plexitate nos eximat, sed ut paterno affectu Causæ et Regi huic optimo subveniat et opem ferat, atque ex Potestatis suæ plenitudine et summa prudentia finem huic rei optatum imponat, quæ non sine magno hujus Regni et Ecclesiasticæ dignitatis periculo diutius trahi potest: Speramus autem Serenissimum hunc Regem in hujusmodi avocandæ Causæ consilio facile quieturum, salebrosa hæc litium itinera et labirinthos evitaturum, modo in fide Sanctitatis Vestræ chyrographo manus suæ testata, cognoverit, se diutius suspenso in hac re animo detinendum non fore, atq; ab hujusmodi Matrimonio se tandem liberandum, in quo nec humano nec divino jure permanere se posse putat, ex causis Sanctitati Vestræ forsan notis, et per hos suos nuntios longioribus verbis explicandis. Quod si Sanctitas Vestra commodius existimaverit, Avocatione hujusmodi posthabita, per Decretalis unius concessionem huic causæ occurri et succurri posse, in hanc quoque rationem Regis animum paratum da bimus; et propterea concepto quodam Decretalis modulo, eum per hos ipsos Majestatis suæ nuntios mittimus, ex quibus abunde intelliget, quodque non absque exemplo istiusmodi auxilia proponantur, et quam non temere nec absque ratione Majestas hæc desiderio huic suo inhæreat: interea vero, dum hac vel illa ratione huic rei occuritur et Breve ipsum perquiretur, posset utiq; Sanctitas Vestra iterum Reginæ animum tentare, et ad Religionem emollire, curando (ut quod maxime apud eam gratia et Autoritate esse debeant) et literis, et precibus, et nuntiis, omniq; alia ratione, hac ipsa via, sibi, suisq; rebus omnibus, atq; aliis optime consulat. Cujusmodi multa, pro salute Regni et publica cum dignitate, tum tranquillitate animo agitamus, ut tandem optimo Regi præsidio simus, qui incredibili patientia et humanitate, nostram et Sanctitatis Vestræ opem expectat, sed tanta obsessus cura, sollicitudine et anxietate, ut nullus facile explicare possit, vix enim in hoc ipso, oculis et auribus nostris credimus; cujus usque adeo nos miseret, ut nihil ingrato magis animo audiamus quam ejus de hac re verba, querelas et cruciatum: jare, an injuria liceat nobis hoc, Beatissime Pater, cum Sanctitate Vestra tacere, ne præjudicium nobis aut aliis faciamus, sed quem non excitet tot annorum Conscientiæ Carnificina, quam ut transversum et modo in has et modo in illas partes agant Theologorum disputationes, et Patrum decreta, nullus non videt; qua in re enucleanda ita ambiguo laboratur sensu, ut jam non doctioris sed melioris hominis lumine et pietate egeamus, et propterea factum est ut cum ab utraq; parte stant assertores maximi, in illam magis Majestas sua inclinat, quæ ab offensionibus et periculis magis remota vi» detur. Quem præterea non moveat dulcis illa insitaque sobolis successio, in qua morientes et animam exhalaturi conquiescere, natura ipsa, videmur omnes? quem insuper non accendat, Regni atque imperii propagatio, et per solos liberos continuata quædam fruitio? quem deniq; populorum fidei ac ejus curæ commissorum tranquillitas et securitas, quæ in designatis jam regibus et principibus nutritur et vivit, non sollicitet? ita ut tanti adeoq; communis boni fundamenta nulla a se jacta, non doleat et suspiret, cum in extremis ejus diebus, extrema quoque tempora eis adventare sentiat, atq; secum omnia quodammodo in ruinam trahi? Majores habet, Beatissime Pater, Causa hæc anfractus et difficultates, quam superficie tenus inspectantibus offerantur, in quo vel hæ potissimæ sunt quod nec moram patitur, et iu alteram partem non inclinat quidem, sed omnino cogit, ni velimus ab ea præcipites et maxima cum privatæ tum publicæ rei jactura cadere; nam qui vel Reginæ odio, vel speratæ, nec dum forsan notæ, futuræ conjugis illecebra et titillatione Regem agi putant, ii excordes plane et toto, quod aiunt, cœlo errare videntur: ut enim credere dignum est, nullis illius quamlibet duris moribus aut injocunda consuetudine, vel ulterioris sobolis spe desperata, Regium animo tanto periculo ad odium impelli posse; ita nec in hominis bene sani mente cadere debet, Regem hunc imbecillo adeo esse animo, ut sensuum suadela eam abrumpere cupiat consuetudinem, in qua adolescentiæ suæ florentes annos exegerit persancte adeo, ut in hac quoq; fluctuatione, non sine reverentia et honore versetur. Inest, credite omnes, voluntati