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

230 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
with great frankness^ of the sad experiences he had so far
had during his journey through north Germany. " Rehgious
conditions in Germany," he explained, " are in such a state
that the apphcation of the remedy must not long be delayed ;
the longer we hesitate the more difficult and dangerous it
will become. The number of the heretics increases from day
to day ; they have not only won over the greater number
of the secular princes, but the territories of the Catholic
princes, both ecclesiastical and seculai, are so polluted and
infected that they can hardly exact service from theii subjects,
nor the customary taxes and obedience. Still, there is no
doubt that the power of the Catholic states of the Empire
is greater than that of the Protestants, and nothing causes
these last to be so respected and feared as their external unity,
though at heart they are much divided, and only united
by their common hatred of the Catholic religion, and their
greed for the ecclesiastical property that still remains. It is
therefore most necessary that the Catholic princes should
at once be truly united and on good terms with each other,
from which it would become possible to hope for every good,
and a happy outcome to the Diet, and even without this the
way would be opened to the Council." Johann von der
Leyen informed Commendone in confidence of the obstacles
which had hitherto frustrated the formation of a Catholic
confederation. Commendone, however, adhered firmly to
his opinion that, if they did not make up their minds to
unite the Catholics, and set them free from their state of fear
and subjection, religious affairs would become almost desperate.
The Archbishop of Treves himself does not seem
to have been free from this state of fear, as was shown by his
pronouncements with regard to the Diet of the Prince Electors
and his answer in the matter of the Council, that he could
not appear in person at Trent, on account of the certain
dangers to which he would expose his territory by his absence.
1 *In questo state sono manco heretici che negl' altri degl'
elettori di Colonia et Moguntia et per tutto si viva catolicamente,
writes Ruggieri, loc. cit.
2 See the letters of Commendone of April 14 and 21, 1561, in
Ehses, VIII., 191 and 194. C/. Reimann, Commendone, 261 seq.
^