CHAPTER 
POLITICAL CARICATURE IN ITS  REVERS DU JEU DES 
     
OF THE LEAGUE; CARICATURES AGAINST HENRI  
AGAINST THE LEAGUE.iCARIC.ATURE IN FRANCE IN THE SEVENTEENTH 
     
CATURE AGAINST [LOUIS XIV.; WILLIAM OF FURSTEMBERG. 
IT has been already remarked that political caricature, in the modern 
fcnfe of the word, or even perfonal caricature, was inconfiitent with the 
Rate of things in the middle ages, until the arts of engraving and printing 
became fufticiently developed, becaufe it requires the facility of quick 
and extenflve circulation. The political or fatirical fong was carried 
everywhere by the minltrel, but the fatirical picture, reprefented only in 
fome folitary fculpture or illumination, could hardly be iinifhed before it 
had become ufelefs even in the ftnall fphere of its inlluence, and then 
remained for ages a Itrange iigure, with no meaning that could be under- 
Rood. No fooner, however, was the art of printing introduced, than the 
importance of political caricature was underftood and turned to account. 
We have feen what a powerful agent it became in the Reformation, 
which in fpirit was no leis political than religious; but even before the 
great religious movement had begun, this agent had been brought into 
activity. One of the earlieft engravings which can be called a caricature 
_perhaps the oldeft of our modern caricatures known-is reprefented in. 
our cut No. I71, is no doubt French, and belongs to the year I499. It 
is fufiiciently explained by the hiitory of the time. 
At the date juti mentioned, Louis XII. of France, who had been king 
leli; than twelve months, was newly married to Anne of Britany, and 
had refolved upon an expedition into Italy, to unite the crown of Naples 
with