than the Conquest for what opposition could two such powerfull Princes meet with from Frederick whom his Subjects hated and contemned But Naples was too narrow to satisfie both the French and the Spaniards and Gonsalvo was a man of such unlimited ambition that a Controversie began about a small parcel of Ground to which both parties pretended and which nothing but Arms could decide In this the French had so ill success that they were suddenly beat out of all Gonsalvo with the Spaniards becoming then sole Masters of the Kingdom of Naples which they have kept ever since About this time died Hercules Duke of Ferrara whose life doth represent to us Fortune in all her different aspects he was born the undoubted Heir of one of the richest Princes of Italy was left young by his Father which made him come the later to his Estate after the death of two Brothers Many storms did he weather both in the Court and Wars of Naples his own Courage and the Kings Malice exposing him to every danger till at length he changed parties At his return from thence he lived for some time a Subject in his own Principality being glad to be a Governour of one of his Cities under his Brother But the latter part of his life made a fair reparation for the former no Prince of Italy being more valued or courted than Hercules that very King of Naples who hated him so much sent to proffer him his Daughter in marriage by whom he left a hopefull Issue the Kings of Castile and Hungary when he was in danger by his War with Venice gave testimony how much they were concerned to support him Henry the seventh of England complemented him with the Order of the Garter and three several Kings of France sought his Friendship as necessary for the advancement of their interest upon the other side of the Alpes CHAP. XII The Life of Alphonsus the first the third Duke of Ferrara HErcules had four Sons Alphonsus who succeeded him Hippolytus the former of the two famous Cardinals of Esté of that name Ferdinand and Sigismund Alphonsus was twice married in his Fathers time first to the Daughter of Iohn Galeazo Duke of Milan when he was very young and when she died a Match by Lewis the twelfth's means was made up betwixt him and Lucretia Borgia Pope Alexander the sixth's Daughter the King designing by this to unite the Duke with Caesar Borgia and both to himself The first remarkable action we meet with in Alphonsus after his Fathers death Caesar Borgia being then ruined was his defending Bologna for Iulius the second and his defeating Bentivoglio from whom the Pope had lately taken that City and recommended it to the Duke Not long after was the League of Cambray concluded where Alphonsus joyned with the Emperour the Pope the Kings of France and Spain to take the terra firma from the Venetians The King of France began the War and gave the Venetian Army which was commanded or rather divided by two Generals of quite different tempers so great an overthrow that the other Confederates did thereupon make the more hast The Venetians seeing themselves in no condition to defend their Subjects wisely made a virtue of necessity and allowed them the liberty to make the best terms they could with the Enemy and so prevent their ruine for they presumed and upon good grounds that this instance of their tenderness would invite them home to their ancient Masters as soon as the storm was over being attacqued then on all hands nothing except Treviso was left them in a short time and the Duke of Ferrara for his share was once in possession of Rovigo la Badia with Monfelice Esté and other places which formerly belonged to his Family Besides the places he had taken the Pope declared him the General of the Church which made the Venetians discharge their whole fury upon him both by Sea and Land but such was their ill success in every enterprize that their very Navy became a prey to him that had no ships for having chained them up by night within the mouth of the River where they thought themselves secure he burnt some took others and returned to Ferrara in a sort of Naval Triumph upon one of their Chief Gallies Anno Christi 1510 The sole hope now left the Venetians was to break a League in which so many Princes of different or rather incompatible Interests were united and this they found no hard matter Julius being willing not only to take off his censures but also to fall out with France and to help to chase Lewis out of Italy if they would give him the places in Romagna which by the League were designed for him It was not now time for the Venetians to stand at any thing and therefore they readily acquiesced to the Popes proposals and he sent to the Duke of Ferrara to acquaint him with what he had done and to desire him to forbear any further acts of hostility against the Republick but the Duke excused himself saying that he could not in honour nor in conscience abandon those with whom he was in Confederacy Julius taking this excuse for a direct upbraiding himself with what he had done excommunicated the Duke immediately sent Orders to Romagna to seize upon what places he possessed there and exhorted the Venetians to fall upon him to revenge his and their quarrel the Duke in a short time lost Rovigo all the Polecine Monfelice and Esté on the one hand and upon the other hand all the places of Romagna and which grieved him most Modena and Sassuolo with several Castles near him his only comfort was he knew that if he had pleased to make honour and conscience truckle to Interest he might have been a saver But never resolving to stear by this compass nor to follow the precedent given him by P. Iulius he waited