ascendebat, ipsa paulo ante ab omnibus derelicta, quam nunc splendet? quale iā mirrha, ac thuris odorē suis effundit, quæ, vt de Christi matre ait Propheta, antequā parturiret peperit, antequā veniret partus eius, peperit masculum. Quis unquam audiuit tale? & quis vidit huic simile? nunquid parturiet terra die vna, aut parietur gens simul? hæc vero gentem totam nunc peperit, antequam eum partum ediderit, cuius in spe maxima sumus. Quanta nobis gratulandi causa datur? quanta gratias agendi diuinæ misericordiæ, S. Vestræ, et Cæsaris Maiestati, qui auctores tam fœlicis, tamque pij coniūgij fuistis, per quod nos Deo patri, & Christo, & Ecclesiæ reconciliati coniungimur? Qua de re gaudium, quod cœpi, cum verbis consequi non possim, tacere tamen non possum. Huic vero gratutationi meæ coniunctum est id, quod quidem cum ex literis Reuerendi Archiepiscopi Consani, Sanctitatis Vestræ apud Cæsaream Maiestatem Nuntij cognouerim, maximam mihi lætitiam attulit, illam cœpisse, ea, quæ in Ecclesia Romana vitio temporum deformata sunt, in pristinum decorem restituere. Quod quidem cum factum fuerit, tum vero exclamare vna cum Propheta, & Vestram Sanctitatem appellare licebit illis verbis. Exue te stola luctus, & vexationis, & indue te decore, quia Deo tibi est in gloria sempiterna: nominabitur enim tibi nomen tuum a Deo sempiternum, pax iustitiæ, & honor pietatis: tum autem dicetur, circūspice; & vide collectos filios tuos ab oriente sole, vsque in occidentem in verbo sancto gaudentes. Nihil certe est (vt de filijs in occidente collectis loquar, qui se ad occurrendum matri præparant) quod libentius videre possint, quam illam, (vt verbis Propheticis vtar), ea diploide iustitiæ amictam, qua Deus olim ipsam ornauit: hoc vnum reliquum est, vt Vestræ Sanctitatis gaudium cumuletur, & vniuersæ simul Ecclesiæ.quæ vna cum nobis indignis filijs suis deum pro hoc orare non desinet. Deus optimus maximus Sanctitatem Vestram diu Ecclesiæ suæ incolumen conseruet. Londini die vltima Nouembris. 1554. E. S. V.

Humillimus seruus Reg. Cardinalis Polus.

THose thynges whiche I wrote vnto youre holynesse of late of that hope, which I trusted wold comme to passe, that in short space this realme woulde be reduced to the vnitie of the church and obedyence of the Apostolyke Sea, thoughe I dyd wryte them, not without greate cause: yet neuerthelesse, I coulde not bee voyde of all feare, not onelye for that difficultye, whiche the myndes of oure countrey menne dyd shewe, beynge so longe alyenated from the Sea Apostolyke, and for the olde hatred, whyche they hadde borne, so manye yeares to that name: but muche more I feared, leaste the firste entrye into the cause, (itselfe) should bee putte of, by some other bye matter or conuention comming betwixt.

For the auoyding whereof, I made greate meanes to the Kynge and Queene, whyche lyttle needed, for theyr owne Godlye forwardnesse and earneste desyre to brynge the thynge to passe, farre surmounted my greate and earnest expectation. This daye in the euenynge, beynge Sayncte Andrewes daye, (who fyrste broughte his brother Peter to Christe) it is come to passe by the prouydence of GOD, that this Realme is reclaymed to geue due obedyence to Peters Seate, and youre holynesse, by whose meanes it maye bee conioyned to Christ the head, and his body, whiche is the church. The thynge was done and concluded in Parliamente, (the Kynge and Queene being presente) with suche full consente and greate reioycinge, that incontinentlye after I hadde made my Oration, and geuen the Benediction, with a greate ioye and showte, there was dyuers tymes sayde, Amen, Amen, whiche do-

eth euydentlye declare, that that holye seede, althoughe it hathe beene longe oppressed, yet was not vtterlye quenched in them: whyche chiefelye was declared in the Nobilitie. Retournynge home to my house, these thynges I wrote vnto youre holynesse vppon the suddeyn reioysinge that I hadde of so weyghtye a matter, so so luckelye brought to passe by the diuyne prouydence, thynkynge to haue sent my letters by the Kynges Poste, who (as it was sayde). shoulde haue departed shoretlye: but afterwardes chaungyng my purpose, when I had determyned to send one of mine own menne, I thought good to adde this muche to my Letters, for the more ample gratulation and reioysinge at that good chaunce: whyche thinge as it was ryghte greate gladnesse to me, throughe the euente of the same (beinge it self very greate and so holye, so profitable to the whole Church, so healthsome to this my Countrey, whiche broughte me foorth, so honourable to the same, whiche receued me:) So lykewyse I tooke no lesse reioysinge of the Prynces themselues, throughe whose vertue and Godlynesse, the matter dyd take successe and perfection. Of howe many and howe great thinges maye the Churche (which is the Spouse of Christe and oure mother) make her accompt, throughe these her Chyldren? Oh notable zeale of Godlynesse, Oh auncient Fayth whiche vndoubtedlye dooeth so manyfestlye appeare in them bothe, that who so seeth them, muste needes (whether he wyll or no) saye the same which the Prophete spake of, of the first Chyldren of the Church: Isti sunt semen, qui benedixit Dominus. Haec plantatio domini ad gloriandum. That is. These are the seede whiche the Lorde hath blessed. This is the Lordes plantinge to glorye in. Howe holily dyd your holines withal your authoritie and earnest affection fauour this mariage? MarginaliaWhat similitude betwixt light & darknesse. ii. Cor. vi.Which truely semeth to expresse a great similitude of that highest king, whiche beinge heyre of the worlde, was sente downe by his Father, from the Regall Seate, to bee spouse and Sonne of the Virgin, and by this