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

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CHAPTER VII.<br />

Final Preparations for <strong>the</strong> Re-opening <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Council.<br />

<strong>The</strong> attitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Emperor towards <strong>the</strong> question <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Council was <strong>of</strong> decisive importance. Hosius made <strong>the</strong> most<br />

urgent representations to him, but he could not succeed in<br />

obtaining Ferdinand's consent to <strong>the</strong> conciliar bull. At<br />

<strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> January, 1561, <strong>the</strong> Emperor at length gave up at<br />

any rate his opposition to <strong>the</strong> solemn publication <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> in-<br />

dulgence in Vienna, whereby he acknowledged in principle<br />

<strong>the</strong> Pope's project for a Council. ^ On February 13th, 1561,<br />

however, when <strong>the</strong> answer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Protestant princes arrived<br />

<strong>from</strong> Naumburg, <strong>the</strong> Emperor became more reserved than<br />

ever, and took up a still more dilatory attitude. Pius IV.<br />

vainly tried, by making concessions in <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

visitation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> monasteries, and by sending <strong>the</strong> Papal<br />

chamberlain, Canobio, with <strong>the</strong> consecrated hat and sword,<br />

to bring about a change in his attitude. When Canobio<br />

and Hosius were conferring with Ferdinand on February<br />

14th about <strong>the</strong> acceptance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bull, he remarked that,<br />

personally, he had always agreed, but that he wished <strong>the</strong><br />

Council to be a success, and to make sure that a war should<br />

not arise <strong>from</strong> its convocation ; his care now must be to see<br />

that <strong>the</strong> Catholic bishops should be able to attend <strong>the</strong> Council<br />

without fear ; it was his intention to make peace with <strong>the</strong><br />

Protestant princes if <strong>the</strong>y would promise this to <strong>the</strong> bishops<br />

who were travelling to <strong>the</strong> Council. Two days later <strong>the</strong><br />

Emperor again declared to Hosius that he was himself in<br />

favour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, but that for <strong>the</strong> moment he could<br />

not promise <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bishops ; he wished,<br />

^ Cf. Eder, I., 72 seq.<br />

vol. XV. 241 16

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