The Popish Royal Favorite, Part 2 · Floating text 1
The Popes Letter to the King, when Prince of Wales and in Spaine.
MOst Noble Prince, Salutation and light of the divine grace:
Forasmuch as great Brittaine, hath alwayes beene fruitfull in Vertues, and in men of great worth, having filled the one and the other world with the glory of her renoune; She doth also very often draw the thoughts of the holy Apostolicall Chaire, to the consideration of her praises. And indeede the Church was but then in her infancie, when the King of Kings did chuse her for his inheritance, and so affectionately, that we beleeve, the Roman Eagles have hardly outpassed the Banner of the Crosse. Besides that many of her kings instructed in the knowledge of the true salvation, have preferred the Crosse before the Royall Scepter and the Discipline of Religion before covetcousnesse, leaving examples of Piety to other Nations, and to the ages yet …o come. So that having merited the Principalities and first places of blessednesse in Heaven, they have obtained on Earth the Triumphant ornaments of true holines. And although now the State of the English Church is altered, we see neverthelesse the Court of Great Brittain, adorned and furnished with morall Vertues which might serve to support the Charity that we beare unto her, and be an Ornament to the name of Christianity, if withall she could have for her defence and protection the Orthodox and Catholike truth. Therefore by how much the more the Glory of your most noble Father, and the apprehension of your Royall inclination, delights us, with so much more zeale, we desire that the gates of the Kingdome of Heaven might be opened unto you, and that you might purchase to your selfe the love of the universall Church. Moreover it being certaine that Gregory the great, of most blessed memory, hath introduced to the English people, and taught to their Kings the law of the Gospell, and the respect of Apostolicall Authority: We, as inferiour to him, in holinesse and vertue, but equall in name and degree of dignity, it is very reasonable that we following his blessed footesteps, should indeavour the salvation of those Provinces, especially at this time, when your designe (Most noble Prince) elevates us to the hope of an extraordinary advantage: Therefore as you have directed your journey to Spaine, towards the Catholicke King, with desire to allie your self to the house of Austria, We do much commend your designe, and indeed doe testifie openly in this present businesse, that you are he that takes the principall care of our Prelacy. For seeing that you desire to take in marriage the daughter of Spaine: from thence we may easily conjecture that the ancient seedes of Christian Piety, which have so happily flourished in the hearts of the Kings of great Brittaine may (God prospering them) revive againe in your soule. And indeed it is not to be beleeved that the same man should love such an alliance, that hates the Catholique Religion, and should take delight to oppresse the holy Chaire. To that purpose we have commanded to make continually most humble prayers to the father of lights, that he would be pleased to put you as a faire Flower of Christendome, and the onelyonly hope of Great Brittain, in possession of that most noble heritage, that your Ancestors have purchased for you, to defend the Authority of the Soveraign High Priest; and to fight against the Monsters of Heresie. Remember the dayes of old, enquire of your Fathers, and they will tell you the way that leads to heaven; and what way the temporall Princes have taken to attaine to the everlasting Kingdome. Behold the ga…es of Heaven opened, the most holy Kings of England, who came from England to Rome accompanied with Angels did come to honour and doe homage to the Lord of Lords, and to the Prince of the Apostles in the Apostolicall Chaire: their actions & their examples being as so many voyces of God, speaking and exhorting you to follow the course of the lives of those to whose Empire you shall one day attaine. Is it possible that you can suffer that the Heretiques should hold them for impious, and condemne those that the …aith of the Church restifies to reigne in the heavens with Iesus Christ, and have Command and Authority over all Principallities and Empires of the earth? Behold how they tender you the hand of this truely happy inheritance, to conduct you safe and sound to the Court of the Catholique King, and who desire to bring you back againe into the lap of the Roman Church: Beseeching with unpeakeable sighs and groares the God of all mercy for your Salvation, and do stretch out to you the Armes of the Apostolicall Charity, to imbrace you with all Christian affection You that are her desired Sonne, in shewing you the happie hope of the Kingdome of Heaven. And indeed you cannot give a greater consolatiō to al the people of the Christian Estates, then to put the Prince of the Apostles in possessiō of your most Noble Island, whose authority hath bin held so long in the Kingdome of Brittain, for the defence of Kingdomes, and for a devine Oracle; which will easily arrive, and that without difficulty, if you open your heart to the Lord that knocks, upon which depends at the happinesse of that Kingdom. It is of our great Charity that we cherish the praises of the Royall Name; and that which makes us desire that you and your Royall Father might be stiled with the names of Deliverers, and Restorers of the ancient and paternall Religion of Great Britaine, which we hope for, trusting in the goodnesse of God, in whose hands are the hearts of Kings, and who causeth the people of the Earth to receive healing, to whom we will alwaies labour with all our power to render you gracious and favourable; In the interim take notice by these Letters of the care of our Charity, which is none other than to procure your happinesse; and it will never grieveus to have written them, if the reading of them stir but the least spark of the Catholique Faith, in the heart of so great a Prince, whom we wish to be filled with long continuance of joy, and flourishing in the glory of all vertues.
