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

PHILIP II. 253
previously been nuncio in Spain, and was much beloved
there, was sent to Philip II. on May 23rd. He took with him
important concessions on the points at issue with the Spanish
government. He was authorized, with regard to the Council,
to offer the king that he should be sent a secret brief, design-
ating the bull of November the i8th as a " bull of continuation."^
When Raverta reached the Spanish court on
June 13th, Philip had already given way in view of the grave
development in affairs in France, and in order to gain the
assistance of Pius IV. against the Turks. ^ The nuncio,
Giovanni Campegio, Bishop of Bologna, had learned this at
the beginning of June, and had at once informed Rome of it.^
The official announcement took the form of a royal circular
on June 13th, which summoned all the bishops to prepare
the number
for their journey at the beginning of September ;
of those who were to go to the Council, and the definite time
of their departure, was to be decided later.-* The brief which
Philip II. desired, containing the declaration concerning the
continuation of the Council of Trent, was drawn up on July
17th, and was immediately dispatched, together with an
autograph letter of the Pope of July i6th, declaring the
validity of the decrees of the Council of Trent.
By this act of compliance on the part of Philip II. the
most dangerous rock was avoided, and the meeting of the
Council was assured.^ On July 2nd, the official announcement
of this favourable turn of affairs, which had so far only been
known privately, arrived in Rome.'' Three days later the
1 See SusTA, I., 31 seq., 204.
^ Cf. §usTA, I., 194, and Steinherz, I., 274.
' See his report of June 5, 1561, in Susta, I., 193.
* See Gachard, Corresp. de Marguerite, I., 291 ; Susta, I., 194.
Eder (I., 78) is wrong in giving the date of the circular as June 3.
5 One of the documents in Sickel, Berichte, II., 107, the other
in DoLLiNGER, Beitrage, I., 366. Cf. Ehses, VIII., 279.
^ The opinion of Steinherz, I., cix.
' See Borromeo's letter to Hosius of July 2, 1561, in Steinherz,
I., 273 seq., and that of the same date to the legates of the Council
in §usTA, I., 44 seq.
^