ejus non modo divinæ legis timor, sed humani quoq; juris ratio eximia, hæcq; non privata sed publica, ad quam cum ejus animum trahant, utriusq; juris peritissimi, et Regni hujus sui proceres, et primates omnes, nihil tamen suo, aut suorum tantum arbitrio constitutum habere cupit, sed Apostolicæ Sedis judicio; qua in re quanta sit pietate, maxime ostendit, quum non ex magorum carminibus, et circulatorum imposturis, aliisve malis artibus, sed Sanctissima Pontificis manu, tanto huic vulneri suo opem petat, de quo vel plura forte quam licuisset Sanctitati Vestræ subjecimus, quoniam hæc ipsa ulcera manibus nostris contrectavimus, et quantum vitales spiritus exhalent cognovimus: proinde Sanctitas Vestra, pii patris et peritissimi medici more, dum virtus adhuc stat, dum salus non desperatur, dum æger ipse scse sustinet et legitima petit auxilia, Regem de se at Apostolica sede optime me. ritum in pietatis suæ sinu foveat, illudq; ei indulgeat quod nec disputationum immortalia dissidia, nec litium immensum chaos unquam dabit, nec sine maximo discrimine un quam tractabitur; atque illud etiam secum reputet, quam injurium, et cum privatis tum publicis rebus incommodum sit, extremos juris apices consectari, quanquam non expediat ex scripto jure semper judiciari; cui, quia Pontifices et Principes miro omnium consensu, a Deo ipso præfecti, censentur Spiritus et animæ vice, merito in ambiguis, et ubi multa periclitatur hominum salus, arbitrio suo ejus duritiem moderari possunt et debent, in quo Sanctitas Vestra et Regem et Regnum hoc plane servaverit. Quod si alia ratione vel aliunde paranda sibi fuerint auxilia, veremur ne de Regno et Rege hoc actum sit, quicquid enim alia manu huic vulneri impositum fuerit, nihil minus faciet quam sanitatem, seditionibus enim et tumultibus omnia exponentur, atq; imprimis Ecclesiastic Dignitas et Apostolicæ Sedis Authoritas hinc deturbabitur; quod non erit difficile, aut ingratum quibusdam, qui Rege cum Sanctitate Vestra uunc conjunctissimo, impietatis suæ venenum perbelle dissimulant; Cujusmodi jacturam si dura hæc tempora nostra fecerunt, quod deinde superandum sit, non videmus. Conservandus itaq; Rex est, ejusq; eximia in Apostolicam Sedem voluntas et fides, ne eo a nobis abali. enato, non modo Angliæ Regem, sen Fidei quoq; Defensorem amittamus, cujus virtutes et Religionem tanto plausu orbi commendavimus. Brevitati studentes multa præterimus, et præsertim quid Regni proceres, Nobiles æque atque ignobiles dicant, qui fremunt et acerbissime indignantur, se tamdiu suspensos haberi, atq; ab aliorum nutu et voluntate exspectare, quid de fortunis eorum omnibus et capitibus statuant, aut decernant atq; hac potissimum via insistunt, qui nullam aut certe diminutam hic Romani Pontificis Authoritatem vellent, quorum pleriq; in his disceptationibus, quibus alter alteri, ut usu venire solet, re in ambiguo posita, adversatur, ea dicunt quæ non absq; horrore referri queant; nam inter cætera illud maxime in ore obvium habent, et prædicant, se nunquam satis demirari, aut ridere posse quorundam ignaviam, qui patienter audiunt, Pontificibus in Jure Divino figendo et refigendo licere, Pontifici Pontificis ceram aut plumbum conflare non permitti nos, ut hos scopulos et has syrtes evitemus, nihil non agimus, et ne præceps, huc vel illuc, Rex hic ruat, curamus, quem in officio vix contineri posse confidimus, dum a Sanctitate Vestra his literis rescribatur: quibus si ut speramus et cupimus aliquid rescriptum fuerit, per quod et Regem et horum omnium animos quietiores reddere valeamus, accedet nobis quoq; vis aliqua cætera felicius perficiendi; sin minus, omnia in deterius itura non ambigimus. Quæ ut celerius Majestas sua cognoscat, præsentes hos nuntios suos per dispositos equos ad Sanctitatem Vestram mittit, ex quorum sermone plura quoque intelligent quam literæ ipsæ commode capere potuerunt. Ignoscet vero Sanctitas Vestra literarum nostrarum prolixitati, quæ tametsi modum excedunt, rei tamen hujus difficultatem et periculum majori ex parte minime attingunt. XXV. Another dispatch to Rome. An Original. May 25, 1521, Richmont. RIGHT well beloved Friends, I commend me unto you in my most hearty manner, by the hands of Alexander, Messenger; I have in good diligence received your Letters of the 4th of this month: and semblably