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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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THE BULL OF CONVOCATION. 213<br />

Lainez, that violent discussions ensued.^ In consequence <strong>of</strong><br />

this, <strong>the</strong> bull could only be read in consistory on November<br />

29th. Before it was read <strong>the</strong> Pope made a speech in which<br />

he pointed out <strong>the</strong> necessity <strong>of</strong> speedy measures in view <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> dangerous position <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church, and <strong>the</strong> threatened<br />

national council in France. After <strong>the</strong> bull had been read,<br />

he explained it, and indicated as <strong>the</strong> tasks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> General<br />

Council <strong>the</strong> eradication <strong>of</strong> heresy, <strong>the</strong> removal <strong>of</strong> schism,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> reform <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church. At <strong>the</strong> end he remarked to<br />

Cardinal d'Este that <strong>the</strong> national council would thus be<br />

prevented, to which <strong>the</strong> Cardinal replied that it was already<br />

destroyed.-<br />

In <strong>the</strong> bull <strong>of</strong> convocation, which bears <strong>the</strong> date November<br />

29th, 1560,3 Pius IV. glances back at <strong>the</strong> <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council<br />

under his predecessors, Paul III. and Julius III., who had been<br />

unable to bring it to an end owing to <strong>the</strong> difficulties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

times. This account is in such a form as to take it for granted<br />

that <strong>the</strong> former acts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, which had been combatted,<br />

partly by <strong>the</strong> Imperialists and partly by <strong>the</strong> French, were<br />

valid.* <strong>The</strong> Pope <strong>the</strong>n expressed his sorrow at <strong>the</strong> continued<br />

spread <strong>of</strong> heresy. As <strong>the</strong> good and merciful God had again<br />

granted peace to Christendom, he now hoped to be able to<br />

put an end to <strong>the</strong> great evils <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church by means <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Council. After having fully deliberated on <strong>the</strong> matter with<br />

<strong>the</strong> Cardinals, and communicated his decision to <strong>the</strong> Emperor<br />

and <strong>the</strong> kings and princes, and found <strong>the</strong>m ready to support<br />

<strong>the</strong> holding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, he now summons <strong>the</strong> holy, ecumeni-<br />

^ Cf. as to this Voss, 131 seq., who uses especially <strong>the</strong> reports<br />

<strong>of</strong> Vargas. See also <strong>the</strong> *report <strong>of</strong> Fr. Tonina <strong>of</strong> November 23,<br />

1560 (Gonzaga Archives, Mantua) ;<br />

220 seq., and Grisar, Disput., IL, 9*.<br />

fur<strong>the</strong>r Dembinski, Ryzm, I.,<br />

'^ See Acta consist, in Dembinski, loc. cit., 256 seq., and Ehses,<br />

VIIL, 103. Cf. also Tonina's *report <strong>of</strong> November 30, 1560<br />

(Gonzaga Archives, Mantua).<br />

* Printed in Raynaldus, 1560, n. 69, and more fully in Bull.<br />

Rom., VIL, 90 seq., and in Ehses, VIIL, 103. Cf. Corpo dipl.<br />

Portug., IX., 99 seq. A facsimile in Swoboda, 96.<br />

* Pallavicini rightly emphasizes this (14, 17, 6).

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