en la conseruation della feè Catholicho en el Reyno di Francia y a instantia y requesta del y que no pensaua dexar las armas hasta cobrallos O yo el pontifice atenta mente la pretestacson y tomò della el Duque instrumento publico Auertiò antes à sua Santitad de algunos inconuenientes che temia hauian de resultar de la absolucion que tenia determinado dar à Enrico That is The Euening before the Absolution should be giuen the Duke of Sessa Ambassadour of the Catholique King on his behalfe protested to the Pope that the absolution which his Holines intended to giue to Henry should not preiudice the Reasons of his King in that which concerned the Kingdome of Nauar and the County of Bourgundy nor in the expence which he had made for the Confernation of the Catholique faith in the Kingdome of France at his instance and request and that he determined not to depose Armes vntill he had recouered them The high Bishop attentiuely heard the Protest and the Duke tooke thereof a publique instrument hauing first aducrtised his Holinesse of some inconueniences which hee feared might result from the Absolution which was purposed to bee giuen to Henry These Protests did appeare to men of sound iudgement ill grounded prentencos the alleaged inconueniences false foundations of that great Building which those malicious aboue mentioned did figure to themselues They said it was requisite to the strict Christianity which the Catholique King professed all humane Interest deposed to aduance with all his spirits the conuersion of Henry and to exhort the high Bishop affectionately to receiue the prodigall Sonne seeing he was returned penitent to his fathers house and to take into his Armes the strayed sheepe which hee had now found to carry him to the Sacred sheepfold of Christ They did blame as a work very little Catholique but rather as a suggestion of the Deuill to attempt the hinderance of that Absolution which onely hee ought to haue procured for the quiet of France and the publique good of Christendome which if it had not succeeded might haue wholly alienated that Kingdome from the Church as the like had done in England They did consider that it was wide of the purpose to feare any preiudice in the kingdome of Nauarre and the County of Burgundy seeing the Absolution did not deriue any more right to Henry then that which any other which should be King of France might haue But aboue all the pretensions of the expence made in the warre did giue them greatest scandall They discoursed if only for the loue of Christ the Catholique King had disbursed that money why was he not content to haue Christ his Debtor But how a Debtor if hee doth enioy of the Patrimony of Christ aboue Three Millions yearely Reuenue granted him by the Vicar of Christ of Tenths Subsidies and Croysado's and other meanes with condition to employ them against the Enemies of Christendome why takes hee nor penne in hand and comes not to a distinct Account of the Receipts and Issues well balancing il dare conl'hauere and hee shall finde himselfe not Creditor of one Maranedi but certainely Debtor of many and many Millions spent not according to his obligation for Christianity but for the interest of his owne priuate Estates What then doth hee pretend Why then doth he not lay downe Armes Vpon what hath hee fixed his thoughts To what end doth he aspire If he prosecute this warre he prosecuteth an vniust warre How doth that correspond with the zeale of Religion for which onely at first he vndertooke it What change is this Certainely it proceedeth not from the right hand of the most High But bee it so let him follow the warre at his owne pleasure there is no remedy Henry shall bee absolued and shall bee King of France Doth the Catholique King perhaps hope with his owne forces and by strong hand to depriue him If he was not able with the vnion of so many other Princes to hinder him from taking possession of his Kingdome how shall he now be able to expell him hauing set sure footing in his Throne He attempts a dangerous Action Here they proceed with witty and politique Consideration that a good issue of this warre against Henry not ensuing hee should be sure to acquire a powerfull and perpetuall Enemy that might in time make Spaine to tremble within her owne bowels and the Prophesie had well neare beene verified the whole world knowes it if a violent death had not interposed to stay him But this yet which perhaps was foreseene they did iudge insufficient to free Spaine of the danger Seeing the offence of the father and with the offence the disdaine might descend to the Sonne his Successor as soone as hee came to ripe age and should fall into consideration that the Catholique King had done his vâ—most to keepe him from being King of France when hee indeauoured to take the