papal territories. But Venice was still the richest state in Europe; it is true the Portuguese were soon to wrest from them the Indian trade, but commerce still flowed in its accustomed channels; the senate had men and money; the chief men of the state trusted that the sharers in the treaty would soon quarrel among themselves, and instead of making any effort to divert the storm, they calmly waited its approach.

The impetuous valour of the French disconcerted all the precautions that had been taken for the safety of the republic, and the fatal battle of Ghianaddada totally ruined the Venetian army. Julius thundered forth bulls of excommunication, which had no other effect than to produce the desertion of some fanatical monks; but at the same time, his soldiers recovered the towns belonging to the Patrimony of St. Peter. Ferdinand re-annexed the cities of which the republic had gained possession, on the

coast of Calabria, to the Neapolitan dominions. Maximilian threatened to attack Venice itself; in short, the ruin of this great maritime state seemed inevitable. But the very rapidity of its success proved fatal to the confederacy.

No sooner had Julius recovered the cities which he claimed, than he displayed his hatred of the barbarians, as he called the French and Germans, who attempted to exercise power over the classic soil of Italy; and the victories of the allied princes excited the jealousies of their neighbours. Bayezid II. offered all his forces to succour his old republican enemies; while the Venetian senate saw that the insolence of the conquerors would stimulate an energetic resistance. Maximilian was the first to suffer some severe reverses, and Louis XII. showed no disposition to render him assistance. The French monarch already felt jealous of the rising power of the house of Austria, which was soon to become so menacing to Europe; and his disputes with the pope announced the speedy termination of the league of Cambray. Julius II. claimed the right of appointment to the bishoprics, whose incumbents died in Rome; Louis XII. rejected the claim, and, to sustain his opposition, seized all the benefices in the duchy of Milan. This proceeding was virtually a declaration of war, and the pope's reconciliation with the Venetians rendered hostilities certain.

In the eyes of Julius, Louis was guilty of two great crimes; he had power in Italy, and he favoured