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

ITALIAN PROTESTANTISM. 299
reformers any right to undertake the foundation of an en-
tirely new Cliurch. There has always been on earth, so Pius
V. wrote, only one true religion, and there can be only one
which is the religion which the Apostles preached, which the
early martyrs attested by their blood, and which has been
handed dow^n from the time of the Apostle Peter to
later times by means of his successors.^ In the opinion
of the Pope, therefore, it is obvious where the true
Church of Christ is to be found, and if the new believers
still resist it after they have been sufficiently instructed,
their conduct could only be looked upon as obstinacy and
pride.
In Italy, Protestantism did not come forward, as it did in
Germany, more or less openly, but made use of underground
wa3's to propagate its doctrines. From his own experience
in this matter, Pius V. was borne out in his view as to the
altogether treacherous character of the religious innovators.
Books containing the new doctrines were secretly dissemi-
nated ;- preachers of the new " Gospel " travelled about the
country disguised as merchants or in other ways,^ and, what
was worse, ecclesiastics who had secretly lapsed from the faith
appeared in Catholic pulpits, dressed as Catholic priests, and
covertly spread the opinions of Luther and Calvin under the
^ To Sigismund Augustus of Poland, December 17, 1568, in
GouBAU, 114 seq.
-"Ho inteso dire che gli eretici hanno consertato di mano in mano
tra di loro di fare ogni opera adesso per infettare Italia con mandarvi
homini secret! con libri et con ogni sorta d'industria " (Castagna'
June 5, 1568, Corresp. dipl. II. 381). " Ha Qerca de un ano que el
Papa fue avisado por el Duque de Florentia y por otras personas
que estuviesse sobre aviso ;
que de Alemania, Flandes y Francia
y otras partes donde ay hereges se embiavan cartas y libros contaminados
a muchas personas de Italia, donde avia artas danadas
en lo de la fee." The Pope charged Cardinal Gambara with the
task of watching over heretical books (Requesens to Philip II.,
March 16, 1567, ibid. 76).
' Rosi, Riforma in Liguria, 68.