In Piedmont, Henry was more successful. His army there was under the command of the Marshal Braisac, who was opposed to the Duke of Alva. Notwithstanding the -great talents of his rival, and the equally discouraging circumstance, that his troops were inferior in numbers to the Imperialists, he not only baffled the Duke, who had boasted that he would soon compel him to retreat into France, but he even penetrated into that part of the coun try which the emperor had hitherto preserved ; and, in all probability, would have extended his incursions farther, had not the jealousy of the Guises and the Constable Montmorency operated in cutting off his supplies.
About this period the emperor had come to the deter mination of abandoning his throne, and spending the re mainder of his days in retirement. To this determination he was probably led by witnessing the decline of his military glory, and by having felt the weight of age and disease. He was also disappointed in the death of Pope Julius III. and the election of Cardinal Caraffa to the pontifical throne. The new pontiff, -who assumed the name of Paul IV. im mediately demanded the protection of the French, affirmed the investiture of Naples to Henry, and used every endea vour to negotiate a strict alliance with him. This alarmed Charles, and probably hastened his resolution to resign his dominions. Before, therefore, he left the Low Countries for Spain, which he had fixed upon as the place of his he took some steps towards a peace with France. The great bar against such a pacification, on the part of France, was the treaty which Henry had just concluded with the court of Rome. An expedient was therefore pro posed of terminating their hostilities by a truce for five years, during which period, without discussing their re spective pretensions, each should retain what was in his possession. Still, however, Henry was embarrassed by his treaty with the Pope; but the Constable Montmorency represented to him the imprudence and injustice of sacri ficing the undoubted and real interests of his country to any rash engagements into which he might have entered ; and this representation, with an express stipulation that the Roman pontiff should be included in the truce, removed the doubts and scruples of the French monarch.
As soon as Paul IV. was informed of the truce between Charles and Henry, terror and astonishment, mixed with rage and indignation, took possession of his breast ; but it was necessary to conceal his emotions and feelings, as the Duke of Alva was already encamped on the frontiers of the ecclesiastical territories. Paul, therefore, in order to avert the immediate danger, affected highly to approve of the truce, and he even offered his mediation in order to bring about a permanent peace. Under this pretence, he sent Cardinal Rebiba, as his nuncio, to the court of Brus sels ; and his own nephew, Cardinal Caraffa, to Paris. To
these were given private as well as public instructions: the latter, of course, were entirely pacific, and answering to his professions and avowed wishes ; while, by the former, Cardinal Rebiba, was directed to protract his negociation as long as possible ; and Cardinal Caraffa was empowered to:.urge the King of Trance to renounce the treaty, or to elude, its _engagements, and to renew his-alliance with the court. of. Rome. The Cardinal was by:no.means unac quainted with_ and. 'yielding parts of Henry's dia meter: he knew that he was entirely, under the guidance and influence• ofehis queen, the Guises, .and his .mistress Diana of to, these, therefore, he applied ;. and: having gained them by his address, they easily swayed the• king, who already leaned to that side towards which they wished him to incline, his own genius, warlike and enter prising,. his habits and his hopes, that the successor of. Charles would he a less formidable' rival, strongly urging him again to try the fate of war. The only person of consequence in the French court, who opposed the :nen, sures of the Cardinal, the influence of the Guises, the queen, and Henry's mistress, and the secret wishes of the monarch himself, was Montmorency ; but his efforts and remonstrances were unavailing. The nuncio, by powers from Rome, absolved Henry from his oath, and he signed a new league with the Pope.
Paul, as soon as he learnt the success of his intrigues, immediately threw off the mask, and no longer professed himself the friend of peace, or the mediator between the monarchs ; on the contrary, he ordered the Spanish am bassador to be imprisoned ; he excommunicated the Colon nas, because they were attached to the cause of Philip; and when that monarch received this noble family in his dominions, the Pope proclaimed him guilty of high trea son, and to have forfeited his right to the kingdom of Na ples, which he was supposed to hold of the Holy See, Against those proceedings of the sovereign pontiff, the superstitious education of Philip at first prevented .him from proceeding in the manner in which a regard to his own dignity, and to the interests of his kingdom, impe riously demanded ; but as the arrogance and hostility of the Pope were only augmented sty the moderation and su perstitious reverence which Philip displayed, that monarch at length resolved to adopt a more vigorous and determined line of conduct ; and the Duke of Alva was commanded to enter the ecclesiastical territories. No sooner had the light troops of his army reached the gates of Rome, than Paul proposed a cessation of arms. To this, Alva consented ; and a truce, first for 10, and then for 40 days, was conclu ded.