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

358 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
bestowal of the bishoprics was already very considerable,
would thereby be much increased. The Pope was obliged to
resist this, so he and the legates espoused the cause of the
chapters. On account of the dependence of the Spanish
bishops on their government there was reason to fear that
they might allow themselves to be led by the will of Philip II.,
if the votes were taken by word of mouth. The legates
therefore resolved that on this occasion the votes should be
made in writing, and in this manner they gained an important
majority for the chapters. Guise skilfully mediated with
the Spanish bishops, who were now satisfied to accept a much
less extensive amplification of their faculties.^
On November 13th Morone summoned the legates.
Cardinals Guise and Madruzzo, as well as twenty-five other
prelates of different nations, to a meeting, and impressed
upon them the necessity of bringing the Council to a close
with the next Session. Guise also spoke urgently in favour
of a conclusion, painting in strong colours the dangerous
state of France, and alluding to the national council which
was threatened there. The Bishops of Lerida and Leon
were alone in wishing that the King of Spain should first
give his consent. The Archbishop of Granada, on the other
hand, was unconditionally in favour of the closing of the
Council. The dangers arising from the possible decease of
the Pope or the Emperor, and the inconveniences which had
arisen from the long absence of the bishops from their dioceses,
were urgent reasons in favour of this view. It was, there-
fore, resolved to resume the discussion of the reform decrees
already submitted. With regard to the reform of the princes
they approached the task with great moderation, as the secu-
lar power would very soon be required for the enforcement
of the decrees. They therefore adopted that formulation
of the decree, as to which the Pope had come to an agreement
with the Emperor. In this the prescriptions of earlier Coun-
^ See the Relatione sommaria in the Zeitschr. fiir Kirchengesch.,
III., 657 ; Ranke,
Papste, P., 224. Cf. also Mendo^a, 705 seq. ;
SiCKEL, Konzil, 636 seq. ; Pallavicini, 24, 4, 11.