for better times till he could fairly recover what he had unjustly lost Never was Pope freer of his thunders than Iulius who seeing his success against Alphonsus took his aim a little higher at Lewis the twelfth deprived him of his Title of the most Christian King and of his Crown and exposed his Territoris as a prey to those that could take them but though his lightning did shine it was not felt in France otherwise than in provoking the good King to Vow and to publish his Vow also in his coin That he would destroy Babylon meaning Rome The King of Castile sent an Army to assist the Pope and the Venetians which made Lewis likewise re-inforce his Troops under a new General Gaston de Foix Duke of Nemours to him he particularly recommended the concerns of the Duke of Ferrara whom of all the Italians he had found the most trusty Confederate and the French Army then lying in Romagna the Duke recovered his places from Iulius Gaston was impatient till he gave the Enemy battle which he did near Ravenna the Duke commanded that part where
strengthen his interest and keep her from any other match which might prove in the end fatal to him and his Family But Adeleidis in her heart hated Berengarius as the Author of her husbands death and rejected Albertus upon his Fathers score Berengarius resolving to gain by threats her who was proof against all allurements confin'd her first to Pavia then to a more narrow prison whence there was no hopes of deliverance but by consenting to a marriage with Albertus Hugo who knew nothing to be more natural to Berengarius than cruelty being sensible of the Queens danger whom he judg'd not likely to yield generously ventur'd all to rescue her and oblige Otho King of Germany for whom Adeleidis was designed before her imprisonment Having therefore got without suspicion into the Castle where she was kept in the midst of a Lake by the help of a Priest of whose fidelity and courage he had formerly experience the Queen was let down out of a Window and convey'd away in a Boat which lay ready for that purpose into the next Wood where she continued several days with Hugo the Priest furnishing them with such entertainment as he could procure from the neighbouring Villages Notice being given to Otho of the Queens escape his Army presently advanced towards Italy and this put all in such a consternation that Hugo and the Queen got without any further danger into the Castle of Cannossa where Azo expected them Otho having received his Queen Anno Christi 952 from the hands of Hugo her Deliverer marched on towards Berengarius whose tyranny had now render'd him so odious that being deserted by all his friends he delivered himself up Prisoner with his Son Albertus and Otho without much trouble possess'd himself of the Imperial Crown which has ever since continued in the German Nation No reward seeming too great for the person to whom he ow'd his Queen Hugo was made Governour of all that Country which is now known by the name of the Dutchy of Milan the Dutchy of Montferrat Piemont and the territory of Genoua and Berengarius was carried Prisoner into Germany CHAP. IV. The most remarkable actions of the Counts of Esté from Otho the Great to Henry the third AFter a short confinement Berengarius had leave to return into Italy with the title of King but much limited in his Authority which he was too apt to abuse scarce was he well setled when forgetfull of the Emperours clemency and his own engagements being enraged at those who had helped to humble him he behaved himself more cruelly than ever Hugo whose splendid way of living did eclipse him was the chief object of his wrath but too powerfull for him to meddle with After Hugo's death he took occasion to fall out with his Brother Azo about their Mother Giscla's inheritance and their difference ended in Azo's being turned out of all he had and forced to fly for his life into Germany with his Anno Christi 960 Son whence neither of them ever returned With them must the family of Esté have perished had not the hopefull Issue of Sigifred Prince of Parma supported it Sigifred himself was dead but his eldest Son Azo entering upon his Cousins desperate fortune in spite of the Tyrant maintained his right and confirmed his younger brothers in theirs at Parma and Luca. The loud cryes of Berengarius's oppression and the complaints of such as every day fled from Italy reaching the Emperours ears brought his Son Lodolphus with an Army from Germany against the Tyrant Lodolphus being suddenly kill'd Azo the third happening to be then in the Camp was chosen General in the Princes room In this station he had not continued many dayes when engaging the enemy he obtained a signal victory and reduced several places to the Emperours obedience Where-ever he came the people crouded to welcome him as the deliverer of his Countrey Piacenza and Regio desiring to live under his protection presented him with their keys many Cities being weary of their late sufferings were making hast to free themselves from the yoke of Berengarius who on the other hand was using all diligence to raise forces and to put a stop to Azo's success But Otho 's appearing the second time with a strong Army after some few skirmishes rather than fights took Berengarius prisoner and sent him into Germany there to endure perpetual imprisonment for the miseries he had brought upon his Native Countrey Otho's occasions requiring his speedy return into Germany he resolved to put the Government of Italy into sure hands and none having deserved so well of him nor being so able to do him service as Azo he committed all to his trust with the