Crowne from the head of his father and that if his father in despight of Spaine mainteined himselfe King he also in despight of Spaine might enioy his fathers Kingdome But all these considerations which certainely were very great before any other conceiued them were resolued by the most wise King Phillip who by common Iudgement was the Salomon of his time From whence for the same reasons that others did iudge it requisite to leaue the warre hee esteemed it necessary to prosecute it Seeing he knew he had so grieuously offended Henry that hee could by no other meanes secure himselfe from his disdaine but onely by opposing him to become King of France Wherefore seeing the cause of Religion did cease it was expedient to fasten vpon some other pretence to resist with his Holiness the absolution and in France the Corenation and to proue if it were possible already reason of State had insinuated that great building of the Malicious to make a King of his owne fashion as he had already caused to be propounded in Parliament Tarde se desengana el dessee de mandar Bauia p. 4. vita de Clem. 8. c. 30. y ser Rey Por este aunque con menos brie no desistian los pretensores Proponia el Duque de Feria al Serenissima Infanta de Espana Dona Isabel Affermaua denersele el Reyno porque hauiendo faltado la linea masculina de Hugo Capcto eraquien tenià meior derecho a la Corona como hija de hermana mayor de Eurico III vltimo Rey de Francia Y dezia con esto que el Rey Catholico su padre la ca sarsa con alâ—un principe Frances con que el nombramiento del tal quedasse en su elecion That is The desire to command and to bee King was slowly cleared from all doubt For this cause though with lesse boldnesse the Pretènders gaue not ouer The Duke of Feria did propound her highnesse Donna Isabella Infanta of Spaine He did affirme the Kingdom
I will not censure Equivocation nor rip vp our owne wounds onely I may haue leaue to note that anciently some States were branded there was prouerbially Fides Punica and Faedus Locrense and therefore I admonish all good Townes which capitulate to haue no Cittadell built within their walls to prouide that none bee built vpon them By what blood I know not the Kings of Spaine are become heires vnto Francis Sforza Duke of Milan of whom when Lewes the Eleuenth of France pressed by the Confederate warre du bien public wherein his brother the Earle of Caralois and the Duke of Bretagny were engaged desired aydes of money hee supplied the King with a good Counsell Comines to agree to any conditions with any of the League to disband or to sowe a iealousie among them preseruing onely his Armes entire with which wheÌ„ they were separated he might humble them singly at his pleasure adding that Princes lost no reputation when they attained their ends The History is vulgar and the successe of that aduice was the flight of the Duke of Berry the staine of Charles of Burgundy and the beggery of Bretagny I am perswaded the Spaniards haue concocted the Doctrine and would come to an agreement with any of the Leagues to disunite them and the Breach once made is not easily repaired Perhaps in this Coniuncture they would if honour would suffer it consent to make a generall peace vntill Armes were deposed But here is the present danger to loose an opportunity not to bee recouered in many yeares The Counsell of Spaine doth know at how great expence of time and charge of Ambassages these Leagues haue beene composing which once dissolued and lulled asleepe in security would slowly returne to the present perfection Therefore there is great Caution to be vsed in giuing eare to the Enchantments of a Spanish Treaty For some lye nearer punishment some make easier Conditions but all singly shall feele the reuenge of their particular Interests in the generall offence Polib Occasione â—nim inuitati eos vlium ineunt qui per occasionem temporum ipsis nocuer ant The truce that Amilcar gaue the Romans Idem when the Insubrian and Alpine Nations hung ouer them like a Cloud Vine patriam retinere sine periculo potuissent did more aduance their future Empire then the three Battailes of his sonne Haniball did hinder it because hee gaue them leaue to grow and to haue no Enemy but Carthage Therefore I haue resolued there is no safety in any sudden accord nor profit in accepting wasted Countries vntill some ambitious blood bee let out and the Spanish Realls consumed and that Nation and all the World brought to know that it is possible to resist their greatnesse Polib and to abate their pride and that in themselues they are truely humbled Hoc igitur si quid aliud qui Remp regunt solicitè obseruandum meminerint vt quos animos efferant qui in gratiam positis inimicitiis redeunt aut nouam amicitiam ineunt ne ignorent quando temporibus cedentes quando