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

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222 HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

Ferdinand, and arrived at Naumburg on January 28th.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re, in accordance with <strong>the</strong>ir instructions, <strong>the</strong>y en-<br />

deavoured at first to negotiate with <strong>the</strong> individual princes<br />

separately, but in this <strong>the</strong>y were not successful, and<br />

had to make up <strong>the</strong>ir minds to appear before all <strong>the</strong><br />

princes assembled in <strong>the</strong> Diet. This took place on<br />

February 5th. 2 <strong>The</strong> nuncios first handed to each prince<br />

<strong>the</strong> brief addressed to him, toge<strong>the</strong>r with a copy <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> bull <strong>of</strong> convocation. <strong>The</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n invited <strong>the</strong> assembled<br />

princes by word <strong>of</strong> mouth to participate in <strong>the</strong> General<br />

Council. Delfino assured <strong>the</strong>m that <strong>the</strong> Council would<br />

not only, and above all, grant <strong>the</strong>m a hearing, but also<br />

all just demands. As <strong>the</strong>re were almost as many opinions<br />

concerning religion as <strong>the</strong>re were individuals, and as many<br />

gospels as teachers, he begged <strong>the</strong>m to send <strong>the</strong>ir envoys to<br />

Trent, who would receive safe-conduct in <strong>the</strong> fullest form,<br />

and thus to secure <strong>the</strong> re-establishment <strong>of</strong> leligious unity.<br />

Commendone pointed out that this was <strong>the</strong> very moment<br />

for a Council ;<br />

peace now reigned between France and Spain,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> present Pope had zealously resolved to abolish all <strong>the</strong><br />

abuses which had crept into <strong>the</strong> Church and to restore <strong>the</strong><br />

weakened ecclesiastical discipline. <strong>The</strong>y must consider that<br />

it was a question <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faith and <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> salvation <strong>of</strong> souls ;<br />

if <strong>the</strong> foundations <strong>of</strong> religion were to be destroyed, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong><br />

kingdoms would also fall to pieces. <strong>The</strong> assembled princes<br />

desired <strong>the</strong> nuncios to give <strong>the</strong>m what <strong>the</strong>y had said in writing,<br />

1 See Commendone 's report in <strong>the</strong> Miscell. di stor. Ital., VI.,<br />

42, 45, 50 seq., and <strong>the</strong> *Viaggio in <strong>the</strong> Chigi Library, Rome,<br />

quoted infra 225, n. 3.<br />

^ Cf. <strong>the</strong> report <strong>of</strong> Commendone, composed also in Delfino's<br />

name, <strong>of</strong> February 8, 1561, in <strong>the</strong> Miscell. di stor. Ital., VI.,<br />

54 seq., more correctly previously in Pogiani Epist., II., 229 n.,<br />

and also in Ehses, VIII., 149 seq., and <strong>the</strong> report <strong>of</strong> Delfino <strong>of</strong><br />

February 9, 1561, published by Sickel in <strong>the</strong> Neuen Mitteilungen<br />

des thiiringisch-sachsischen Vereins, XII. (1869), 531 seq. Cf.<br />

ibid., a criticism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> reports on <strong>the</strong> negotiations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nuncios.<br />

Concerning <strong>the</strong> Diet <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> princes at Naumberg see Janssen-<br />

Pastor, IV., 15-16, 138 seq.<br />

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