title of Vicar of Italy This unlimited Power Anno Christi 970 Azo discreetly employ'd for the establishment of the Emperours Authority yet not without giving satisfaction to those he govern'd by which he added greatly to the former lustre of his family Azo left several Sons the eldest was Albertus the second Otho's chief Favorite whom some of the Italian writers call Albertatius the second was Thedaldus whom the City of Ferrara mindfull of its former happiness under a Prince of the house of Esté chose in the place of Almaricus lately dead After the death of his Father and Uncle he had likewise Regio Parma and Luca by which he laid the foundation of that Power and Riches which his Grand-child the Countess Matildis so famous in the Histories of those times did foully mis-imploy in setting up the Papal Authority against that of the Emperours as we shall relate hereafter The vast possessions fallen to Albertus by his Fathers death might have invited him home had he not been deeply engaged at the Emperours Court. From the time of Charles the Great the Family of Esté had been dignified with the title of Counts which Otho changed into that of Marquess and thinking he could never too well requite Hugo's kindness in rescuing Adeleidis from the hands of Berengarius he gave his Daughter by Adeleidis named Alda in marriage to Albertus with ten Castles in Lombardy and the City of Friburgh in Germany Upon the death of Otho the Great dissensions arose about the Succession for his Brother Henry of Bavaria trusting in his Interest with the neighbour Princes endeavoured to wrest the Imperial Crown from his Nephew Otho the second But Albertus being zealous for the young Prince engaged so many in his behalf as made good the Justice of his Cause against the Usurper This did beget him the irreconcileable hatred of Henry which he little valued while he was so fast united to the Emperour Harald King of Denmark was one of those that declared for Henry and brought an Army to the Fields to over-aw those who should offer to oppose him but Albertus with the Emperours Forces gave him such a blow that all his threats ended in a peace with Otho upon very unequal terms Things thus setled at home Otho the second went
conspicuous that the Histories of those Times call him the Marquess without any further distinction as we gather from Arnulphus of Milan and Scafnaburgensis and even down to the time of Villani and Dante when they spoke of the Marquess he of Esté is to be understood as having a particular right to this Title above all the Families of Italy Though Hugo had helped the Emperour to humble the Romans and by discovering the Conspiracy against his person seem'd to have brought things to that hopefull pass that there remained no further ground for fears yet the restless attempts of Otho's enemies at length succeeded for some Roman Gloves were presented him by Crescentius's widow in which the richness of the perfume did cover such a deadly poison as kill'd him before his Physicians knew he was infected this the ambitious Woman was said to have done not so much upon her husbands account as for the affront done to her self whom the Emperour promised to marry but afterwards changed his inclinations which her haughty Spirit could not digest Otho the third dying without Children Henry of Bavaria came to the Crown which his Father had so much coveted in the minority of the two late Emperours and was as I have already mentioned opposed in it by Albertus of Esté nor did their quarrel end with their lives but was entail'd upon their Sons as might be seen in Henry who from the beginning discovered a dislike to Hugo's management of the affairs of Italy and let drop some expressions that he designed to remove him from all Publick Trust as soon as he found himself setled This preposterous resolution lost him Italy for some years because Hugo having notice of it engaged his whole interest to exclude Henry and set up Ardoinus Marquess of Eporoedia who supported likewise by most of the Nobility of Lombardy came without much opposition to be chosen King at Pavia The success he had at his entry upon the Government against Henries Army put him in peaceable possession of his Crown the disturbances of Germany not allowing Henry to look any further at present The only person Ardoinus could never gain was the Arch-bishop of Milan who ceased not to solicite Henry till he brought the Germans again into Italy and then did Ardoinus part with his Kingdom upon as easie terms as he had got it and Hugo was fain to retire to the Greek Emperours General in Naples whither Henry pursued him and took him prisoner with his three Sons Henry having got Hugo and his Sons in his power did beyond their expectation shew a rare example of clemency for when in them he might have extirpated the family remembring his rash expressions had in a Anno Christi 1024 great measure occasioned their revolt he generously restored Hugo to whatever he formerly possessed renewed his Commission of Vicar of Italy and dismist his Sons with great expressions of kindness Hugo to shew himself worthy of the Emperours confidence did make it afterwards the whole study of his life to promote his Service and effectually recovered him by his gentle Government the hearts of the Italian Nation which the severity of Otho the second and Otho the third had alienated He lived to a great age was universally lamented at his death and proposed to posterity as the true pattern of a worthy Magistrate who could advance the Princes Authority without invading the Peoples Rights Azo the fourth succeeded him about the same time that Henry