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

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DEMANDS OF FERDINAND I. 345<br />

very reasonably expressed <strong>the</strong>ir surprise that this request<br />

should now be made, since <strong>the</strong> Eriiperor had always insisted<br />

so strongly on general reform, and Morone was quite outspoken<br />

in telling <strong>the</strong> Archbishop <strong>of</strong> Prague his opinion. On<br />

former occasions bitter complaints had been made when <strong>the</strong><br />

legates sought to learn <strong>the</strong> opinion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pope before <strong>the</strong>y<br />

submitted questions to <strong>the</strong> Council, and yet <strong>the</strong> Pope was<br />

not only <strong>the</strong>ir prince, but also that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church. Now,<br />

however, when <strong>the</strong> Pope had practically waived this right,<br />

and at <strong>the</strong> same time empowered <strong>the</strong> Council to act in all<br />

matters without previous intimation to Rome, <strong>the</strong> Emperor<br />

wished to dictate to <strong>the</strong> Council that such and such an article<br />

is not to be dealt with. Nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> legates nor <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council were prepared to submit to such a lowering <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Papal dignity, or such a violation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> freedom <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Council. At length, in order to avoid an open breach be-<br />

tween <strong>the</strong> Emperor and <strong>the</strong> Council, <strong>the</strong>y decided that <strong>the</strong><br />

Archbishop <strong>of</strong> Prague should ask for fur<strong>the</strong>r instructions<br />

<strong>from</strong> Ferdinand I., to which course Cardinal Guise also agreed.^<br />

During <strong>the</strong>se negotiations, Morone, in his easily under-<br />

stood excitement, had made use <strong>of</strong> such strong expressions<br />

that he thought it well to send a letter <strong>of</strong> explanation to <strong>the</strong><br />

Emperor ; he remained, however, quite firm on <strong>the</strong> piont,<br />

and defended his views in a second letter which he addressed<br />

to Ferdinand in <strong>the</strong> attempt to dissuade him <strong>from</strong> his opposi-<br />

tion to <strong>the</strong> arguments put forward by <strong>the</strong> legates. In this<br />

letter he submitted <strong>the</strong> following statements : <strong>the</strong> reform<br />

decree was in <strong>the</strong> first instance handed to all <strong>the</strong> envoys, so<br />

that it might, after it had been amended in accordance with<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir suggestions, finally be laid before <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>rs. Several<br />

articles, to which <strong>the</strong> envoys had taken exception, we ei<strong>the</strong>r<br />

altered or entirely withdrew. We have urgently begged<br />

every one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> envoys to give us his own views upon <strong>the</strong><br />

matter, so that if anything now appears in <strong>the</strong> decree to<br />

which one or ano<strong>the</strong>r takes exception, it is not our fault,<br />

1 Cf. <strong>the</strong> report <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> legates <strong>of</strong> August 28, 1563, ah-eady used<br />

by Pallavicini, in Susta, IV., 200 seq. Cf. Sickel, Konzil, 586 seq.

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