n to have two wives, at the instigation, curiously,
of the imperialists. The following letter was written on that occasion to
the king by Sir Gregory Cassalis:--

Serenissime et potentissime domine rex, domine mi supreme humillima
commendatione premissa, salutem et felicitatem. Superioribus diebus
Pontifex secreto, veluti rem quam magni faceret, mihi proposuit conditionem
hujusmodi; concedi posse vestrae majestati, ut duas uxores habeat; cui dixi
nolle me provinciam suscipere ea de re scribendi, ob eam causam quod
ignorarem an inde vestrae conscientiae satisfieri posset quam vestra
majestas imprimis exonerare cupit. Cur autem sic responderem, illud in
causa fuit, quod ex certo loco, unde quae Caesariani moliantur aucupari
soleo exploratum certumque habebam Caesarianos illud ipsum quaerere et
procurare. Quem vero ad finem id quaerant pro certo exprimere non ausim. Id
certe totum vestrae prudentiae considerandum relinquo. Et quamvis dixerim
Pontifici, nihil me de eo scripturum, nolui tamen majestati vestrae hoc
reticere; quae sciat omni me industria laborasse in iis quae nobis mandat
exequendis et cum Anconitano qui me familiariter uti solet, omnia sum
conatus. De omnibus autem me ad communes literas rejicio. Optime valeat
vestra majestas.--Romae die xviii. Septembris, 1530.

Clarissimi vestrai Majestatis, Humillimus servus,

GREGORIUS CASSALIS,

--LORD HERBERT, p. 140.

[397] _State Papers_, vol. vii. p. 394, etc.

[398] The obtaining the opinion in writing of the late Cardinal of Ancona,
and submitting it to the emperor. This minister, the most aged as well as
the most influential member of the conclave, had latterly been supposed to
be inclined to advise a conciliatory policy towards England; and his
judgment was of so much weight that it was thought likely that the emperor
would have been unable to resist the publication of it, if it was given
against him. At the critical moment of the Bologna interview this cardinal
unfortunately died: he had left his sentiments, however, in the hands of
his nephew, the Cardinal of Ravenna, who, knowing the value of his legacy,
was disposed to make a market of it. It was a knavish piece of business.
The English ambassadors offered 3000 ducats; Charles bid them out of the
field with a promise of church benefices to the extent of 6000 ducats; he
did not know precisely the terms of the judgment, or even on which side it
inclined, but in either case the purchase was of equal importa