the second dying without Children left the Imperial Crown to Conrard Duke of Franconia who out of a particular value he had for Azo promoted his match with Cunigunda the Duke of Anno Christi 1026 Bavaria's only Daughter By her Azo had a Son called Welpho who inheriting all his Grand-father the Duke of Bavaria's Territories gave the first rise to the most Illustrious Family of Brumswick and Lunenburgh which is thus descended of the Family of Esté The Abbot of Vrspergh writes that the Original of that Family was from an Italian Marquess who married in Germany and this Marquess both the Records of Esté and Aventinus in his History of Bavaria prove to have been Azo Hugo's Son of whom I now treat Cunigunda died young leaving this only Son Welpho who was plentifully provided for in Germany Afterwards Azo married as some write the Emperour Conrards Daughter as others Anno Christi 1037 his Niece or his Grand-child by whom he had several Children the eldest was called Azo the fifth after his own name who if the Pope had not shewed himself most unjust in the matter of his marriage with his Cousin the Countess Matildis was in a fair way to have been one of the richest Princes of that age as I shall now make appear and hope to give the Reader some satisfaction in treating of Matildis whose double Relation to the Family of Esté both by Blood and Marriage makes her naturally fall under our consideration in this place and if I do enlarge the great influence she had upon all the remarkable transactions of that age seems to require it CHAP. V. The most material passages of the Life of Azo the fifth and of Matildis Countess of Esté THedaldus whom I made mention of a younger Brother of this Family and Uncle to the great Hugo had raised himself to vaste wealth this his Son Boniface did so much enlarge that none in Italy came near him He was called Marquess of Tuscany and had Ferrara Modena Mantoua Regio Parma and Luca and upon his Marriage with Beatrix the Emperour Conrards Daughter he had Verona and that which is since called the Patrimony of S t Peter given him all which after the death of his little Son Frederick fell to his Daughter Matildis under the tuition of her Mother Beatrix Beatrix being left so rich by Boniface though her Father Conrard was dead yet under her Brother Henry the third did manage Italy as she pleased but her disposing of her self and her Daughter Matildis to Godfrey Anno Christi 1053 Duke of Lorrain and his Son without the Emperours consent justly offended him seeing by this she gave footing in Italy to a Powerfull Family which might have given the Empire trouble if there had been any Issue by either marriage Yet that which made Henry most jealous was lest these Princes should joyn with the Popes who of late were become very troublesome for taking advantage of the Emperours absence they did every day make some encroachments upon them and were then come to that pass that instead of allowing the Emperours Prerogative in confirming them which had been alwayes practised Benedict the ninth took upon him to deprive Henry the third of his Right of Succession and gave the Imperial Crown to Peter King of Hungary upon condition he would depend upon him and his Successors Henry to give a check to an Usurpation of so dangerous consequence and likewise to remove the great scandal occasioned by three Popes all Reigning at once passed into
them little reflecting that Gregory the sevenths dying outed of his dignity and in a most forlorn condition several years before gave no less advantage to the Emperours party Others therefore who were not byassed made no such inference from thence knowing if there were no surer arguments to direct men in their judgments than the undertakers success the best causes might oftentimes suffer and the most palpable usurpations be vindicated The Pope and Matildis after they had compassed what they long designed thought it now an easie matter to manage not only Italy but Germany also and the young Prince as they pleased All the grievances of their Party were to be redressed and the pretended corruptions of the Clergy of Germany to be reformed in a Synod at Ausburgh where the Pope the better to confirm his Authority among them was to be present but they were much disappointed in Henry the fifth who as soon as he was setled in his Throne began to discover a strong dislike to their proceedings with his Father and as he heartily wished he had no wayes been accessary to them so to atone his guilt his whole thoughts were employed on maintaining the Dignity Prerogatives of his Crown which had been so much violated by the late Rebellion There was little encouragement then for the Pope to appear at Ausburgh where he was sure to be crossed in whatsoever he proposed besides Henry had an Army in readiness to go into Italy there to receive the Imperial Crown It frighted Matildis to hear of his coming in this posture yet dissembling her fears she was the first when he past the Alpes who sent to welcome him The Pope likewise with great expressions of confidence invited him to Rome because he knew he could not hinder his coming thither Upon the day appointed for his Coronation the Arch-bishop of Milan by whom according to the custom he had first been crowned King of Lombardy presented him to the Pope who before he proceeded any further in the Ceremony required him publickly to renounce all pretension to the collation or investiture of Ecclesiastical Dignities this Henry flatly refused to do telling him he would not be tied to any such conditions and that he expected his Crown after the same manner that Charles the Great