operations, and to increase the vigour of their efforts. Their SECT. IL contests in Italy, which led them first to try the extent of the power that they had acquired, gave rise to fo many oppófite claims and pretenfions, excited fuch a spirit of discord and rivalship between nations, and laid the foundation of so many quarrels, as could not fail of producing extraordinary convulfions in Europe; and the fixteenth century opened with the certain prospect of its abounding in great and interefting events.

VOL. I.

R

A VIEW

SECT.III.

A confidera

ble variety in the conftitu

tion of the different nations of Euгоре.

SECTION III.

View of the political Conftitution of the principal States in Europe, at the Commencement of the fixteenth Century.

H

AVING thus enumerated the principal caufes and events, the influence of which extended to all the states in Europe, and contributed either to improve their internal government and police, or to enlarge the fphere of their activity, and to augment their national force; nothing remains, in order to prepare my readers for entering with full information upon perusing the History of

the

the Reign of Charles V. but to give fome view of the particu- SECT. III. lar conftitution and form of civil government, in each of the nations which acted any confiderable part during that period. While these inftitutions and occurrences, which I have mentioned, formed the people of Europe. to refemble each other, and conducted them from barbarism to refinement, in the fame path, and with almost equal steps, there were other circumftances which occafioned a difference in their political establishments, and gave rife to those peculiar modes of government, which have produced fuch variety in the character and genius of nations.

It is no lefs neceffary to become acquainted with the latter, than to have contemplated the former. The view which I have exhibited of the caufes and events, whofe influence was univerfal, will enable my readers to account for the furprizing resemblance among the nations of Europe in their interior police, and foreign operations. But, without a diftinct knowledge of the peculiar form and genius of their civil government, a great part of their transactions must appear altogether myfterious and inexplicable. The hiftorians of particular States, as they feldom extended their views farther than to the amusement or inftruction of their fellow-citizens, by whom they might prefume that all domeftick cuftoms and inftitutions were perfectly understood, have often neglected to defcend into fuch details with respect to thefe, as are fufficient to convey to foreigners full light and information concerning the occurrences which they relate. But a history, which comprehends the tranfactions of fo many different countries, would be extremely imperfect, without a previous furvey of their conftitution and political state. It is from his knowledge of thefe, that the reader muft draw those

Neceffary to fate of each, explain the

Charles V.

when

began his

reign.

SECT. III. principles, which will enable him to judge with difcernment, and to decide with certainty concerning the conduct of nations,

The State of Italy.

'The Papal dignity the highest in Lu ope

A MINUTE detail, however, of the peculiar forms and regulations in every country, would lead to deductions of immeafurable length. To sketch out the great lines which diftinguith and characterize each government, is all that the nature of my prefent work will admit of, and all that is neceffary to illuftrate the events which it records.

AT the opening of the fixteenth century, the political face of Italy was extremely different from that of any other part of Europe. Inftead of thofe extensive monarchies, which occupied the rest of the continent, that delightful country was parcelled out among many small states, each of which poffeffed fovereign and independant jurifdiction. The only monarchy in Italy was that of Naples. The dominion of the Popes was of a peculiar fpecies, to which there is nothing similar either in ancient or modern times. In Venice and Florence, a republican form of government was established. Milan was fubject to fovereigns, who had affumed no higher title than that of Dukes..

THE Pope was the first of these powers in dignity, and not the leaft confiderable by the extent of his territories. In the primitive church, the jurifdiction of bishops was equal and coordinate. They derived, perhaps, fome degree of confideration: from the dignity of the See in which they prefided. They poffeffed, however, no real authority or pre-eminence, but what they acquired by uperior abilities, or fuperior fanctity.. As Rome had fo long been the feat of Empire, and capital of the

world,

power..

world, its bishops were on that account entitled to respect; they SECT. III. received it; but during feveral ages they claimed and received Origin and nothing more. From these humble beginnings, they advanced progrefs of the Papal with fuch an adventurous and well-directed ambition, that they established a spiritual dominion over the minds and fentiments of men, to which all Europe fubmitted with implicit obedience. Their claim of universal jurisdiction, as heads of the church, and their pretenfions to infallibility in their decifions, as fucceffors of St. Peter, are as chimerical, as they are repugnant to the genius of the Chriftian religion. But on these foundations, the fuperftition and credulity of mankind enabled them to erect an amazing fuperftructure. In all ecclefiaftical controverfies, their decifions were received as the infallible oracles of truth. Nor was the plenitude of their power confined to these alone; they dethroned monarchs; difpofed of crowns; abfolved fubjects from the obedience due to their fovereigns; and laid kingdoms under interdicts. There was not a ftate in Europe which had notBeen difquieted by their ambition. There was not a throne which they had not fhaken; nor a Prince, who did not tremble: at their power.

NOTHING was wanting to render this Empire abfolute, and to establish it on the ruins of all civil authority, but that the Popes fhould have poffeffed fuch a degree of temporal power, as was sufficient to fecond and enforce their fpiritual decrees. Happily for mankind, while their spiritual jurifdiction was most extenfive, and at its greatest height, their temporal property was extremely limited. They were powerful Pontiffs, formidable at a distance; but they were petty Princes, without any confiderable domeftick force. They had early endeavoured, indeed, to acquire territory by arts, fimilar to thofe which they had em41 ployed

The territo Popes inadequate to fupport their fpi ritual jurifs

ries of the

diction.