uncertain how soon he might be obliged to lead his forces into Italy. The politic Maurice, however, found means to save himself during this delay, by a pretended negociation with his injured kinsman; while the death of Francis I. which happened before he was able to carry any of his schemes into execution, together with the final extinction of Fiesco's conspiracy, by the vigilance of the celebrated Andrew Doria, equally a friend to the emperor, and the republic, encouraged Charles to act with vigour in Germany; more especially as he foresaw that Henry II. who had succeeded his father in the throne of France, though a prince of vigour and ability, would be so much occupied at home in forming his new ministry, that he had nothing to fear for some time either from the negociations, or personal efforts of that young monarch.

rans.

This interval of security the emperor seized to take vengeance on the elector and the landgrave; and as he was uncertain how long the calm might continue, he instantly marched into Saxony, at the head of sixteen thousand veteThe elector's forces were more numerous, but they were divided. Charles did not allow them time to assemble. He attacked the main body at Mulhausen, near Mulberg; defeated it after an obstinate dispute, and took the elector prisoner. The captive prince was immediately conducted to the emperor, whom he found standing on the field of battle, in the full exultation of victory. The elector's behaviour, even in his present unfortunate and humbling condition, was alike equal, magnanimous, and decent. It was worthy of his gallant resistance. He alike avoided a sullen pride and a mean submission. "The fortune of

war," said he, "most gracious emperor, has made me 66 your prisoner, and I hope to be treated"-Here Charles rudely interrupted him:-" And am I then, at last, ad"knowledged to be emperor? Charles of Ghent was the "only title you lately allowed me. You shall be treated as "you deserve!" turning from him with a haughty air. To

this cruel repulse the king of the Romans added reproaches in his own name, using expressions still more harsh and insulting. The elector made no reply; but with an unaltered countenance, which discovered neither astonishment nor dejection, accompanied the Spanish soldiers appointed to guard him".

The emperor speedily marched towards Wittemberg (the capital, in that age, of the electoral branch of the Saxon family) hoping that while the consternation occasioned by his victory was still recent, the inhabitants would submit as soon as he appeared before their walls. But Sybilla of Cleves, the elector's wife, a woman equally distinguished by her virtue and abilities, instead of obeying the imperial summons, or abandoning herself to tears and lamentation on account of her husband's misfortunes, animated the citi zens by her example, as well as exhortation, to a vigorous defence; and Charles, finding that he could not suddenly reduce the place by force, had recourse to means at once ungenerous and unwarlike, but more expeditious and certain. He summoned Sybilla a second time to open the gates; informing her, that in case of refusal, the elector should answer with his head for her obstinacy. And, in order to convince her that he was in earnest, he brought his prisoner to an immediate trial, subjecting the greatest prince in the empire to the jurisdiction of a court martial composed of Spanish and Italian officers; who founding their charge against him upon the imperial ban, a sentence pronounced by the sole authority of Charles, and destitute of every legal formality which could render it valid, presumed the elector convicted of treason and rebellion, and condemned him to suffer death by being beheaded.

Frederick was amusing himself in playing at chess with his fellow-prisoner, Ernest of Brunswick, when this decree was intimated to him. He paused for a moment, though

7. Hortens. de Bell. Germ. Robertson, Hist. Charles V. book ix:

8. Id. ibid.

without

66

without any symptom of surprize or terror; and after taking notice of the irregularity as well as injustice of the proceedings against him, "It is easy," said he, " to comprehend the emperor's scheme. I must die because Wittemberg "refuses to surrender: and I will lay down my life with pleasure, if by that sacrifice I can preserve the dignity of my house, and transmit to my posterity the inheritance "which I received from my ancestors. Heaven grant," continued he, "that this sentence may affect my wife and "children no more than it does me! that they may not, for "the sake of adding a few years to a life already too long, "renounce honours and territories which they were born to "possess!" He then turned to his antagonist, challenged him to continue the game, and played with his usual attention and ingenuity9.

