his feeling of being persecuted became stronger. 'My friends
decrease, my enemies increase,' he writes in 1532, when Warham has died
and Aleander has risen still higher. In the autumn of 1535 he thinks
that all his former servant-pupils betray him, even the best beloved
ones like Quirin Talesius and Charles Utenhove. They do not write to
him, he complains.

[Illustration: XXIV. CARDINAL JEROME ALEANDER]

In October 1534, Pope Clement VII was succeeded by Paul III, who at once
zealously took up the Council-question. The meeting of a Council was, in
the eyes of many, the only means by which union could be restored to the
Church, and now a chance of realizing this seemed nigh. At once the most
learned theologians were invited to help in preparing the great work.
Erasmus did not omit, in January 1535, to address to the new Pope a
letter of congratulation, in which he professed his willingness to
co-operate in bringing about the pacification of the Church, and warned
the Pope to steer a cautious middle course. On 31 May followed a reply
full of kindliness and acknowledgement. The Pope exhorted Erasmus, 'that
you too, graced by God with so much laudable talent and learning, may
help Us in this pious work, which is so agreeable to your mind, to
defend, with Us, the Catholic religion, by the spoken and the written
word, before and during the Council, and in this manner by this last
work of piety, as by the best act to close a life of religion and so
many writings, to refute your accusers and rouse your admirers to fresh
efforts.'

Would Erasmus in years of greater strength have seen his way to
co-operate actively in the council of the great? Undoubtedly, the Pope's
exhortation correctly represented his inclination. But once faced by the
necessity of hard, clear resolutions, what would he have effected? Would
his spirit of peace and toleration, of reserve and compromise, have
brought alleviation and warded off the coming struggle? He was spared
the experiment.

He knew himself too weak to be able to think of strenuous
church-political propaganda any more. Soon there came proofs that the
kindly feelings at Rome were sincere. There had been some question also
of numbering Erasmus among the cardinals who were to be nominated with a
view to the Council; a considerable benefice connected with the church
of Deventer was already offered him. But Erasmus urged the Roman friends
who were thus active in his behalf to cease their kind