Protestajit Revolt in Sivitzerla^id and England 609 he saw about him were done away. It was at Mere's house that Erasmus wrote his Praise of Folly and dedicated it to him. Henry VIII came to the English throne when he was eighteen Wolsey's years old. His chief adviser, Cardinal Wolsey, deserves great ^eacJand credit for having constantly striven to discourage his sovereign's ^^^ idea of ... . . ° the balance ambition to take part m the wars on the Continent. The cardinal's of power Fig. 213. Henry VIII argument that England could become great by peace better than by war was a momentous discovery. Peace he felt would be best secured by maintaining the balance of power on the Con- tinent, so that no ruler should become dangerous by unduly extending his sway. For example, he thought it good policy to side with Charles V when Francis I was successful, and then with Francis after his terrible defeat at Pavia (1525) when he fell into the hands of Charles. This idea of the balance of power came to be recognized later by the European countries as a very important consideration in determining their policy.
