The King continued by observing that the clear-sighted in Spain laughed
at these rodomontades, knowing well that it was pure exhaustion that had
compelled the King to such extremities. "I leave you to judge," said
Henry, "whether he is likely to have any courage at forty-five years of
age, having none now at thirty-two. Princes show what they have in them
of generosity and valour at the age of twenty-five or never." He said
that orders had been sent from Spain to disband all troops in the
obedient Netherlands except Spaniards and Italians, telling the Archdukes
that they must raise the money out of the country to content them. They
must pay for a war made for their benefit, said Philip. As for him he
would not furnish one maravedi.

Aerssens asked if the Archdukes would disband their troops so long as the
affair of Cleve remained unsettled. "You are very lucky," replied the
King, "that Europe is governed by such princes as you wot of. The King
of Spain thinks of nothing but tranquillity. The Archdukes will never
move except on compulsion. The Emperor, whom every one is so much afraid
of in this matter, is in such plight that one of these days, and before
long, he will be stripped of all his possessions. I have news that the
Bohemians are ready to expel him."

It was true enough that Rudolph hardly seemed a formidable personage.
The Utraquists and Bohemian Brothers, making up nearly the whole
population of the country, were just extorting religious liberty from
their unlucky master in his very palace and at the point of the knife.
The envoy of Matthias was in Paris demanding recognition of his master
as King of Hungary, and Henry did not suspect the wonderful schemes of
Leopold, the ferret in the rabbit warren of the duchies, to come to the
succour of his cousin and to get himself appointed his successor and
guardian.