• The pope, having examined them, was fatisfied of their validity, and received the bifhop kindly, for he gueffed the obje& of his miffion. The am-baffador explained the caufe of his coming, which the pope attentively liftened to, and thus replied : * That the anfwer his propositions required did not only perfonally attach to him, but to all his brother-cardinals, who might afpire to the papacy. He would fummon a confiftory, and, when they had fully confidered the matter, would give him an anfwer that fhould. be fatisfa&ory.* This was, for the prefent, fufficient for the bifhop of Cam-bray, who dined that day at the palace of the pope with fome of his cardinals, and then, leaving Fondi, went to Rome. Shortly after, pope Boniface held a convocation of cardinals at Rome ; for he had quitted.Fondi, and refided at. the Vatican. No one was prefent at this confiftory but the pope and cardinals, be-fore whom he laid the propofitions of the bifhop of. Cambray, and demanded advice what anfwer hè fhould make to them. Much difcuflion cn-fued i for the cardinals were averfe to undo what they had done, thinking it would turn out to their" difgrace. They faid to the pope,—c Holy father, confidering our fituation, we think you fhould conceal your real fentiments on this matter : but, to encourage the hopes of the king of France and thofe of his creed, you will in your anfwer declare your willingnefs to comply with whatever the emperor of Germany, the king of Hungary and the. king of England fhall advifc you* that the perfon 66