THE DECLINE AND FALL

384

CHAP.

LXX.

kingdom of Naples.* The French and Ger-mans at length withdrew from the field of battle:Milan, Naples, Sicily, Sardinia , and the sea-coast of Tuscany , were firmly possessed by theSpaniards; and it became their interest to main-tain the peace and dependence of Italy , whichcontinued almost without disturbance from themiddle of the sixteenth to the opening of theeighteenth century. The Vatican was swayedand protected by the religious policy of the ca-tholic king: his prejudice and interest disposedhim in every dispute to support the princeagainst the people; and instead of the encour-agement, the aid, and the asylum, which they ob-tained from the adjacent states, the friends ofliberty, or the enemies of law, were inclosed onall sides within the iron circle of despotism.The long habits of obedience and educationsubdued the turbulent spirit of the uobles andcommons of Rome. The barons forgot thearms and factions of their ancestors, and insen-sibly became the servants of luxury and go-vernment. Instead of maintaining a crowd oftenants and followers, the produce of theirestates was consumed in the private expenccs,which multiply the pleasures, and diminish thepower, of the lord. 2 The Colonna and Ursiui

* The ambitious and feeble hostilities of the Caraffa pope, Paul IV 0may be seen in Thuanus (1. xvbxvii) and Gianuone (tom. iv, p. 149-163). Those catholic bigots, Philip II. , and the duke of Alva, pre-sumed to separate the Homan prince from the vicar of Christ: yet theholy character, which would have sanctified his victory, was decentlyapplied to protect his defeat.

■ This gradual change of manners and expence is admirably explain*

ed