victis animis pacis conditiones amplectantur vt ab illis quidem seu temporum suorum Insidiatoribus semper sibi caueant But seeing the end of all iust war is a good and safe peace qua nihil pulchrius nihil vtilius the meanes thereunto treaty and the assurance thereof publique faith when it shall be necessary to negotiate a reconciliation with Spaine Let it be accepted for a Rule and foundation that the one part is neuer secure what the other would haue esse dolum quia credidiâ— hostis and when all reasons of State are narrowly enquired and outward Counsells waighed with vtilâ— and honestum yet there is a secret fit to bee reuealed That the Kings of Spaine haue a Councell of Conscience which may approue or annull all that is or shall bee transacted and dormant dispensations which haue reference to Contingences in ordine ad spiritualia to continue or dissolve all Conclusions and this Retraict is formed like waxe to take the Impression of the present aspect and necessity of affaires In the last treaty betweene France and Spaine in which Amiens was surprised when King Phillip saw the vigorous resolutioÌ„ of Henry the fourth to recouer the Townes in Picardy by the sword and that he had giuen expresse Command to the President de Silerye to consent to no Conuention so long as one foote of ground vnsurrendered remained in the possession of the Spaniards considering that the bounds of that Prouince were the entrance into Artois Pierre Math. and that victorious Armies extend their pretences with prosperity especially the Title of Soueraignty inuiting and iustifying that progresse he consulted first his Councell of State for the restitution who loath to remit any thing of their stiffnesse interposed the respects of honour and so it was necessary not to confesse inability to keepe them but the wise King knowing to contend might draw the quarrell into the bowells of Flanders resoluing both to preuent the occasion and to saue his reputation called his Councell of Conscience to deliuer their opinion who concluded that hee could not by the Lawes of Religion vsurpe nor dye with quietnesse of soule if he restored not to euery man his owne and so those places were piously surrendered which could not safely be maintained But Conscience extended no further then present question When the same Catholique King found it necessaty for Spanish reason of State that his own braue and eldest sonne should dye Nature and honour both contended against the Sentence but obligations were pretended and found aboue humanity as the Act was without humanity The Councell of Conscience and to these a Iunto of Diuines were added to resolue the render Conscience of a Father whether hee might with safety of Conscience pardon his owne Child of offences not yet fully published and therefore for euer suspected Idem These Ephori pronounced with weeping eies que le salut deson peuple luy deuoit estre plus cher que celuy duson filz and the geatest fauour the Prince could obtaine was to choose his death that which was preferred and enioyed by Caesar facinus intra gloriam fuit Before Alua appeared neere Portugall with his Army the Duke of Ossuna and Don Christofero di Mora Cones were imploied to buy a party for the Catholique King and they promised mountaines of Gold to withdraw some of the Lords from Don Antonio When the kingdome was setled these did demand their recompence and pleaded their Contracts in the name and by vertue of the Kings order Who remitted them not to the Counsell of State for they must iustifie their owne Acts but to that of Conscience Who gaue sentence that if the Crowne belonged to Don Antonio they could not rightfully conferre it vpon Phillip If Phillip were the true heire the Petitioners could not sell their Allegiance to their owne Prince for money so that both wayes they
Castile they haue also claimed that you may assume the authoritie of the Holy Ghost in the Conclaue of Rome for the election of the high Priest so it comes to passe that Abissus abissum inuocat Let it preuaile to speak truth ô sacred Catholique King and what else are those great Pensions I will not say that your Maiestie giues but which your Ministers make you giue because you giue not but according to their Counsell and perswasion to so many Cardinalls but Simoniacall bribes wherwith they intend to buy their voices to elect Popes to their Content and to exclude those who are not of their humour And although this is not done by way of Contract yet enough for aduantage to him who lookes vpon the intention though cloaked yet too well knowne to the world And I am assured that when they counsell you to giue a pension to any Cardinall here I call to witnesse of truth the inward Conscience of your Maiestie they doe not bring to your Consideration that hee is a man of