I liolic communion, and to Edward VI in justi- fication of his acts; bul his letter- were left unopened. Pole's book, /'■ unitaU ecclesiaslica, was published in Rome in 1536; and .though, a< Burnet says, "il was more esteemed for the high quality ol the author than
for any - el reasoning in it," ii yet gave the most
certain proof of hi- invincible attachment and zeal for Rome, and was therefore sufficient to build mfidence upon. Accordingly Pole was emplov , ,i I,, negotiations and transactions of high con- cern, was consulted by the pope in all affairs relating to kings and rino 9, h as madeone of his legates
it the Council ol [Vent, and. lastly, his penman when
aaion required. Thus, for instance, when the pope's
power to remove thai council was contested by the em- peror's ambassador, Pole drew up a vindication of that proceeding; and when the emperor set forth the interim, Was employe, I to au-wer it. This was in 1548, and
POLE
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POLE
pope Paul III dying tlie next year, our cardinal was twice elected to succeed him, but refused both the elec- tions: one as being too hasty and without due deliber- ation, and the other because it was done in the night- time. This unexampled delicacy disgusted several of his friends in the conclave, who thereupon concurred in choosing Julius III, March 30, 1550. The tranquillity of Rome being soon after disturbed by the wars in France and on the borders of Italy, Pole retired to a monastery in the territory of Verona, where lie lived agreeably to his natural humor till the death of king Edward VI in July, 1553.
On the accession of queen Mary, Pole was appointed legate for England, as the fittest instrument to reduce that kingdom to an obedience to the pope ; but he did not think it safe to venture his person thither till he knew the queen's intentions with regard to the re- establishment of the Romish religion, and also whether the act of attainder which had passed against him under Henry, and confirmed by Edward, was repealed. It was not long before he received satisfaction upon both these points; and he set out for England, by way of Germany, in October, 1553. The emperor, suspecting a design in queen Mary to marry Pole, contrived means to stop his progress; nor did he ar- rive in England till November, 1554, when her mar- riage with Philip of Spain was completed. (The Eng- lish ecclesiastical historian Soames thinks that Pole was delayed by bishop Gardiner, who himself desired this distinguished post.) On his arrival Pole was con- ducted to the archbishop's palace at Lambeth, Cranmer being then attainted and imprisoned; and on the 28th went to the Parliament and made a long and grave speech, inviting them to a reconciliation with the apostolic see, for which purpose, he said, he was sent. by the common pastor of Christendom. This speech of Pole occasioned some motion in the queen, which she vainly thought was a child quickened within her womb: so that the joy of the times was redoubled. some not scrupling to say that as John the Baptist leaped in his mother's womb at the salutation of the Virgin, so here the like happiness attended the saluta- tion of Christ's vicar. The Parliament being absolved by Pole, all went to the royal chapel, where the Te Deum was sung on the occasion: and thus, the pope's authority being now restored, the cardinal, two days afterwards, made his public entry into London, with all the solemnities of a legate, and presently set about re- forming the Church and freeing it from heresy. In conformity with a pontifical bull, he published a decree by which, 1, churches, hospitals, and schools founded during the schisms should be preserved ; 2, persons who had married at unlawful degrees without dispensation should be considered as legitimately united ; 3, buyers of ecclesiastical property should not be disturbed in their possession. But such a triumph did not satisfy the fanatics. Encouraged by the chancellor, Gardiner, they tilled England during four years with those hor- rors which left forever a bloody stain on Mary's mem- ory. Pole had formerly been suspected of favoring the Reformation, because he had advocated in the Council of Trent (q. v.) and at Ratisbon (q. v.) the adoption by the Church of Rome of the doctrine of justification as held by the Protestants, and being now anxious to sat- isfy the Papists, altered in his actions, and became the severe opponent of all Protestants. In the cruel meas- ures which were adopted it is sometimes claimed for Pole that he had no direct part, as he was by nature humane and of good temper, and had ever previously proved most lenient to Protestants; but it would appear as if Pole, in his desire to please the pope and the queen, did adopt sterner measures than heretofore. The poet Tennyson has recently taken the favorable view of Pole's conduct, and thus makes him speak of his de- cision how to reconcile the heretics:
" For ourselves, we do protest That our commission is to heal, not harm ;
We come not to condemn, but reconcile ;
We come not to compel, but call again ;
We come not to destroy, but edify;
Nor yet to question things already done :