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

COMMENDONE AND SWEDEN. 235
send him a direct reply. The king simply wrote on July
22nd, 1561, to the Imperial commissary, Caspar von Schoneich,
who accompanied the nuncio to north Germany, that he
refused the representative of the Bishop of Rome, with whom
he had no relations, the desired entry into his kingdom.
The long expected answer of the King of Sweden, which
arrived at the end of August, 1561, not only observed the
forms of courtesy, but also from its tone held out some hopes.
Eric XIV. excused his delay by saying that he had not been
able to decide about his journey to England, but that now
that he had made up his mind, he left it to the nuncio either
to seek him there, or to wait for his return to Sweden. A safe
conduct was attached to the letter.'^
It was, however, very doubtful whether a journey to
England would be possible for Commendone, as Queen Eliza-
beth had already forbidden Abbot Girolamo Martinengo,
who was to take to her the invitation to the Council, to set
foot in her dominions.^
Commendone decided to return to Antwerp, and there
await developments. In the difficulties of his position it was
a consolation to him that his friends in Rome, the Jesuits
and other rehgious, were praying for him without ceasing.*
On September 9th he left Liibeck^ and travelled by way of
^ Concerning the plan for the mission to the North, cf. the
letters of Commendone in the Miscell. di stor. Ital., VI., 165,
168, 171 seq., 176 seq., 178 seq., 181 seq., 186 seq., 190 seq., 197 seq.,
203 seq. ; Biaudet, Commendones legation till Danmark och
Sverige, 1561, in Finska, Vet. Soc. Forhandlingar, XLVII.,
No. 18, Helsingfors, 1904-5. The brief to the King of Sweden
and Norway of December 5, 1560, in Raynaldus, 1560, n. 74 ;
Le Plat, IV., 656. Cf. also Ehses, VIII. , 117, n. 70.
2 Miscell. di stor. Ital., VI., 233. Ehses, VIII., 252 n. 2.
' C/. Pallavicini, 15, 7, 1-2; Reimann, Commendone, 271;
SusTA, I., 196. Cf. Vol. XVI. of this work.
* Cf. the *letter of C. A. Caligari to Commendone, dated Rome,
August 30, i56i,Lett. diprinc.,XXIII.,32 (Papal Secret Archives).
5 With the letter dated from Liibeck, September i, 1561, ends
the impression in the Miscell. di stor. Ital., VI., 235. The other
^