good life and poore fortune or that he well vseth Riches dispensing them to the pooâ—e of Christ that hee builds Hospitalls and Monasteries for needy and religious persons but they set on the frontispice that he is a Prince Cardinall great in blood great in authoritie great in dependance that he is a Subiect capable of the Papacy that hee is affectionate to your Crowne that he will euer remaine your deuored seruant and obsequious to your will and such other like None of which concerne the good of the Church the honor of God nor the fruit of Christianitie but all addressed to the satisfaction and Interest of your Maiestie I say not now you doe ill to giue pensions to Cardinalls rather it is well done you ought to doe it seeing you giue them nothing of your Royall Patrimonie but Ecclesiastique goods which are the Parrimonie of Christ and cannot better bee dispensed then to those who are the Pillars of holy Church The euill is that with this Interest it is purposed to oblige them to your wil so that at your pleasure and not according to their Conscience and Inspiration of the holy Ghost they should giue their suffrages for the Election of the Pope Moreouer it is known in the Court of Rome though Histories mentioÌ„ it not yet the memories of men prescrue what was practiced with the Cardinalls their Consederates in the choice of Vrban the Seauenth Grogorte the Fourteenth by the Ministers of the King Don Phillip father of your Maistie who glad of the death of the most holy Pope Sixtus the fist a death desired and by common opinion also by them procured and fearefull of the danger that another of like thoughts should succeed him they did embroile the whole Conclaue least my should ascend to the Papacy who was not trusty and fauourable to the Crowne of Spaine as if to the Interest of Spaine the good of Christendome ought not to be preserred Vrban the Seauenth did succeed Sixtus who in thirteene dayes died After Vrban those of the Spanish faction by all meanes would haue the Cardinall Palieto Pope But God did ordaine that Sfondrato called Gregorie the fourteenth was chosen This Election made vpon the fift of December 1590. your Maiestie may obserue a most Christian and wise Act of your Catholique father the King Don Phillip who was consenting to the Negociations of his Ministers dispatched in the Moneth of Iune following 1591. to the feet of his Holinesse to aske pardon and absolution of the Censures into which he was fallen by intermedling of his Ministers in matters of the holy Conclaue An Act as I haue said most Christian because it was an amends of the error committed and most wise because it serued as an insinuation by that humilitie to be reduced to the grace of the new Pope who could not but bee distasted as hee was with the workings which he had seene scandalized Thus the Ministers of your Crowne O sacred Catholique King dee negociate in Rome onely presuming by meanes of Pensions to hold the Cardinalls in bonds With which practices the vrtitie of the Chureh seemes almost to bee diuided from whence there is nothing else heard of to the great shame and destruction of Christianity but factions of French and factions of Spanish Cardinalls And although the French Lords doe not intend particularly to oblige any Cardinall vnto them but leaue all in their libertie Neuerthelesse those are called of the French faction who by Pensions or other Interests are not tyed to depend on the Spaniards and for them to make a faction And therefore there is nothing else done but scrutiny which of those parties are like to preuaile in the Couelaue at the Election of a new Pope I speake so clearely and so truely that I am bound to confirme it by their owne Spanish Histories Of the Election of Innocent the eighth who succeeded Gregory the fourteenth it is recorded that it passed without any contradiction Bau. p. 3. vita de Innoc. 9. C. 1. because the Spanish faction saith Bauia which consisted of 29 Cardinalls and that of Montalte which exceeded 20 did easilie vnite together But what shall we say of the negociations made in the Conclaue after the death of Innocent I will alleage the formal words of the History to obtaine the more credit Por hallarse muy poce conformes Bau. p. 4. uitade clem 8. C. 1. las dos principales promincias de Europa EspaÌ„na y Francia à las quales come à cabecas sellegan las demas esta misma diuision auia en el sacro Collegis queriendo cadauno faborecer à la parte que la razon ò aficion le obligauae That is By the great inconformity of the two principall Prouinces of Europe Spaine and France to which as Heads the rest doe adhere the same Diuision was in the sacred Colledge euery one desiring to fauour that part to which reason or affection did oblige him Behold a confession of the factions which I mentioned