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

256 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
had decided to send several bishops at once ; the choice of
the others who were to go to the Council was only made in
September.! The appointment and sending of an envoy
was deferred until later.
The nuncio, Gualterio, had in September little to report
from France that was gratifying, as far as the prospects of
the departure of the envoys for the Coimcil was concerned.
The attitude of the French government towards this important
question was now, as before, very ambiguous. ^ On
October 8th, indeed, Borromeo was able to write to the
nuncio that he had heard that the Queen Regent proposed
to send her orators and prelates ;
that, however, had been a
vain hope, and had not been fulfilled, for the French coun-
cil did not believe in the usefulness of an ecumenical synod,
but hoped to be in a position to enter into a compromise
with the Huguenots, by means of a religious conference and
certain concessions on the part of the Pope.^ The decision
arrived at by twenty-fiv^ of the bishops at the end of October,
by which six of them were to proceed at once to San Martin o,
was not taken seriously.^ It was also most unfortunate that
the Emperor proved himself so little desirous of keeping
his promise, and of sending his envoys and the bishops of his
hereditary dominions to the Council. He was indeed resolved
to do so, as he had said, but he wished to wait as long as
possible before sending the envoys, as he feared lest his repre-
sentatives might arrive too soon at Trent, and have to remain
there alone. ^ He hesitated to give a definite answer till
winter had actually arrived, and it was only when he had
learned from his ambassador, Arco, that the Pope had given
1 See SusTA, I., 78, 80, 257.
2 See §usTA, I., 248 seq. ; cf. 181 seq., 215 seq. On September
13, 1 561, G. A. Caligari *wrote from Rome to Commendone :
" Si dice che le cose di Francia vanno molto male e seguitano 11
lore conciliabolo." Lett, di princ, XXIII. , 34 (Papal Secret
Archives).
3 Cf. SusTA, I., 87 seq., 290.
* Cf. SusTA, I., 290.
^ See Steinherz, I., cvi.