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POLITICAL CONSEQUENCESmentioned espousedits cause. Had Francis L allowed it afree entrance into France, had the Protestant doctrines become in prevalent that kingdom, then the limits of the religious differences throughout Europe would have decidedthose of the political.But as this was not the case, therivalry between France and the house of Hapsburg affordedthe Reformation no opportunityof acquiring influence fromthe struggle.In order to make it the mainspring of European politics other circumstances were necessary ;and thesethe latter half of the sixteenth century produced. Thesemay be easily seen in the Revolution of the Netherlands^and the Introduction of a new Rule of Faith into England.Both of these, however, as well in point of time as of theirreaction upon the rest of Europe, are so closely connectedthat they do not admit of a separate consideration.SECOND PERIOD, 1556-^1603.No other event of this period acquired so rapid, so great,and at the same time so durable, an influence upon the general politicsof Europe, as the Revolution of the UnitedNetherlands.Itsorigin may be reckoned among the consequences ofthe Reformation.The limited abilities of PhilipII.would not allow of hisraising himself above the prejudices of his education and hisage his ; pride and tyranny would not be satisfied with theuse of any but violent means while his;unwearied activityserved only to fan the flame which it sought to extinguish.Thus he was himself the founder of the new republic,and here, as elsewhere, freedom was the child of despotism.From the veryfirst this revolution acquired, not merelya political tendency, but one which was directed towardsthe general politics of Europe. The insurgents had to sustain a contest with one of the first powers of Europe and;although an impartial historian cannot deny them the creditof having made good their own cause by their own strength,yet they were themselves very far from being convinced ofthe possibility of so doing, and believed themselves obligedto look around for assistance from without.Bytheir dealings with France and England and in neither case werethese dealings without results, (though more effectual in the