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

228 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
had still managed to maintain themselves near Frankfort on
Oder, some property which had been taken away from them.
The Elector promised to grant both requests.
However greatly Commendone may have appreciated the
benevolent frame of mind and the good will of Joachim II.
towards a peaceful settlement of the religious disputes, he
had no illusions, however, as to the attitude which this prince
would adopt with regard to the matter of the Council.^ The
often repeated claims of the Elector that the Protestant
theologians should be granted a vote at the ecumenical Council
could not, in accordance with Catholic principles, be allowed.
Commendone remained at Wolfenbiittel, with the aged
Duke of Brunswick, Henry the Younger, from March 8th
till the 13th. This prince, who had remained true to the
old faith, declared himself ready to send envoys to Trent.
On the 14th Commendone arrived at Hildesheim, where
he did not meet the bishop of that place, Burkard von
Oberg. The Duke Eric II. of Brunswick and the Bishop
of Osnabriick were also absent, so Commendone delivered
the Papal invitation to the Council to their councillors.
At Paderborn, where Commendone arrived on March
22nd, he at last found a city which stUl remained entirely
Catholic. The bishop, Rembert von Kerssenbrock, promised,
in spite of his great age, to attend the Council. Munster
was reached on March 26th. In contrast to Paderborn,
many had fallen away from the church in the diocese
of Miinster, which was certainly in consequence of the
want of vigilance on the part of the bishops of the
district. 3 The metropolitan of that time, Bernhard von
Raesfeld, did not appear to show much zeal in the carrying
out of his pastoral duties, and his reply was in keeping with
his conduct : he endeavoured to excuse himself from going
to Trent, on account of the proximity of the Protestants
and the disobedience of his subjects.
^ Cf. the passages from the letters cited by Reimann, p. 259, n. i
^Cf. Ehses, VIII., 177.
3 Cf. Ruggieri in the *Viaggio in the Chigi Library, Rome,
quoted supra, p. 225, n. 3.
^.