Incredible as it may seem, the emperor now obtained some little success.

The diet, indignant at the conduct of the pope, and alarmed at so formidable a union as that between the papal States and Venice, voted a succor of six thousand infantry and eighteen hundred horse.

This encouraged the emperor, and forgetting his quarrel with Louis XII.

of France, in the stronger passion of personal aggrandizement which influenced him, he entered into another alliance with Louis against the pope and Venice, and then made a still stronger and a religious appeal to Germany for aid.

A certain class of politicians in all countries and in all ages, have occasionally expressed great solicitude for the reputation of religion.
"The power and government of the pope," the emperor proclaimed, "which ought to be an example to the faithful, present, on the contrary, nothing but trouble and disorder.