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

352 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
why Pius IV. changed from his originally favourable attitude.
After Ferdinand I. had plainly shown his desire to influence
the Council independently of the Pope, by the delivery of the
reform libellum of June 6th, the happy idea came into the
mind of Pius IV. to connect the confirmation of Maximilian's
election with the Council, that is to say, to obtain Ferdinand's
consent to the closure of the Council in exchange for such
confirmation.^ After long and tiresome negotiations, an
agreement was at last reached on this basis. The task, as
important as it was difficult, of acting as mediator, was
undertaken by Delfino, the ambitious nuncio at the Imperial
court, who succeeded in solving the question to the satisfaction
of Pope and Emperor alike. This decision was reached at
the beginning of October.
On the morning of October loth, a letter from Delfino to the
legates, dated October 4th, arrived in Trent, with the news
that the Emperor had agreed that the Council should be
closed at the next Session. Two days before this, at the
request of almost all the envoys, it had been resolved to
postpone the question of the reform of the princes until the
following Session.^ Delfino said that the Emperor had sent
his envoys similar instructions, and had also sent them, so
as to avoid all delay, a proposal for mediation in the question
of ecclesiastical liberties.^ The contents of this important
message was confirmed on the same day by the Imperial
envoys. The legates immediately announced the happy
tidings to Rome, adding that they were endeavouring to make
an alteration in the articles relating to the secular princes,
and therefore begged for immediate instructions, which were
sent to them as soon as possible.*
refer, Ihid., 453 seq., for the part taken by Maximilian in the
Emperor's decision. The brief of thanks sent to Maximilian
on October 22, in Bucholtz, IX., 716.
1 See Steinherz, III., xliii.
2 See Theiner, II., 423 seq.
3 Steinherz, III. 439, seq.
* SusTA, IV., 305 seq.