The Council of Trent no free assembly more fully discovered by a collection of letters and papers of the learned Dr. Vargas and other great ministers, who assisted at the said Synod in considerable posts : published from the original manuscripts in Spanish, which were procured by the Right Honourable Sir William Trumbull's grandfather, envoy at Brussels in the reign of King James the First : with an introductory discourse concerning councils, shewing how they were brought under bondage to the Pope / [translated] by Michael Geddes ...

Dr. Vargas's Letter of the 9th of Janu∣ary, 1552, to the Bishop of Arras.

Most Illustrious and Reverend Lord,

HIS Majesty's Dispatch came as full to the pur∣pose as could be desired, or might be expect∣ed, coming through your Lordship's Hands, in which I do receive a full Answer to all the Letters I have writ to your Lordship, which having been many, and some of them very long, one so employ'd as your Lordship is, and especially at this time, could not have answered them particularly without giving him∣self too much trouble.

An Account of what has pass'd with the Legate, and on what Terms things are here having been writ by Don Francisco, I shall forbear writing thereof, only as to the safe Conduct I have drawn it up as I think it should be, having retained the substance of

that of Basil; as I have also a Memorial concerning the Provisions of the Crown, about which the Le∣gate has declared he will have a tug with us: They were both delivered to the Legate by Don Francisco, who is now solliciting them, as he do's every thing wherein his Majesty is concerned: The Legate, so soon as he had them, dispatched them to the Pope; without whose Approbation, as near as the Session is, he will not determine what shall be done in them, and especially being so well disposed as he is for the Reformation they contain: To which I take him to be so averse, that he will die sooner than a∣gree to it: Nevertheless, he is at present in a great streight, the sight of his Majesty's determination having filled him with fears, the suspension he had set his heart on so much being thereby defeated, the Synod being to go on; besides, things are not so al∣tered in Germany, as some people desired; and the Electors are to remain here, and the Protestants do intend to come to this place: Which last, is a thing the Pope and his Ministers are not able to dissemble their being displeased withall; who though I can∣not tell what they may do, I am certain I have of∣ten writ it to your Lordship, that they will never do any thing to any purpose, if not soundly pressed and terrify'd into it. I pray God that may be able to do it, that we may have no more strugling with them.

As to the matter of Benefices with Cure, Janus has writ that his Majesty, so that they be but well ordered, will be satisfy'd without having them de∣clared to be Patrimonial; and whereas the Legate gives out, that his Majesty has some design therein; it is certain he himself has one, and that is very well accommodated to the doing of nothing to the pur∣pose, and who will reckon he has carried his Point,

if the drawing up of that affair be left to him, for he will be sure to lodge the provision to them in the Pope, and abounding with words and sophistry, will open a brave field for the future. Don Francisco must have writ at large concerning this matter; all that I have to say thereon is, what I have formerly writ to your Lordship, which is that I am not, nor will ever be for having matters of so great im∣portance, and whereon so much depends, handled and established after such a manner, which would have no other effect, but to shut a door for ever a∣gainst all future remedies. Whereas it is much bet∣ter for us to suffer our present Grievances to remain as they are, and to wait for the Remedies which God at some time or other will help us to, than by being discontented with them, to shut a door against them by those insignificant things the Legate has in his thoughts, which, so far as I can perceive, are contrary to the things his Majesty desires, and as is plain from a Letter I have seen that was writ to Don Francisco, to what it is said he told Janus. Wherefore if your Lordship is not of another opi∣nion, the thing to be done, in my mind, is, That his Majesty must insist on having Benefices declared to be Patrimonial, without descending to any particu∣lars; which if it cannot be done in this Session, the Legate must be spoke to, to adjourn it to the next, that we may have the more time to treat about it, and may obtain more from the Pope than we can expect to have from the Legate. It will likewise be necessary, before we come to treat thereof again, to consider well what course we are to take therein; for notwithstanding the Prelates are all honest Men, and of great Zeal; nevertheless if we do not take care to prevent it, we shall have the Legate satisfy∣ing them with things which many of them do not

understand, and others cannot fall into the account of in so short a time as the Legate will allow them, who puts every thing off to the Vespers of the Session.

It is furthermore convenient, that we should be∣gin now to consider, what will be fit to be done at the end of the Synod, whenever it shall happen, and to provide against Accidents, and particularly con∣cerning some things that relate to the Authority of the Council and his Majesty's Service: About which, as I shall not fail to employ my Thoughts, so I shall at sometime or other acquaint your Lordship there∣with, whose most Illustrious and Reverend Person and State may God protect and prosper for many years, as I desire.

I do kiss your Lordship's Hands. Doctor Vargas.

From Trent the 9th of Janu∣ary, 1552.