of the French and Spanish Cardinalls But because at this time France was without a King and the warre was made against Henry the fourth the French faction had little credit whece it was iudged that the contrary part was easilie able to create a Pope dependant vpon the Catholike King which much imported to the perfection of his affaires That which makes mee astonished is that his Maiestie who had acknowledged his error to haue busied himselfe in the former Election of Popes and had with so great submission demanded pardon of Gregory the 14. should in this occasion suffer himselfe to be drawne anew into the same error And if the Historie lye not your Maiestie also who was then Prince of Spaine did therem concurre The Cardinall Santa Seuerina a Neapolitan who Bauia vbi supra saith the Author Era vassallo del Rey Catholico y tan querido de los dos Philipos padre y hijo que siempre
in Counsells they haue aduantage of vs. It must then be concluded to oppose this end wee must resolue the like and pursue it with the like wayes and Counsells except onely the wayes of Darkenesse to take from them those ranke parts which nourish this Concupiscence To discouer the right line of this opposition it may be enquired what Spaine did aduance in the last warre in the blessed dayes of the glorious Queene Elizabeth either vpon England France Germany Italy or Holland and the totall summe shall be found nothing Whether they lost in Flanders or of their owne is not the question for the warre was in the end defensiue and hee is beaten that assailing conquers not But that the Indies were not able to supply nor appease the mutinies of his Souldiers nor to pay the Interests of Geneua and that they had lost all Reputation and sought peace on all sides precariè Hoochstrat the Electo's their Bills protested their trauailng Fryars their owne Ambassages and the World are irrefutable witnesses To account what they haue gotten in these latter yeares of Peace onely by peace besides the daring so bold an Act as to expell many Millions of inborne Enemies and thereby raising another Indea of treasure for a designed warre at the spring tyde of their full Coffers would if it lay together make a competent estate for a-moderate Prince Somewhat in this point hath beene touched in a generall enumeration but particulars do fully instruct Alarache in Barbarie to strengthen their South Coasts of Spaine and to helpe to shut vp the Streights of Gibralterra Acon vnder the Imperiall Coulours depriued of the libertie of Conscience the Reformed Magistrates banished and the Citie reduced to their Deuotion The non Plus Vltra of the Rhyne 40 yeares defended sliptouer and thereby Wesell the Retraict and Sanctuary of our Religion made the Spanish Garrison Gulick and the Inheritance of the Heyres of Cleue possessed vnder the title of protection and kept as a pledge The Palatinate distributed to their Dependants but the Ports and Fortresses of Importance held in hostage And thus Holland surrounded The Valtoline blockt-vpp The Crownes of Bohemia and Hungary intailed and the Nobility spoiled of their priuiledge of free Election The Euangeliques vniuersally exiled and oppressed And all Germany trembling vnder the example These are the fruits of a Spanish peace If the slumbring Lyon bite so mortally what shall hee doe enraged after his pursued Prey And if in peace contrary to the nature of peace such achieuements are obtained that the ship of Spaine runne in the night so many leagues while the Pilot seemes to sleepe It is euident in peace and Warre they haue one end of Conquest Sapiens non semper it vno gradu Seneca sed vna via From these examples wee must learne bellum vtiliter inire prosequi I will not presume to vnderstand where the Spanish Empire is most sensible and weake but exhibit some generall rules that Riuers are onely to be preuented of their waters by stopping or diuerting their fountaines Aegypt depends vpon the courtesie and payes tribute to the King of Ethiopia to giue leaue to Nilus to water it The body is soonest reduced to a consumption by destroying the Liuer the Indies of blood And then demonstrate these axioms by a fewe Roman and Spanish Parallels what they did and what they suffered and leaue the application to Actine men That Princely People had no Indies but their Virtue Rome and the Senate was all while they caried their Armies abroad they had no returnes but victories and triumph and they could loose nothing except men that sold their liues dearely But when their Emuli the Carthagenians discouered by their Inuasion of Sicily that their ambition had no limits and considered that while they fought for their owne ground they could get nothing but blowes They resolued to send Haniball to the Gates of Rome where he reduced that Empire to