tent to employ himself, joyntly with the said Confederats, in all Generall Counsailes, they being Catholici et Liberi, in Loco etiam omni Parte tuto, for the Defence of their mere and trew Doctryns of the Gospell, according to their Desires. But as touching the Ceremonies, there may be different Rites, and such Dyversite used in dyvers Domynyons, fere per totum Mundum, that it will be harde to conclude anye Certentie in them. Wherefore his Highnes thinketh it mete, that the Order and Limitacion of them shoulde be left to the Arbitres of the Governours of every Domynyon, supposing that every of them can tell what is most comodious for his owne Domynyons.

To the Thirde, his Majestie answereth, That he is contented, that neyther his Highnes, (without the express Consent of the said Princes and Stats Confederate) nor the same Princes and Stats Confederate, (without the express Consent of his Highnes) shall assent nor agree to any Indiction of a Generall Counsaile, or to any Generall Counsaile, which the Bishop of Rome that now is, or that hereafter shall be, or any other by whatsoever pretend Auctory tee, doth or shall make, enter, presume, or begynne, or cause to be made, entered, presumed, or begon, but that they neyther shall consent to any Place of the future Counsaile, nor to the Counsaile selfe, except it be by their mutual Consents, assented and agreed unto; provyded nevertheless, that if it shall appear certenly by just Arguments and Reasons both to his Majestie, and the said Confederats, that a Christien Free Counsaile may be indicted, in loco etiam omni Parte tuto, that then that Counsaile shall not be by him, or them, refused.

The 4th, 5th, and 6th Articles, his Highnes is content to accept in every Point, according to their own devises.

To the 7th, his Grace answereth, That he doth moste fully accepte their good Overture therein, by the which they declare their good Inclynacion and Hertie Good Will towarde his Highnes; nevertheles, his Majestie desireth them to take in good Parte, that he doth not accepte the saide Name and Place, till he be throughlie agreed with them uppon the Articles before rehearsed; which ones agreed on, his Highnes entendeth most thankfully to accept the same.

The 8th Article, his Majestie is content to accepte according to their own Desire.

9th, Also his Highnes agreeth, so that they woll adde therunto, that in that Case of Warre, neyther Partie shall suffer or permytte any of their Subjects, or Servants, to serve them, that in such wise shall by any Warre molest any of them.

To the 10th, his Majestie answereth, That for the Warres already by past, he being in no Confederacion with them, thinketh it very strange, and somewhat unreasonable, that they should of his Highnes require any Ayde or Assistence; but in case that this Confederacion now spoken of do take effecte, and that the contynuance of Warre seme to be neccssary, by their mutual Consents, for the supporting of their Faith against their Adversaries; and therefore the Confederats being allso bound to contrybute for their Parts, every Man for his Porcyon as shall be thought necessary amongst us; his Highnes will be content for his Parte, in Declaracyon of his Loving Harte to them, to contribute 100000 Crowns, the Tyme, and Place, and Facion, for the Employment of the same, ones bytwen his Grace and them agreed on: Provyded that in Case that eyther there shall be no Warre made to any of the Parts for the same; or that it shall be sooner ended then shall be looked for, that then the Hole or, that Part left and remayning, shal be fully and trewly bona fide restored unto his Highnes, whensoever he shall demaunde, or require the

same.

The 11th, his Majestie doth accepte according to their owne offer.

The 12th, his Highnes also agreeth unto.

To the 13th, (Two lines torn out) agreed unto the most Part of the Articles, they will now according to their own offer, with all Speed and Diligence, send hither their Ambassadors plenaryly instructed to comon, agree, and conclude with his Majestie in all Things that shall be comoned of, and treated betwixt his Highnes and them.

XLVI.

The Answer of the King's Ambassadors, made to the Duke Saxon, and the Landgrave of Hessie.

(Cotton Lib. E. 4, P. 104.)

FIRST, that his Highnes, aswell by his Ambassadors, as their Letters from Smalkald, doth perceive Two Things; the one is their Gratitude and Benevolence towards his Majestie, and that they desire the Continuance between their Progenitors inviolably observed to be increased: The other is not only thair great Constance in the setting forth of the Trueth of the Gospell that was darkened afore, but allso that they exhorte his Grace to the Defence of the same, which be most acceptable to his Highnes, and thank

eth them aswell for his Behalfe, as allso for the Behalfe of all Christendom, knowleging the greate Benefite of God, in giving the sayd Princes such Stedfastness and Strength; and that his Majestie willed to be shewed unto them that their wondrouse Vertues have so ravished and drawn his Mind to thair Love, that his Highness feled a greate encrease to thair Unitie, in such wise, that he is determined fully never to passe the Occasion, without Correspondence of Love, nor any Occasion that he shall think may conduce in any wise to their good Myndes, and Godly Proceedings, and for to declare his Minde to the Articles of your Peticion.

The 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th 11th, 12th, and 13th, Articles do please his Majestie well ynough; and although there be some Things in them, that his Grace would grante easely to no manner Princes, were they never so greate; yet nevertheles his Highnes for his Affection towards them, thinking that they meane nothing ells but the Reformation of the Church, which his Majestie for his Parte desireth much, and desireth to joyne with them in the same; in these Articles his Majestie desireth that only the 3rd and 4th Article be more ampley declared, that is to say,

The 3rd Article by these Wordes, Item, that nether the Kings Highnes without the Assent of the Princes and Stats Confederate, nor they without his Graces Assent shall agree to the Indiction of any Counsaile, that the Bishop of Rome that now is, or any other whatsover Auctoryte may pretende: and that also nether of the said Parties shall agree uppon the Place of a Councile to be had, without the Agreement of the other expressely to be given, but that the same be done by the mutuell Assent of his Grace, the said Princes and Estats. Provided nevertheles, that if all they shall perceive a Lawful and Christien Free Concile to be indicted in some sure and indifferant Place, that then nether of them both Parties shall refuse the saide Concile.

