_A Part of Cardinal Wolsey's Letter to the King._
+Source.+--Burnet's _History of the Reformation_, Part III., Book I.;
_Collection of Records_, Number 12.
We daily and hourly musing and thinking on your Grace's great and
secret affair, and how the same may come to good effect and desired
end, as well for the deliverance of your Grace out of the thrauld,[40]
pensive, and dolorous life that the same is in, as for the continuance
of your health and the surety of your realm and succession,
considering also that the Pope's consent, or his Holiness detained in
captivity, the authority of the cardinals now to be convoked into
France equivalent thereunto, must concur for approbation of such
process as I shall make in that behalf; and that if the Queen shall
fortune, which it is to be supposed she will do, either appeal or
utterly decline from my Jurisdiction (one of the said authorities is
also necessarily requisite). I have none other thought nor study but
how in available manner the same may be attained. And after long
discussion and debating with myself, I finally am reduced and resolved
to two points; the one is that the Pope's consent cannot be obtained
and had in this case, unless his deliverance out of captivity be first
procured; the other is that the Cardinals can nothing do in this
behalf, unless there be by them consultation and order taken, what
shall be done _in Administratione rerum Ecclesiasticarum durante dicta
captivitate summi Pontificis_.
As touching the restitution of the Pope to liberty, the state of the
present affairs considered the most prompt sure and ready way is, by
conclusion of the peace betwixt the Emperor and the French King: for
the advancement and setting forward whereof I shall put myself in
extreme devour, and by all possible means induce and persuade the said
French King to strain himself and condescend to as much of the
Emperor's demands as may stand with reason and surety of his and your
Grace's affairs; moving him further, that forasmuch as the Emperor
taketh your Highness as a Mediator making fair demonstration in words,
that he will at your contemplation and arbitre, not only declare the
bottom of his mind concerning his demand, but also remit and relent in
the same, he will be contented that your Grace forbearing the
intimation of hostility may in the managing of the said Peace and
inducing the Emperor to reasonable conditions, be so taken and reputed
of him, without any outward declaration to the contrary until such
time as the conducing of the said peace shall be clearly desperate.
Whereby if the said French King can be induced thereunto, may in the
mean season use the benefit of their intercourse in the Emperor's
Low-Countries: not omitting nevertheless for the time of soliciting
the said peace, the diligent zeal and effectual execution of the sword
by Monsieur de Lautrek in the parties of Italy: whereby your Grace's
said mediation shall be the more set by and regarded.
And in case the said peace cannot be by these means brought to effect,
whereupon might ensue the Pope's deliverance, by whose authority and
consent your Grace's affair should take most sure honourable effectual
and substantial end, and who I doubt not considering your Grace's
gratitude, would facilely be induced to do all things therein that
might be to your Grace's good satisfaction and purpose, then and in
that case there is none other remedy but the Convocation of the said
Cardinals; who as I am informed will not nor can conveniently converse
in any other place but at Avignon, where the Administration of the
Ecclesiastical jurisdiction hath been in semblable cases heretofore
exercised. To the which place if the said Cardinals can be induced to
come, your Highness being so contented, I purpose also to repair, not
sparing any labour, travail or pain in my body, charges or expense, to
do service unto your Grace in that behalf; according to that most
bounden duty and hearty desire, there to consult and devise with them
for the governance and administration of the authority of the Church
during the said captivity: which shall be a good ground and fundament
for the effectual execution of your Grace's secret affair.
And forasmuch as thus repairing to Avignon I shall be near to the
Emperor's confines, and within an hundred miles of Perpinian, which is
a commodious and convenient place to commune and treat with the
Emperor's person, I think in my poor opinion that the conducing of
peace by your Grace's mediation not being desperate, nor intimation of
hostility made on your behalf, it should much confer as well for the
deliverance of the Pope, as for concluding of the Peace between the
French King and the Emperor, if his Majesty can be so contented that a
meeting might be between him, my Lady the French king's mother, and me
at the said Perpinian; to the which....
(_The rest of this letter has been lost._)
[Footnote 40: Enslaved.]