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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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14<br />

HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

concessions, he received nothing but <strong>the</strong> most outrageous<br />

complaints and injurious threats. Never, during his whole<br />

Pontificate, had His Holiness been so incensed, wrote<br />

Cardinal Medici to <strong>the</strong> French Nuncio, Rucellai. <strong>The</strong><br />

Pope repudiated <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> such servitude as forbade to him<br />

freedom <strong>of</strong> speech even with <strong>the</strong> College <strong>of</strong> Cardinals.*<br />

Obviously <strong>the</strong> elevation to <strong>the</strong> purple <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Archbishop<br />

<strong>of</strong> Toulouse was now postponcd.f Never<strong>the</strong>less no formal<br />

breach with France ensued ; on <strong>the</strong> contrary, it seemed to<br />

<strong>the</strong> uninitiated that, in spite <strong>of</strong> all differences, <strong>the</strong> relations<br />

between France and Leo X. were <strong>close</strong>r than ever. But<br />

in his inmost heart <strong>the</strong> Pope had turned his back for good<br />

and all on Francis I.<br />

Unmistakable facts had convinced Leo X. that <strong>the</strong><br />

French " were as unbearable as allies as <strong>the</strong>y were formid-<br />

able as enemies." This bitter though dearly-bought ex-<br />

perience ripened in <strong>the</strong> Pope's mind <strong>the</strong> resolution he had<br />

formed to regain <strong>the</strong> temporal and spiritual independence<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Holy See by driving <strong>the</strong> French out <strong>of</strong> Italy. <strong>The</strong>re<br />

were many o<strong>the</strong>r reasons in favour <strong>of</strong> an alliance with <strong>the</strong><br />

Emperor, <strong>the</strong> chief <strong>of</strong> which was that his help was indispen-<br />

sable against <strong>the</strong> anti-Papal Lu<strong>the</strong>ran revolt in Germany.;}:<br />

Probably <strong>the</strong> skilful and prudent Cardinal Bibbiena might<br />

have still found means to reconcile <strong>the</strong> Pope to Francis L,<br />

but at this crucial moment that most zealous champion <strong>of</strong><br />

French interests at <strong>the</strong> Roman Court was laid low by an<br />

illness which was ere long to carry him to his grave. He<br />

died on <strong>the</strong> 9th <strong>of</strong> November, 1520.<br />

So as to be ready for any event, <strong>the</strong> Pope decided, in<br />

* Medici to Rucellai, Oct. i, 1520. Manoscr. Torrig., XXV.,<br />

396-397-<br />

t Sanuto, XXIX., 307, 514 ; NiTTI, 325, n. 3.<br />

X NiTTi, 326, 330 seg. ; Ulmann, Studien, II., 111-112. C/. Lanz,<br />

Einleitung, 242, 252.

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