nothing but a Colledge of braue old men prepared to dye in Maiestie Eighteene yeares this glorious Captaine trode on the spoiles of Italy and doubtlesse had finished that Dominion and in that day Hor. in which he turned to Capua had sapped in the Capitoll Si quemadmodum sciret vincere sie vti victoria scisset From whence grew the prouerbe Capuam Hanibali Cannas fuisse We must not trust in errors nor hope this Courtesie of our Enemies When the young Scipio reuiued the hearts of the Romans by vndertaking the Prouince of Spaine where his Father and Vncle and so many Legions were buried he found three Armies greater then his owne to oppose him Vulgaria emnia consilia quorum venire in mentem cuiusuis poterat omisit Polib To fight with all at once was impossible to beginne with one desperate the other two were at his back entire vincendo vinceretur And fortune must not be often tempted But when he fell vpon the consideration that new Carthage was the fountaine from whence all the diuisions were supplied the Port and harbour of succours he resolued omnes vnà aggredi by taking that City to dry-vp the streames at the spring head Thus the Enemies retraict storehouse became his tota Regio in vna vrbe superata est and he changed the face of the whole warrc by one deliberation and was victorious without the vncertaine tryall of Battell dubium an vtiliori faelicioriue concilio Lastly when there was no other way to retire Haniball out of Italy this fate of Carthage vndertooke to transport the warre to their own doores and then hee that neuer refused to fight treated sought peace and almost confessed that he was vanquished then he made that pittifull oration the most inglorious of all his Acts Si nunc esset integrum optaturum se fore Hanib ad Scip. vt neque Romani quicquam vnquam eorum quae sunt extra Italiam nec Carthagenienses eorum quae extra Affricam concupiscent To this moderation must Spaine be reduced Haniball knew hee might safelier haue lost all his battells within the Alpes then one at the gates of Carthage In them he aduentured nothing but the superfluity of youthfull blood which en gaijetè de coeur sought their desteny in the field of honour But now the Common-wealth was at stake and they plaied their Altars Liberties Wiues and Children at one game Haniball to auoid this desteny attempted Italy to wast Rome at their owne charges But Scipio had learned that wisedome of him which himselfe could not vse and finished at once a double warre and the Spaniards imitating the one part shewes vs the way to take the other Spaine while it was a single Kingdome threatned no body and in Spaine litle is to be gotten where me ate must be supplied and a victorious Army may starue Therefore that not being the roote it must bee sought from whence this cuills of ambition ariseth and as in naturall Bodies there are other parts besides the head
Thirty soure years he laboured in the study of holy Lawes to be well instructed in the knowledge of Iustice He affirmeth nothing which he doth not learnedly proue All his works were directed to his owne King and the Royall Councell before whom more then once hee appeared in person to entreat of this Businessa Who can then beleeue that hee durst say that which was not apparant truth Men vse not to speake ill of Princes to their owne faces Ignorance of the fact or of the Law cannot be obiected to him so much practised and who had so long studyed these matters Argument of affection or of passion cannot be imagined in a Prelat of most exemplar life who renounced his Bishopricke onely to assist in the Court of his Prince in the defence of a People from any interest in him as farre remoued as our world is distant from theirs From whence of necessity it must be said that onely the loue of truth did moue him and the inuincible reasons wherewith he maintaines all his Assertions doe most clearly demonstrate it So that your Maiestie who is as much a louer of truth as of God considering with a setled minde all the fore-alleadged discourses will in the sinceritie of your conscience 〈◊〉 that which 〈◊〉 beginning was declared That Enterprises vndertaken onely for Religion are often reduced to proper Interest and that Titles Dignities and Authorities granted with most holy zeale by the Vicar of Christ haue beaue peruersly abused It is very true that this good Prelatate hath indeauoured to excuse the Catholique Kings by saying that the aboue mentioned euills were against their Intentions clearely expressed in many orders and holy instructions giuen to those crooked ministers who obserued no part of them But this excuse is not admitted of wise men yea rather confuted with most strong Reasons First because it hath not beene found that the Catholique Kings did euer punish any of those Ministers vnlesse perhaps