and Lewis his Son had received it the contest lasted several dayes not without great heats and threatnings on both hands the Pope declaring upon Henries refusal to comply that he must come to his spiritual Arms and Henry letting him understand that his Army was ready at a call so that nothing could perswade Henry to depart from this generous resolution not valuing the Popes Arms so much as the Troops he had brought with him from Germany at length the Pope was forced to yield that as a Right to the Son which had been denied his Father and which Matildis and the former Popes had made the ground of all their wars The Emperour prouder of retrieving this lost Prerogative than of the Imperial Crown returned to Germany where the first thing he did was to see his Fathers body enterr'd a favour his enemies malice had not thought fit to allow it No wonder if it pierced Matildis to the heart to see all her encroachments upon the Emperours power for so many years brought to nought in a moment and the Papal Authority which with so much cost pains and danger she had highly advanced now reduc'd to what she had found it in the beginning of Henry the fourths reign and all this by one whom Pascalis and she had helped to set up upon his Fathers ruines grief then and old age cast her into a languishing distemper which in the end proved mortal She had all along designed that not only the Popes in whose times she lived but their Successours also should reap the fruits of her bounty which made her easily hearken to those who judged it the securest way to put the Church in possession of the best part of her territories and that it must be a particular satisfaction to see her own will executed to prevent the trouble it might occasion after her death and to hear the frequent Panegyricks of those who extolled her munificence and whose interest it was so to do By these insinuations they had already got into their hands that which is called the Patrimony of S t Peter with several Cities in Tuscany And now lest upon Anno Christi 1115 her death-bed she should seem to abate of her wonted zeal she confirmed what was formerly granted adding thereunto all the rest I cannot find she was ever Canonized but the best of their Pens have been employed to celebrate her Virtues and her memory is still more precious among them than that of most of their Saints of this Vrban the eighth in our own time has given testimony by having her body or what at least past for it translated from a Church near Mantoua to Rome where it lies buried in S t Peters under a stately Monument erected 1635. at his charge with an Inscription which expresses both his value for her Piety and Virtue and his gratitude for her protection and bounty and if oftentimes both in speaking and writing of her they call her a Saint it is no strange thing if one consider the stile of the Countrey according to what Philip de Comines observed in his passage through Milan where wondering to read the name of one of their worst Dukes with this glorious Epithet of Saint upon the front of a Convent a Priest ingenuously told him it was their custom to call all those Saints to whom they were much obliged In this respect then envy it self must allow never any could lay juster claim to this title than Matildis who deserved better of the Popes than any that went before her or that hath been since her time for let them amuse men as much as they list with pretended donations from Constantine or from Charles the Great it is plain the Countess Matildis first set them up and it is her whom Rome must chiefly thank and others blame for the Popes bearing such a figure since among the Temporal Princes of Italy The event did verifie what was apprehended before that Matildis actions would be called in question afterwards for Henry the fifth declared he would not agree to what she had done because she could not dispose of what came to her by her Mother Beatrix but that by her death it return'd to the Crown and in truth there seem'd to be a great deal of reason in what the Emperour alledged seeing it was too much that she had abused while she lived the power derived from his Ancestors without entailing it for ever upon his enemies the Pope on the other hand thought he had good right to what was left him chiefly when it was strengthen'd with possession and betwixt these two powerfull Competitors the Family of Esté whose Title certainly was best had the least share CHAP. VI. An account of
the siege longer and their marching off did so dishearten the rest that the Emperour thought best to follow them Rinaldus pursued him in his retreat but the Emperour not able to bear this affront and considering his Army to be still the more numerous offered him battle Rinaldus to make up the disproportion in the number by the advantage of the ground posted himself upon a hill dividing his Army into four parts he gave the Van towards the plain to his Son Azo and Torrisedi Governour of Verona the Milan Troops were placed at some distance behind those of Bergamo Brescia and Piacenza had the top of the hill and the General himself retired to the other side out of the enemies view The King of Bohemia commanded one Wing of the Imperial Army the Kings of Denmark and Norway another Frederick with the Duke of Bavaria stood in the middle The King of Bohemia's Wing began the fight about noon with Azo and Torrisedi and for a long time it was doubtfull to which Party victory enclined till the King being wounded and carried back to the Camp half dead his men retired in disorder Azo encouraged by this and seconded by the Troops of Milan bore all down before him