It happened as the elector had feared: the account of his condemnation was not received with the same indifference at Wittemberg. Sybilla, who had supported with such undaunted fortitude her husband's misfortunes, while she ima gined his person was free from danger, felt all her resolution fail, the moment his life was threatened. Anxious for his safety, she despised every other consideration; and was willing to make any sacrifice, in order to appease the rage of an incensed conqueror. Meantime Charles, perceiving that the expedient he had tried began to produce the intended effect, fell by degrees from his former firmness, and allowed himself to soften into promises of clemency and forgiveness, if the elector would shew himself worthy of favour, by submitting to certain conditions. Frederick, on whom the consideration of what he himself might suffer, had made no impression, was melted by the tears of a wife whom he loved. He could not resist the entreaties of his family. In compliance with their repeated solicitations, he agreed to articles of accommodation, which he would otherwise have rejected with disdain;-to resign the elec

9. Thuanus, lib. i.

toral

toral dignity, to put the imperial troops immediately in possession of his capital, and to remain the emperor's prisoner. In return for these important concessions, the emperor promised, not only to spare his life, but to settle on him and his posterity the city of Gotha and its territory, together with a revenue of fifty thousand florins1o. The Saxon electorate was instantly bestowed upon Maurice. This sacrifice, though with no small reluctance, Charles was obliged to make; as it would neither have been safe nor prudent to violate his engagements with a warlike prince, whom he had seduced by ambitious hopes to abandon his natural allies, and whose friendship was still necessary.

The landgrave of Hesse, Maurice's father-in-law, was still in arms, but he thought no more of resistance. Alarmed at the fate of the elector of Saxony, his only care was how to procure favourable terms from the emperor, whom he now viewed as a conqueror, to whose will there was a necessity for submitting. Maurice encouraged this tame spirit, by magnifying Charles's power, and boasting of his own interest with his victorious ally. The landgrave accordingly threw himself at the emperor's feet, after ratifying what terms he was pleased to impose, Maurice and the elector of Brandenburg being sureties for his personal freedom. But his submission was no sooner made, than Charles ordered him to be arrested, and detained prisoner under the custody of a Spanish guard; and when the elector and Maurice, filled with indignation at being made the instruments of deceiving and ruining their friend, represented the infamy to which they would be exposed, unless the landgrave was set at liberty; that they were bound to procure his release, having pledged their faith to that effect, and even engaged their own persons as sureties for his, the emperor, who no longer stood in need of their services, coolly replied, that he was ignorant of their particular or private transactions with the landgrave, nor was his con10. Du Mont, Corps Diplom. tom. iv.

duct to be regulated by theirs. "I know," added he, in a decisive tone," what I myself have promised: for that alone "I am answerable"." These words put an end to the conference, and all future entreaties proved ineffectual.

Charles having now in his power the two greatest princes of the empire, carried them about with him in triumph; and having humbled all whom he had not attached to his interest, proceeded to exercise the rights of a conqueror. He ordered his troops to seize the artillery and military stores of all who had been members of the Smalkaldic league; and he levied, by his sole authority, large sums, as well upon those who had served him with fidelity, as upon such as had appeared in arms against him. Upon the former, as their contingent towards a war undertaken, as he pretended, for the common benefit; upon the latter, as a fine, by way of punishment, for their rebellion. His brother Ferdinand tyrannized with still more severity over his Bohemian subjects, who had taken arms in support of their civil and religious liberties: he stript them of all their ancient privileges, and loaded them with oppressive taxes12.

The good fortune, or, as it has been called, the STAR of the house of Austria, was now at its height. The emperor having humbled, and, as he imagined, subdued the independent spirit of the Germans, summoned a diet to meet at Augsburg, "in order to compose finally the controver"sies with regard to religion, which had so long dis"turbed the empire:" or, in other words, to enslave the minds of those whose persons and properties were already at his disposal. He durst not, however, commit to the free suffrage of the Germans, broken as their spirit was by subjection, the determination of a matter so interesting. He therefore entered the city at the head of his Spanish troops, and assigned them quarters there. He cantoned the rest of his army in the adjacent villages; and he took possession by force of the cathedral, together with one of

11. Thuanus, lib. iv. Struv. Corps. Hist. Germ. tom ii. 12. Id. ibid.

the