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

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320 HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

sentiments <strong>of</strong> this Hapsburg prince, who was always well-<br />

intentioned, although not always far-seeing.<br />

<strong>The</strong>re still remained, however, many difficulties to be sur-<br />

mounted. Morone found <strong>the</strong> opinion prevalent at <strong>the</strong> court<br />

that <strong>the</strong>re was in Rome a spirit <strong>of</strong> opposition to all reforms.<br />

Not only <strong>the</strong> Emperor's advisers, but Ferdinand himself,<br />

could not be dissuaded <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> view that difficulties would<br />

be put in <strong>the</strong> way <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> decrees <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council in <strong>the</strong> Curia,<br />

by granting dispensations.^ It also caused considerable delay<br />

when <strong>the</strong> legate, soon after his arrival, fell ill with gout and<br />

fever, and was confined to his bed. <strong>The</strong> Emperor paid him<br />

<strong>the</strong> great honour <strong>of</strong> a visit, during <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> which he<br />

remarked that he wished to uphold <strong>the</strong> authority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope,<br />

but also that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council. Morone replied by explaining<br />

<strong>the</strong> necessity <strong>of</strong> <strong>close</strong> co-operation between <strong>the</strong> Pope and <strong>the</strong><br />

Council, quoting a remark <strong>of</strong> Cardinal Contarini, who was<br />

greatly esteemed by <strong>the</strong> Emperor, to <strong>the</strong> effect that it is <strong>the</strong><br />

Pope who gives authority and power to <strong>the</strong> Council, but that<br />

<strong>the</strong> Council must also have great respect for <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

successor <strong>of</strong> St. Peter. Morone also enlarged upon <strong>the</strong> blessing<br />

which united action on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope and <strong>the</strong> Emperor<br />

would bring, not only on <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> reform, but also on <strong>the</strong><br />

elucidation <strong>of</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r questions. <strong>The</strong> election <strong>of</strong> Maximilian<br />

as King, which was <strong>of</strong> great importance to <strong>the</strong> Emperor,<br />

was also touched upon.^<br />

Ferdinand I. had promised to arrive at a speedy settlement<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> negotiations. As he was still confined to his bed during<br />

<strong>the</strong> days that followed, Morone sent Delfino to <strong>the</strong> Emperor<br />

on May 3rd, to beg him to come to an early decision, without<br />

any exchange <strong>of</strong> letters ; in this, however, he was not success-<br />

ful. Morone in <strong>the</strong> meantime sought to convince <strong>the</strong> chamber-<br />

lain, Count Arco, and <strong>the</strong> Imperial <strong>the</strong>ologians, who appeared<br />

at his bedside, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> genuineness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope's intentions <strong>of</strong><br />

reform, and to explain to <strong>the</strong>m how impracticable were <strong>the</strong><br />

demands <strong>of</strong> Ferdinand I. in <strong>the</strong> matters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> right <strong>of</strong> proposi-<br />

^ See Morone's report to Borromeo <strong>of</strong> May 2, 1 563, in Steinherz,<br />

III., 282.<br />

* See ibid., 'zjg seq.

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