None of Charles V.'s councillors exercised over his master that preponderating and confirmed influence which makes a man a premier minister.

Charles V.

himself assumed the direction of his own government, exhibiting unwearied vigilance, "but without hastiness and without noise." There is a work, as yet unpublished, of M.Leopold Delisle, which is to contain a complete explanatory catalogue of all the _Mandements et Actes divers de Charles V_.

This catalogue, which forms a pendant to a similar work performed by M.Delisle for the reign of Philip Augustus, is not yet concluded; and, nevertheless, for the first seven years only of Charles V.'s reign, from 1364 to 1371, there are to be found enumerated and described in it eight hundred and fifty-four _mandements, ordonnances et actes divers de Charles V._, relating to the different branches of administration, and to daily incidents of government; acts all bearing the impress of an intellect active, farsighted, and bent upon becoming acquainted with everything, and regulating everything, not according to a general system, but from actual and exact knowledge.

Charles always proved himself reflective, unhurried, and anxious solely to comport himself in accordance with the public interests and with good sense.