Given at Rome in the Pallace of S. Peter the 20. of Aprill, 1623. in the Third yeare of our Popedome.
TRes-Noble Prince, salut & lumiere de la grace divine:
Com…e ainsi soit que la grand' Bretagne ait tousiours este abondante en vertus, & en personna… ges de grand merite & ait remply l' vn & l' autre monde de lo gloire de sa renomme, elle attrire aussi tres souentles pensees du Saint Siege Apostolique a la consideration de ses louanges. Et de fait l' Eglise ue faisoit encore que naistre, quand le Roy des Roys la v…lut chosir pour son heritage, & si affectionnement, qu' on tient qu' à peine les Aigles Romoins yont plustost passe que l' ostendart de la Croix. Ioint que plusieurs de ses Roys instruits en la cognoisance du vray salut ont prefere la Croix au Sceptre Royal, & la discipline de la Religion a la conuotise: laissants des exemples de piete aux nations estrangeres & aux siceles futurs. Si bien qu ayans merite dans le Cie'les Principa…tez, & preeminences de la Beat it udine, ils ont obtenu en terre d…s …rnaments triomphaux de vraye Saintete. Et ores qu a…iourd huyl Estat de l' Eglise Anglicane soit alters, nous voyons neant, m…ins la Cou…t de la grand BRETAGNE estre ornee & munle de vertus Morales, qui servir…ient de consolation à la charitè que nous luy portous & a… ornement au nom Chrestien, si con…oinct ement elle pouuost aucir pour sa defence & protection la verit… orthodoxe & vniuerselle. C…est pourquoyd' autast plus quels Gloire de vostre S…reniss…me Pere, & le ressentiment de vostre Royal naturel, nous delectent, de tant plus grande ardeur resirons nos que les portes du Roiaume Celestes vous soyent ouuertes, & que vous veus acqueriez l' a…our de l' Eglise Vniverselle. D' ailleurs estant vray que Gregoire le grand de tres-sainte memoire a introduit aux puples d' Angleterre, & enseignè a leurs Rois la Loy de l' Euangile, & le respect de l' auctorit… Apostolique: Nous comme inferieurs, a luy en sainte tè & vertu, & pareils en nom & degrè de dignitè, il est bien raisonnable, que suiuans ses Saints vestiges nous procurions le salut de ces Povinces, …ommèment aujourd' huy que vostre heureux dessein (tres noble Prince) nous eslue â l' esperance … vn bonheur extra ordinaire. Partant, comme vous vous estes acheminè el Espagne versla personne du Roy Catholique, auec desir de vous allier á la Maison d' Austriche, Nous auons bien voululoüer vestre dessein, voire mesme tesmoigner ouuertement en l' affaire qui se presente, que vous estes celuy que regarde le principal soin de nostre Prelature. Car ainsi estant que vous desirez prendre en marriage vne Fille d' Espagne, de là pouuors-nous aisement conjecturer, que ces auciennes sem…nces de la Piete Chris…ienne, lesquelles ont sy heureusement fleury dans les coeurs des Rois de la grand Bretagne, peuvent (Dieu leur donnant accroissement) reuerdir en vostre ame, Et de fait il ne seroit pas croyable que celuy-lá aimast vne telle alliance, lequel hayroit la Religion Catholique, & se plaroit â opprimer de Saint Siege. Nous auons en suitte de ce commandè de faire continuellement de tres-humbles prieres au Pere des lumieres, â ce qu'il luy plaise de vous mettre comme une belle fleurdis