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

242 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
therefore, first to consult the CathoHc Electors of the Empire.
Hosius answered that there was danger in delay ; if the
French, tired of waiting, summoned a national council, and
went their own way in ecclesiastical matters, the power of
the Protestants would thereby be strengthened. Regard-
less of this, the Emperor persisted in his opinion that he
could do nothing until he had conferred upon the subject
with the Catholic princes, or at any rate with the ecclesiastical
Electors.^ The continued efforts of Hosius during the follow-
ing days had no better success, Ferdinand constantly re-
peating that he must await the answer of the ecclesiastical
Electors. 2
While these negotiations were taking place, France appeared
to have given up her opposition to the conciliar bull. At
the beginning of March the Council of State resolved to
accept the bull, which fact was communicated to the nuncio,
Gualterio, and the envoy extraordinary, Lorenzo Lenzi,
Bishop of Fermo. In an official note of March 3rd, which
Abbot Niquet was to take to Rome, the participation of
France in the Council was, it is true, made dependent on
the consent of Ferdinand I. and Philip II.
Before the news of this reached Rome, however, Pius IV.
had taken steps to appoint the legates for the Council. In
^ Cf. Steinherz, I., xcix, 215 seq. ; Eder, I., 73.
- See Steinherz, I., 219 seq. ; ibid., 221 seq., the report of
Hosius to Borromeo of March 3, 1561, concerning his interview
with Ferdinand I. on March 2. On the last day of February,
1 561, Hosius wrote to Commendone : *Hic nihil est novi hoc
tempore. Concilii causa nescio quomodo extrahitur longius.
Caes. Maiestas non satis suam sententiam explicat ac prius etiam
rem ad principes ecclesiasticos electores praesertim referri vult
quam expresse declaret se in concilium consentire. Ego urgere
non desino, quantumque pericuh sit in mora positum incuico,
sed non multum proficio. Quid sit fuurum, Deus scit. On
March 1 , 1 Hosius wrote to Commendone : *Adhuc Caes. Maiestas
deliberat in causa concilii et responsum a catholicis principibus
ex Germania expectat (Graziani Archives, Citta di Castello).
^ See SusTA, I., 170; SicKEL, Konzil, 186 n. ; Eder, I., 74;
Ehses, Vni., 167.
^