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

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COMMENDONE AND THE ELECTORS. 229<br />

On tlie way to Cologne Commendone touched on <strong>the</strong><br />

dominions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Duke <strong>of</strong> Cleves, where he again found many<br />

Lu<strong>the</strong>rans. Things looked better in <strong>the</strong> territory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Elector <strong>of</strong> Cologne, whose capital <strong>the</strong> nuncio reached at <strong>the</strong><br />

end <strong>of</strong> March. <strong>The</strong>re he took up his residence in <strong>the</strong> Abbey<br />

<strong>of</strong> St. Pantaleon. <strong>The</strong> nuncio and those who accompanied<br />

him were astonished at <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> churches, said to be<br />

as many as three hundred, and at <strong>the</strong> rich treasures <strong>of</strong> relics<br />

which <strong>the</strong> Rhenish metropolis possessed. <strong>The</strong> city was not<br />

quite free <strong>from</strong> heresy, but <strong>the</strong> zeal with which <strong>the</strong> people<br />

frequented <strong>the</strong> churches made a most favourable impression<br />

on <strong>the</strong> Pope's representative.^ His original intention, <strong>of</strong><br />

spending Holy Week in Cologne, and <strong>the</strong>n carrying out his<br />

commission, he had to give up on learning that a Diet <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

German Electors was to be held at Frankfort on <strong>the</strong> 20th.<br />

He could not fail to take advantage <strong>of</strong> this favourable oppor-<br />

tunity <strong>of</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, so he im-<br />

mediately repaired to Briihl to see <strong>the</strong> archbishop, Johann<br />

Gebhard <strong>of</strong> Mansfeld, who was grievously ill. <strong>The</strong> answer<br />

which he received <strong>the</strong>re, however, was very unsatisfactory.<br />

In sending this to Cardinal Borromeo, he wrote : " I do not<br />

believe that any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bishops are thinking <strong>of</strong> coming to<br />

Trent. <strong>The</strong> princes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r religion do all <strong>the</strong>y can to<br />

prevent <strong>the</strong>ir appearance <strong>the</strong>re, and in this manner to weaken<br />

<strong>the</strong> authority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council. "^<br />

Commendone visited <strong>the</strong> Elector <strong>of</strong> Treves, Johann von<br />

der Leyen, by making a journey to Coblence. <strong>The</strong> two pre-<br />

lates understood each o<strong>the</strong>r very well, and made friends,<br />

although, even more strongly than <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r bishops, Johann<br />

insisted on <strong>the</strong> impossibility <strong>of</strong> leaving his people or diocese,<br />

in view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dangerous position <strong>of</strong> affairs, and <strong>the</strong> ex-<br />

periences <strong>of</strong> 1552.^<br />

In his conversations with <strong>the</strong> Archbishop <strong>of</strong> Treves, whose<br />

diocese still remained entirely Catholic, Commendone spoke<br />

^ See Ruggieri, *Viaggio, Chigi Library, Rome.<br />

^Letter <strong>of</strong> April 11, 1561, in Ehses, VIII. , 18 seq.<br />

'See Ehses, Ein Nuntius, 41, and VIII., 193 seq.

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