Christia…isme, & vnique esperance ae la grand' Bretagne, en possession de ce tres noble heritage, que vos ancestres vous ont acquis à deffendre l' ancteritè du souuerain Pontife, & à combattre les monstres de l' heresie. Sounenezvous des iours anciens, enquerezvous de vos Peres, & ils vous diront par quille voye l' on va an Ciel, & quel chemin ont tenu les Princes temporels pour per paruenir au Royaume eternel. Voyez les portes du Ciel ouuertes, ces tres Saincts Roys d' Angleterre, qui partans d' Angleterre pour ventr à Rome accompagnez d…s Anges sont venus honerer & faire hommage au Se…gneur des Seigneurs, & a… prince des Apostris en la Chaire Apostolique Leurs oeuures & leurs exemples sont a…tant ae voix de Dieu qui parlent; & qui uous exhortent á ce qu… ayez á su…ure la facon de viure de eux à l' Empire des quels vous parviendrez n…iour.
Est-…l possibile que vous puissiez souffrir, que les Herestiques tiennent pour impies, & condamnent ceux que la soy …e l' Eglise tesmoigne regner dant le Ciel auec Iesus. Christ, & avoir commandement & anctoritè sur toutes les Principautsz & Empires de la terre voilà qu' …s vous tendent la main d… ceste bi…nheu…euse Patrie, pour vous conduire sai… & sauf a la Cour du Roy Catholique, & quide siront vous … given de l' Eglise Romaine: laquelle suppliant auec gemissements inenarrables le Dieu de toute Misericorde pour vostre salut, vous tend les bras de la Charite Apostolique pour veus embrasser anec toute affection Christienne, vous qui estes son desire fils, en vous monstrant l' esperance bien houre…se d… … des …. Pour uray vous ne … donner plu… grande consolation a tous les Peuples de l' Estat Chrestien que de mettre en possession de uestre tres-noble Ist…le Prince des Apostres, l' Auctorite duq…la este … long temps en vostre Royaume de la gran… Bretagne pour la defense des Roya… mes, & por oracle de la Divinite. Ce qui arrivera sans difficulte, si vous ouurez vostre eoeur au Sergneur qui frappe, … gift toutle bon-heur de ce Royaume.
C'est de ceste si grand chari…e, que … fauorisous les loüanges du nom Royal, & qui nous fait desirer que vous & …ostre Serinissime pere soyez qualifiez du … de Liberateurs & Restaurateurs de l' ancienne & paternelle Religion de la grand Bretagne. Ce quenous esperors, nons cenfians en labonte de Dieu es mains duquel sont les ceurs des Roys, & qui f…it que les Peuples de la t…rr… puissent … guarison, lequell nous tascherons tonsiours de tout nostre ponuoir non … & favourable. Cependant recognoissez ces lettres le soing nostre charite qui …est autre chose que pour procurer uostre honhour: & iamais il ne nou… fe…a mal de les … escrites s… la lecture d'…icelles vient au moins à exciter quelque petite flamniesche de la Foy Catholique dans le coeurd' unsi grand Prince, l…quel nous desirons estre camble a une ioye de longue duree, & flerissant en la gloire de toutes nertus.
Donnè à Rome au Palais de Saint Piere le xx. iour d' Aurill 1623. l' an troisiesme de nostre Pontificat.
Pope Gregory the … having writ the foregoing Letter to the Prince of Wales, it was presented to him by the Nuncio of his Holinesse in Spain, he being accompanied with the Italian Lords that then were in the Court.