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

248 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
On March 21st Pius IV. granted, an indulgence to all those
who, after receiving the sacraments, were present at the
entry of the legates, and prayed for the successful issue of the
Council. 1 Seripando started for Trent on March 26th, and
had a long conference with the Pope before he set out.^
Ferdinand I., in his conferences with Hosius on March
i8th and 19th, had replied to the earnest request for his
decision by reproaching the Pope with having occasioned the
delay, since he had not yet answered the Emperor's question
as to what he intended to do with regard to the reply of the
Protestant princes assembled at Naumburg. Ferdinand,
however, had already been informed of the Pope's intentions
in a letter from Arco, which arrived on March i8th. Pius IV.
had answered the ambassador, when he had handed him the
documents from Naumburg, that, as the Council was summoned
for Easter, he must send his legates to Trent, but
that these would, in the meantime, hold no sessions with the
bishops who were there ;
the Pope would await the decision
of the Catholic princes of Germany. In spite of this,
Ferdinand, when he was again urged by Hosius to appoint
his representatives, kept repeating that he was waiting for
the decision of the Pope, which was evidently a mere excuse
to conceal his own indecision.^
In the meantime, great difficulties in the way of the acceptance
of the conciliar bull had also arisen in Spain. The
theologians there objected to the evasion of the question as
to whether the Council was a new one or a continuation of
ths former one, and insisted that the latter view must be
definitely expressed.^ The Spanish bishops attached great
importance to this question, because they wished to be sure
that the decree of the Council concerning the subordination
of the cathedral chapters would be upheld.^ The repre-
^ See Raynaldus, 1561, n. 4 ; Le Plat, IV., 69S seq.
- See Massarelli, 333 ; Seripandi Comment., 464.
^ Cf. Steinherz, L, ci seq., 228 seq., 235 5^^.
* Cf. Dollinger, Beitrage, I., 348, and Coleccion de docum.
ined., IX., 97.
^ See SiCKEL, Konzil, 185, 189, 209 seq.