till he came to the main Body where the Emperour with his German Horse sustained his charge killed those who led the Troops of Milan and took Azo prisoner They upon the top of the hill who hitherto had no occasion to act seeing the rest in distress marched briskly down to their assistance and while the Imperialists bent their Forces that way thinking the whole Confederate Army was now engaged Rinaldus came with such violence upon their Rere that they presently gave ground and marched off with his own hand he took the Imperial Standard and followed the Emperour so close that he was obliged to the darkness of the night for his escape but the news of his Sons being carried off prisoner did much abate the joy of his success nor could any arguments prevail on the Emperour to give him up so long as his Father lived It is believed if this advantage had been pursued the Emperours Affairs in Italy might soon have been brought to a weak pass but the Confederate Troops as if they had already done enough went all home to their own Cities to receive the applause and carresses of their friends and could never again be united Rinaldus also gave up his Commission not willing to exasperate the Emperour while he had such an Hostage from his Family nor could the Emperour make sure any other wayes of one who did so unjustly head the Confederates that had so often violated their Duty and failed in their promises to their Prince Frederick had been alwayes hitherto Victorious and now his Fortune seemed to decline having after this manner besieged Milan several months to little purpose and at last retired with so great loss but this blow did rather hasten his success for being doubtfull what course to take the news was brought him of the Confederates being gone and this encouraged him to return to the siege of Milan sooner than they expected the City seeing it self abandon'd sent to capitulate with the Emperour but he absolutely refused to agree to any terms telling them that he expected to enter at a breach in their Walls as a Conquerour and to treat them accordingly whereupon trusting to his Clemency their Gates were opened the Emperour then mindfull how perfidiously they had dealt with him commanded all the Inhabitants to depart within three dayes and the City to be razed to the ground and upon the fourth day after he entered at a breach with his whole Army to see his Sentence put in execution the neighbour Cities were forward enough to revenge the injuries received in pulling down each a part the wretched Inhabitants standing without the Walls to express their sorrow in cryes and tears when they saw the deplorable fall of the City Novara pull'd down one quarter Cremona another Como a third and Lode a fourth Churches and Convents Hospitals and Palaces without respect Anno Christi 1162 were thrown down nothing except two small Chappels of all that stately City was left standing the very Broglio or great Market-place was sow'd with Salt And thus Milan which had long aspired to the Soveraignty of Lombardy and which for its largeness its beauty and the number as well as riches of its Citizens began to emulate Rome felt in a few dayes this terrible desolation as a just reward of its insolence to its Neighbours and of its perfidy to an indulgent Prince who had already three several times pardon'd its rebellion The destruction of Milan the submission of all the other Cities and the changing the Ancient Magistrates into Imperial Podesta's seem'd to secure the Peace of Italy for many years Yet the haughty carriage of these new Ministers in the Emperours absence and the Arts of Pope Alexander drew on in a short time a fresh Rebellion they wanted only a Head and knew by former experience that none could either do them credit or service like Rinaldus but his tenderness for his Son was such that no perswasions could engage him again If Rinaldus of Esté's denying to joyn with the Confederates did at first retard their motions the baseness of Henry of Bavaria one of the same Family did afterwards spoil the Emperours Affairs when he was in a fair way to reduce all he was the Emperours Cousin and had been restored to the greatest part of his Fathers Dominions at the same time that his Uncle Guelpho had those of Matildis given him in Italy Yet upon a vain scruple arising from Alexanders Excommunication he left him when he had most occasion for him and his Troops The Emperour went after him to perswade him to return but no arguments nor condescension in the Emperour could work upon an obstinate humour cloak'd with a pretence to conscience Nor was it only the loss of him and his followers for his example was like to draw others away so that the Emperour perceiving the ill disposition of his Army infected by the very air of that rebellious Countrey sent to Alexander to procure his reconciliation this he obtained indeed but upon such terms that it is hard to say whether Alexander the third or Gregory the seventh treated an Emperour with most insolence what Gregory did at the Castle of Cannossa only with Matildis Alexander may be said to have done solemnly in the face of the whole Senate and people of Venice The Emperour finding his kindness to Henry of Bavaria so little considered turn'd him out of all and Henry who had married a Daughter of England fled thither for protection where he stay'd till by that Kings intercession the Dutchies of Brunswick and Lunenburgh were restored to him by the Emperour in this his former greatness was indeed much impaired yet still he continued in the first rank of German Princes which figure his successors have ever since sustained