the King's Highness hath received your other Letters, sent by the same Messenger unto his Grace: By tenour where of it well appeareth that the King's Highness is now frustrate of the good hope and expectation that his Grace and semblably I were in of the Pope's determination, to have done for his Highness in this great and weighty Cause of Matrimony, as his Holiness by his Chamberlain promised; not only that which might be done of power ordinary, but also of absolute; and that ye be utterly in despair to consecute or attain any thing to the purpose there, to the benefit of the said. Cause, with the strange demeanour that hath been used in calling you to make answer, why the supplications presented by the Emperor's Ambassador for advocation of the Cause should not proceed; and how discreetly and substantially ye have answered and ordered yourselves therein : Affirming finally, that as to that Matter, ye think it shall not serve to any purpose, but only to stop your suit in the obtaining of a new Commission, and desiring to be ascertained of the king's pleasure touching the Protestation mentioned in your Instructions, and how the same is meant and understood, with many other things comprised in your said letters, right well and substantially couched and handled; for the which the King's Highness giveth you hearty thanks, and I also thank you in most hearty manner for my part. Ascertaining you that by Thadeus, Courier, upon receipt of your former Letters sent by him, who I trust be arrived with you long before this time; I wrote unto you the King's mind and pleasure, as well to forbear any further pursuits of the Degrees committed unto your charge, except only the expedition of a new Commission and Pollicitation mentioned in the same. As also that you Mr. Stevins, and Sir Francis Brian, should return home, like as my said Letters purported. And forasmuch as now it appeareth, that there is no hope for you to attain the said Commission and Pollicitation, the King's Highness supposing that ye the said Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis be on your way homeward; and perceiving that it should be necessary for his Grace to have there a substantial Counsellor of his, well learned in the laws, as well to defend all such things as shall be procured or set forth by the Cæsareans, to the hinderance of the King's Cause, as to let and impeach any Advocations, Inhibitions, or other thing that may be dammageable thereunto, hath dispatched thither this Bearer and Mr. Bennet, who hath commandment to shew unto you, and every of you, wheresoever he shall meet with or find you, his whole Instructions, by tenor whereof ye shall be advertised of the King's further mind and pleasure in that behalf; wherefore this shall be only to signifie unto you, how his Highness will that ye now forbear any pursuit, either for Commission, Pollicitation or Rescript to be sent to the Emperor for exhibition of the Brief, either here or at Rome, but that following in every part the tenor of the said Instructions, ye Mr. Stevins and Sir Francis Brian use all the diligence possible in your Voyage homeward, and the residue of you to intend to such things as be mentioned in the said Instructions; ascertaining you, that whereas ye were in doubt what is meant by the Protestation spoken of in my former Letters and your Instructions, it was none other thing than in the same Instructions was plainly specified and declared; That is to say, Failing of all your Requests and Pursuits touching the King's great Matter, to have shewed unto his Holiness the danger that might ensue, by losing the entire favour of this Prince, by mean of his so strange and unkind dealing with his Grace; howbeit, considering in what state the things now be, and how much the Pope's Holiness seemeth to be inclined to the Emperors part; and yet as appeareth both by your Letters, and by such other knowledg as the King hath, his Holiness would gladly conserve the King's Love and Favour, and is loth to do any thing to the prejudice of his Cause: It is no time to come to any rigorous or extream words with his Holiness, but in gentle and modest manner to shew himself in such words as be mentioned in my said last Letters sent by Thadeus; and so without irritation of him, but with conser |