To the 9th Article his Highnes wold have added, that nether of both Parties shall permitt any of their Servants, or Subjects, to be in solde against the other Part, nor to helpe directly, or indirectly, such as wolde invade, or entreprise against them.

As to the 1st, 2d, 7th, and 10th Articles, his Grace answered, to the 10th his Majesty sayeth, that he doubteth not but the said Confederats do well think and know, that his Grace is moved in his Mind by no more private Necessitie, that he or his Realm have, nor any private Profite to joyne with the said Confederates in Leage and Defense, for he and

his Realme is in good Peace: and knoweth not that the Bishop of Rome, the Emperor, or any other Prince pyketh any Quarrel with him, and that much lesse Warre; and allthough his Grace feared some Hostilitie of them, nevertheles by the Death of a Woman, all Calumnies be extincted; and to the entent the Confederats might know his Graces good Affection towards them, and to the Reformacion of the Church, and Abolicion of Abuses, his Grace signifieth unto them, that he woll in no wise refuse thair Peticion, but willingly contribute for his Parte 100000 Crownes for the Defence of the Leage, in Case that the Confederation between the said Confederats and his Grace to be made, shall be brought to any Effect. And for other Appendaunces of this Article, as touche sufficient Suertie, Item, that the Half of the Monaye by them contributed shuld be spent, or ever they touched his Graces Monaye: Item concerning the Forme and Maner to deposite and spend the same. Item to make his Highnes prevey of the same, that on thair Behalfe shall be contributed, and of the Necessitie where abouts it shold be spent; and that all Things may be done by Common Advise and Assent, because the same do require long Treatie; therefore his Grace referreth the same to his Orators, and to such of thairs, as by the 13th Article they desire to send, his Grace desireth the said Princes to send them fully instructed, and with sufficient Power and Auctorite to treate with his Highnes, not doubting but they shall have reasonable and friendly Answer.

To the 1st, 2d, and 7th Articles, his Majestie hath veray acceptable and agreeable, the Honour they have thought to deferre unto him, as above all Princes, to call him to be Protector and Defendor of their Religion, wich is a Declaration of the certain Benevolence and Trust that they have in his Majestie; and although his Majestie knoweth what Envy and Danger foloweth such Title, yet nevertheles his Highnes is so desirous to do them Pleasure, and to the Glory of the Gospell, his Grace is content to accept the same Honour, after that between his and thair Orators Agrement, shal be had upon the 1st and 2d Articles, for it shuld not be sure nor honourable for his Majestie, before they shall be with his Grace agreed upon certain Concorde of Doctrines, to take such a Province upon his Highnes; and forasmuch as his Majestie desireth much that his Bishops and Learned Men might agree with theirs, but seen that it cannot be, oneles certain Thinges in their Confession and Apologie, shuld by their familiar Conferencies be mitigate, His Grace therefore would the Orators and some Excellent Learned Men with them shuld be sent hither, to conferre,

talke, treate and common upon the same according to the 13th Article.

Now that his Highnes by the same Answers sheweth unto them his good Harte, trusting that they woll be of Correspondence therunto, his Majestie desireth Three Things of them of no great Coste nor Difficultie.

First, That in Case any King, Prince, or other, would invade his Majestie or Dominions for the same, or for the Cause of the Religion, that then they woll furnishe him at their Expences, 500 Horsemen armed of all Peces, or 10 Ships well arrayed for the Warre, to serve his Majestie by the Space of Four hole Monethes by Land or by Sea; and that it shall be at his Graces Choyse to have Horsemen, or Shipps, and that such as his Grace shall chuse, shall be sent to him, within a Month after the requisition thereof.

Second, That besides the same, that they shall reteyn at his Majesties Costs and Chardges, such Number of Horsemen and Footmen, as his Highnes shall require; so that the Horsemen passe not the Number of Two Thousand, and the Footmen the Number of Five Thousand; or for the said Footmen, 12 Ships in good Order furnished with Men, Harneys, Ordynances, Victuells, and other Things necessarie; and that the Kings Majestie maye hyre them, reteyne at his Wages as long as it shall please his Grace; and it shall be at his Majesties Choyse to have the said 12 Ships, or the said Number of Horsemen and Footmen, and that such as his Majestie shall choyse, maye be redye within Two Moneths after his Requisition.

Thirde, That the sayd Confederats woll take upon them in all Conciles hereafter, and every where ells to promote and defend the Opinion of the Reverend Fathers, Dr. Martin, Justus Jonas, Cruciger, Pomeran, and Melanchton, in the Cause of his Graces Marriage.

XLVII.

A Letter writ to the King by the Princes of the Smalcaldick League. An Original.

(Cotton. Lib. Cleop. E. 6, P. 283.)

SERENISSIME Rex, Postquam Romanus Pontifex, Paulus Tertius, Generalem Synodum Mantuæ celebrandam, et inchoandam die vicessimo tertio Maij, indixit, misit ad nos Invictissimus Imperator Carolus Quintus Clementissimus Dominus noster, Oratorem suum, ut ad Indictionem illam Concilij ipsi veniamus, vel Procuratores nostros mittamus.