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

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^<br />

THE QUESTION OF RESIDENCE. 273<br />

against <strong>the</strong> Papal primacy contained in <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>ory <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Spaniards, as well as <strong>the</strong> danger which would follow an<br />

affirmative decision. A definition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> divine right, so he<br />

feared, would not only give <strong>the</strong> Protestants an opening for<br />

fresh attacks upon <strong>the</strong> Curia, but would also injure important<br />

interests <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy See, both in reality and in <strong>the</strong>ory ; it<br />

would bind <strong>the</strong> hands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope and would create an import-<br />

ant prejudice in favour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> superiority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council.<br />

Because he did not wish to see <strong>the</strong> ancient and essential<br />

rights <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Roman primacy lessened, Simonetta did every-<br />

thing in his power to avert this danger. ^ His forebodings<br />

were only shared by Hosius, and not by Gonzaga and Seri-<br />

pando. For <strong>the</strong> rest, it was almost entirely Italian prelates<br />

who were on his side, and <strong>the</strong>ir authority was weakened by <strong>the</strong><br />

fact that, on account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir poverty, <strong>the</strong>y received pecuniary<br />

support <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> Curia, in consequence <strong>of</strong> which <strong>the</strong>y did not<br />

appear to be independent.<br />

How greatly <strong>the</strong> views on this subject, which, in default <strong>of</strong><br />

any binding definition on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church, was still an<br />

open one, were in need <strong>of</strong> being cleared up, appeared in <strong>the</strong><br />

voting which took place in <strong>the</strong> General Congregation on April<br />

20th, on <strong>the</strong> question whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> duty <strong>of</strong> residence was to be<br />

defined as being based on divine institution. It had been<br />

settled that <strong>the</strong> question was to be answered by a simple<br />

" yes " or " no." As many did not keep to this, a confusion<br />

arose which is reflected to this day in <strong>the</strong> very discrepant<br />

statements given by <strong>the</strong> various authorities. According to<br />

<strong>the</strong> notes made by Seripando, 67 fa<strong>the</strong>rs answered with a<br />

simple " yes," and 33 with a simple " no ;<br />

" 38 gave a con-<br />

ditional vote ; some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se voted in <strong>the</strong> affirmative, if <strong>the</strong><br />

Pope were first asked for his opinion, o<strong>the</strong>rs in <strong>the</strong> negative,<br />

if <strong>the</strong> Pope were not asked ; Cardinal Madruzzo remarked<br />

that he would abide by what he had said in a previous session ;<br />

<strong>the</strong> Bishop <strong>of</strong> Budua said that he approved <strong>of</strong> its publication.<br />

1 C/. SusTA, II., 70, 89, 124 seq. ; Eder, I., 142. See also<br />

Paleotto in <strong>The</strong>iner, II., 555.<br />

* See Eder, I., 142.<br />

VOL. XV. 18

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