There  was  a  general  persuasion  that  nothing  more  whatever  was  to  be
accomplished.  Many  declared  they  would  not  stay  a  moment  longer  :
the  evangelical  party  feared  that  recourse  would  be  had  to  force.  For
this  cause  mainly,  the  cities  now  inclined  to  the  union  with  Saxony  and
Hessen,  in  order  to  have  a  support  and  defence  in  case  violence  should
be  resorted  to  against  them.1  Niirnberg,  Strasburg,  Augsburg,  and  Ulm,
now  gave  their  assent  to  the  proposal  of  the  princes.
The  complication  was  most  singular.  Whilst  in  Italy  the  pope  was
employing  every  means  of  attack  on  the  emperor,  and  stirring  up  an
European  war  against  him,  the  imperial  power  was  once  more  rendered  sub-
servient to  the  maintenance  of  the  authority  of  the  papal  see  in  Germany.
But  such  a  relation  was  too  wide  a  departure  from  the  ordinary  nature
and  course  of  human  affairs  to  endure  long.
In  Germany  people  had  already  ceased  to  believe  in  the  sincerity  of
the  opinions  expressed  in  the  instructions.  Though  their  attention  was
chiefly  engrossed  by  internal  affairs,  they  knew  of  the  treaty  of  Cognac,
and  of  the  misunderstandings  between  the  pope  and  the  emperor.  The
cities  first  remarked  how  very  remote  was  the  date  of  the  instructions.
At  that  time,  indeed,  the  emperor  and  pope  were  on  a  good  understanding,
but  now  the  pope's  troops  were  in  the  field  against  the  emperor.  They
were  told  that  every  improvement  must  be  reserved  for  the  decision  of
a  general  council  ;  but  how,  under  the  present  circumstances,  was  it
possible  to  expect  one  ?  Were  the  emperor  present,  he  would  see  that
they  could  not  observe  his  edict,  if  they  would.
