MarginaliaSee how thys Prelate is all in his exaltation.exaltation of the kynges highnes, the Frenche kyng, and other their confederates, and finally to the perfection of the kynges sayd great and weighty cause, wherupō dependeth the suretie of his royall person, succession, Realme, people, and dominions, as any person lyuyng can or may haue, and that the sayd most reuerend father hath the fast assured fauour herein of the sayd Frenche kyng (who of hys owne mere mocion hath frankly and liberally, offred vnto hym all that by hym selfe, his frendes, his power, his agentes, or otherwise hee may, or can possiblie do for his auauncement to the sayd dignitie Papall) MarginaliaThe Thrasonicall prayse of the Cardinall.is the person who for hys singular vertue, hys entire deuotion to peace, and restauratiō of the said Sea, the excellency of his wisedome, learnyng and experience, the magnanimitie in his actions and doynges, the dignitie wherin he is already constitute, the promotions whiche hee hath atteyned, the substaunce that he is of, his reputation, his conduite, his diligence, his dexteritie, his discretion, hys policie, and finally the notable and highe fauour that the kinges highnes and the sayd French kyng beare vnto hym, is onely, that he called to the sayd dignitie Papall, may, can, & will meete with the inordinate ambition of the said Emperour,MarginaliaNote this cause: The Cardinall is most mete to be Pope, because he cā best bridle the Emperour. and cōsequently with establishment of tranquillitie amongest Christen Princes, is by the assistaunce of his frendes, mete conueniēt, & hable to succor, releue, & clerely to repayre þ^e piteous iacture & decay, þ^t the Church & Sea Apostolicke hath so long suffered, & to defend the same from the imminent daunger now apparant to ensue, if the sayd Emperour (who as the kynges hyghnes is asserteyned) determined in the begynnyng of Ianuary nowe passed, to take hys iourney towardes Rome, should vpon this vacation of the said Sea, chaunced (as it is vpō many euident presumptions to be thought, by some detestable acte committed, for the sayd late Popes destruction) now by force, violence, cautele, blandishyng promisses, or otherwise, haue the election to procede at his will, fauour, and deuotion: wherby, hauyng a Pope at his Marginalia* That is, after hys own desire.* arbitre, either hee should not faile to vsurpe and take frō him the rightes, prouēces, and patrimony of the Church, vsing him as his chaplaine and vassall, or els by litle and litle vtterly to exclude and extincte hym and his authoritie.

For this cause, if euer it were expedient that good Christen Princes looke to the tuition, mainteinaunce, defence, and continaunce of Christes Churche, faith, and religion, now is it the tyme aboue all other, to prouide and beware by all wayes possible, lest the same neglected, forgottē, and not in tyme releued, be brought vnto extreme Marginalia* If his vsurped authoritie were cleane extincte, the fayth and religion of Christ should stand and florishe much better.* ruine. And therfore the kynges highnes hauyng singular and speciall trust and confidence in the wisedomes, discretions, fidelities, diligences, and circumspections of his said Oratours, (to whom no part of the premisses is vnknowen, ne how necessary, and in any wise expedient it shalbe for perfection of the kynges sayd great & Marginalia* By this weightie matter here, is ment the cause of the kings diuorce.* weighty matter to them committed, to haue the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke, and none other, aduaunced to the sayd dignitie Papall) willeth, desireth, ordeineth, and expresly chargeth and commaundeth his sayd Oratours, and euery of them, no lesse to employe, endeuor, and determine them selues, to sollicite, set forth, further, promote, labour, and conduce the aduauncement of the said Lord Legate of Yorke, to that dignitie, then they would that thyng, whiche the kynges highnes most highly, next God and his soule, with all earnestnes and feruent minde, doth aboue all other thinges, couete & desire, and also no lesse then they would the spedye obteinyng & perfection of all such thynges, touching the kynges sayd weighty matter committed to their charges: the makyng or marring wherof, beyng now the sayd late Pope deceassed, consisteth onely in the aduauncement of the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke, to the dignitie Papall.

For (as the kynges sayd Ambassadours may by their wisedomes well thinke and consider) the same must of necessitie come, and fortune either to one that is an assured frende to his grace and the Frenche kyng, or to one that is a manifest enemy to them, fauoring the Emperours parte, or to one indifferent and meane betwen both. And if it should chaunce vpō a manifest enemy, it is euident that the kings desire at his hand were merely impossible to be had, & neuer were to be accepted that way. If it should come to one beyng indifferent and meane betwene both, it is more thē notorious, that his grace at the least, should bee conteyned with fayre woordes and promises, and yet such respecte should bee had to the Emperour, that finally vnder hope of obteinyng some thyng, there should be no more but tracte, delaye, and finally no maner frute nor effecte: wherof experience hath already bene seene in one that had cause to bee more frendly to the king, then indifferent or meane betwen both, and yet how long the matter hath depended, is to the kynges sayd Ambassadours well knowen. So that of necessitie this thyng must be conduced to one that is an assured frend. Then notyng substantially the things necessary to concurre in such a frend, both for the weale of Christēdome, the relief of the Churche, the firme adheryng to the kynges highnes, and the Frenche kyng, with other their cōfederates, and the perfite conducyng of the kynges great matter, whiche suffreth no tract, delay, or negatiue: it shalbe founde that there is none other for this purpose, but onely the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke.