some for Rebellion notwithstanding their wickednesse was manifest vnto them which the foresaid Bishop doth more then once affirme Secondly because so many iniquities by them committed were neuer retracted in particular the Diuisions of the Commenda's vpon which the said Author doth exclaime euen to the Heauens Lastly because the immediate Dominions are encorporated vniuersally and particularly with the Supreme Dominions and this is euident in fact all faculty being taken from them which had it to choose their Prince and the inheritance from them to whom the estates by succession did appertaine of whom some miraculously escaping aliue in that destruction of the Indies lamentably by this Bishop described were transported into Spaine lest by the loue of their Naturall Subiects they should aspire to recouer that of which against reason they were depriued And yet to this day the Issue of that great Motezâ—ma Emperor of Mexico doe liue in the Court of your Maiestie prohibited vpon paine of life to goe out of Castile From which most true reasons the wisedome of your Maiestie may easily comprehend how little the aforesaid excuses doe pruaile and how great 〈◊〉 the Catholique Kings haue to render to God of the vsurpation of the immediate 〈◊〉 of the Indies vnder pretence of amplifying the Christian faith The religious zeale of the King Don Phillip the second father of your Maiestie cannot inconsiderately bee ouerpast when inurted by the Pope hee tooke Armes against Henry the fourth King of France The cause of Christ was in question against a publique Heretique and Enemy of Christ It was expedient that the facred Catholique King Protector of the Church of Christ should abandon his owne Affaires of Flanders to defend that of Christ The which Hereique Action the fruit of perfect vertue which is rarely found among Princes of the World did beget in many wonder and incredulity and in others it caused too malitious suspition Algunos saith the Spanish Bishop que juzgauan la virtud agena por la malitia propia Bauia Pentif par 3. vita di Griger 14. c. 9. no querian creer que el zelo de Rey Catholico fuesse tan grande che desamparando su bazienda propia con tan gran costa fuesse a remediar la agena That is Some who iudge the vertue of others by their owne malice would nor beleeue that the zeale of the Catholique King could be so great that leauing the care of his owne business hee should at so immence Charge relieue the necessitie of others Behold the wonder and the incredulity Otros as after followes in the history que no bien conocian la Religion y Christianidad del gran Filippo II. Bauia p. 3. vita de Innocentie 9. C. 9. fondauan en esta jornada un gran edificio diziendo que se queria hazer Rey de Francia ò ponelle de su mano assegurandosse ensus Estados comarcanos y sasando à bueltas no pequeno interes That is Others that did not well vnderstand the Religion and Christianitie of the Grand Phillip the second did from this vndertaking lay the foundation of a great building saying that he desired to make himselfe King of France or to place a King of his owne dependance hereby assuring his owne neighbouring States and drawing to himselfe no little aduantage Behold the malice and that truely very great against that most innocent Monarch who did clearely show to haue no other interest nor further desire then that the Catholique Religion should not be vtterly ruined as it was freshly threatned in the Kingdome of France But what cannot the Deuill doe Saints and Heremits are rarely secure much lesse Princes in Courts Scarcely hath Henry begunne inspired by the holy Ghost to shew himsefe willing to be reduced to the wombe of holy Church to be truely a most Christian King when the Catholique fell vpon a Councell by no meanes to consent that hee should bee King of France And yet to him the Rights of that Kingdome did appertaine nor for other cause was the opposition but for being an Heretique whence the impediment being taken away it was most vnrust any longer to withstand him But it was whispered in the cares of the Catholique King by certaine Machiauells rather then Disciples that the Coronation of Henry might bring some danger to his Maiestie for the kingdome of Nauarr and the County of Burgondy vpon which States the Crowne of France hath pregnant pretensions and that his Maiestie had cast away in vaine so much Gold and spent so much blood of his people in that warre Therefore La tarde antes so saith Rauia que hiziesse la absolution Pontif p. 4 vita de Cle. 8. Cap. 56 el Duque de Sessa Ambaxador del Rey Catholico de su parte hiza al Papa protestacion que la absolucion que su santitad pensau a dar à Enrico no perjudicasse al derecho de su Rey en lo teccante al Reyno de Nauarra y Contado di Borgona ui a los gastos que hauia echo