would have been disastrous
both to Spain and England, and yet the French alliance was too dear to
Wolsey to be easily relinquished, and Francis was assured that all the
interest of his dear brother of England should be cast in his favour,
whilst, with much more truth, the Spanish candidate was plied with good
wishes for his success, and underhand attempts were made at the same time
to gain the electors for the King of England.[28] Wolsey hoped thus to
win in any case; and up to a certain point he did so; for he gave to
Charles the encouragement he needed for the masterly move which soon after
revolutionised political relations.

Charles at this time (1519), young as he was, had already developed his
marvellous mental and physical powers. Patient and self-centred, with all
his Aragonese grandfather's subtlety, he possessed infinitely greater
boldness and width of view. He knew well that the seven prince electors
who chose the Emperor might, like other men, be bought, if enough money
could be found. To provide it and give to him the dominant power of the
world, he was ready to crush the ancient liberties of Castile, to squeeze
his Italian and Flemish dominions of their last obtainable ducat, for he
knew that his success in the election would dazzle his subjects until they
forgot what they had paid for it. And so it happened. Where Francis bribed
in hundreds Charles bribed in thousands, and England in the conflict of
money-bags and great territorial interests hardly counted at all. When
Charles was elected Emperor in June 1519, Henry professed himself
delighted; but it meant that the universal peace that had been proclaimed
with such a flourish of trumpets only three years before was already
tottering, and that England must soon make a choice as to which of the two
great rivals should be her friend, and which her enemy.

Francis nursed his wrath to keep it warm, and did his best to retain
Henry and Wolsey on his side. Bribes and pensions flowed freely from
France upon English councillors, the inviolable love of Henry and Francis,
alike in gallantry and age, was insisted upon again and again; the
three-year-old Princess Mary was referred to always as Dauphiness and
future Queen of France, though when the little Dauphin was spoken of as
future King of England, Henry's subjects pulled a wry face and cursed all
Frenchmen. A meeting between the two allies, which for its splendour
should surpass all other regal displays, was con