The kynges sayd Ambassadours shall therefore plante the foundation of all their studie, labour, and solicitation, onely to that purpose. And for the better introductiō of the wayes and meanes, how this thyng shalbe solicited, they shall receiue herewith a scedule, wherein is mencioned and noted by name, how many and what Cardinals of likelyhode, shalbe present at the electiō, and how many & which of the other, shalbe absent. Semblablie, how many of them that be like to be present, may bee thought to bee frendes to the kynges highnes and the Frenche kyng, whose names in the sayd scedule bee noted with A. MarginaliaA. signifieth the Cardinals of the kinges & the French kinges side.and howe many are thought to be Imperiall, whose names be noted with B. MarginaliaB. signifieth the Cardinals of the Emperours side. But there is neuer a C. to signifie any Cardinals of Christes side.In the same scedule bee also set out the nomber and names of those that bee thought to be neutral or indifferent, marked with N. And furthermore, they be first mentioned therin, whiche be thought most like to aspire vnto that dignitie. Herein be many thinges well to be regarded. First the nomber of the Cardinals that are like to be present, which (as is thought here) shall not excede xxxix. Secōdly that, to haue electiō to the kynges purpose, shalbe requisite to haue ij. partes of the iij. of the sayd nomber, which ij. partes must be xxvi. Then is it to be noted, that they whiche be thought to be frendes to the kynges highnes and the Frenche king, be in nomber xx. So that if they may bee made sure to the kynges deuotion, there shall lacke but vi. of the nomber which shall suffice to make the election: which number the kynges said Ambassadours shall moue, wynne, & attayne, either of thē þ^t bee thought to bee indifferent, or some other.

In the cōducyng wherof, ij. wayes be specially to be remembred. One is, if the Cardinals present, hauing God & the holy Ghost before them, MarginaliaAs though the popes election had any thing to doo with the holy ghost.shalbe minded (as to their dutie apperteineth) to haue respect vnto the present calamitie of the Churche, and all Christendome, intendyng the relief, succour, and restauratiō of the same, and to preserue thē selues, and the dignitie of the Sea Apostolicke, then lookyng profoundlye vppon the state of the thinges, they can not faile Marginalia* He might as well haue said, easely, as facily, if it had pleased hym: but our grosse termes are to lowe for thys high Prelate, as here commonly you may see.* facily of them selues, to finde & perceiue, that to conduce their purpose, there is onely the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke. And in this case, it is verely to bee thought, that very reason it self, and their own conscience shall lead them like vertuous fathers, to haue their principall respect hereunto, and (particular affections set a part) to accorde and agree without difficultie, to that, whiche so manifestly is knowen to be the thing, aboue all other, expedient. Neuertheles, because percase humaine fragilitie suffereth not all thinges to bee pondered, trutinate, and weyed in iust balaūce, but that (as we be mē) errours may rūne, vnles then remedie be prouided: it apperteineth in matter of so high importaunce, to the comforte & releue of all Christendome, to succour the infirmitie, that may chaunce, not for corruption or to any peruerse, vnlefull, or euill entent, but rather to helpe to the lackes and deffaultes, whiche by such fragilitie might els take place: and therfore expedient shall it be, that the kynges sayd Oratours, to so notable a purpose, where they shall perceiue the consideration and respecte wherunto reasō leadeth, to be in any part to be ayded or supplied, do þ^e same with policitations of promotions, spirituall offices, dignities, rewardes of money, or other thynges, MarginaliaYea syr, now ye speake to the purpose. Now we begyn to feele you, whē ye bring your bribes and rewardes of money.such as to them shall seme mete to the purpose: inculkyng into the mindes of such persons as shalbe requisite, first what thynges the sayd Lord Legate of Yorke shall leaue, if he should be aduaunced to the sayd dignitie, whiche be such as the establiment of his state considered, bee farre more to his commoditie (if he should regarde his priuate weale) thē to enter into this daungerous storme, and troublous tempest, for the relief of the Churche and all Christēdome, wherunto (his said priuate weale set a part) he is totally deuoued and dedicate, to the exposition of his body, bloud, and lyfe, glad and ready with the sacrifice thereof, to do seruice to God, his Church, his faith, and religion: whiche sayd promotions, the kinges highnes findyng cause geuen vnto him, by the gratitude & conformitie of his frendes, will not faile to bestowe to their benefite, besides large rewardes, to haue this so vertuous an acte brought to perfection. For policitation wherof, the kinges sayd Ambassadours be furnished at this tyme, with ample Commission, as by the same they shall perceiue: the effecte wherof they shall ex-