red. By prolonging the negotiation Charles hoped to gain
time to assemble an army, when the Catholic princes might rally around
him. But even those who had joined the league were exceedingly lukewarm
toward their Emperor; his despotism, they considered, being as dangerous
to them as to the Protestants. Even his brother Ferdinand--who was on
such excellent terms with Maurice that it would almost seem that he had
connived at an enterprise he could not openly join in--is said to have
seen with satisfaction the check put on Charles by the dauntless leader
of the league.

But Maurice's propositions being at first rejected, and no counter ones
proposed, he at once set off for his army to renew hostilities, as
though the negotiations were closed. Charles doubtless renounced the
realization of the dream of his life with a pang of despair. That it
should vanish at the very moment when he looked for its fulfilment was
anguish to him. But pressed by Ferdinand, convinced, too, that
resistance is useless, Charles yields an unwilling assent to the demands
of the princes, and the "Treaty of Public Peace" is signed on August 2d.
Henceforth "the two religions are to be on a footing of equality in the
empire"; Germany divided between Luther and the Pope, who are to live
side by side in peace, neither interrupting the other. The ban of the
empire to be withdrawn from all persons and places; the captive princes,
detained for five years in prison if not in fetters, released; while
many other matters relating to imperial encroachments are to be
satisfactorily settled within six months.

"The defender of German liberty" was not included in this treaty. As he
proposed to keep the cities he was to occupy but as vicar of the empire,
he would have to fight a battle for them with Charles himself. Though
compelled to renounce absolute sway over Germany, he yet thought it
incumbent on him to reestablish the territory of the empire in its full
integrity. His valiant sister, the Dowager-queen of Hungary, who
governed the Netherlands so ably for him, was diligently collecting an
army for the destitute monarch of many kingdoms, and troops were on
their way from Spain.

In spite of his infirmities, Charles was in such haste to chastise the
French, and revenge himself on Henry--having succeeded in raising an
army sixty thousand strong, besides seven thousand pioneers--that he
rejected the prudent counsels of his generals, who begged him to wait
until t