[Footnote 120: Mary described her throne as,
"acquistato per benevolenze di quei popoli, che per
la maggior parte odiano a morte questa sancta sede,
oltre gl' interessi dei beni ecclesiastici occupati
da molti signori, che sono del suo
consiglio."--Julius III. to Pole: _Poli Epistolae_,
vol. iv.]

The queen's letters were confirmed by Commendone himself; he had been
permitted to confer in private with more than one good Catholic in the
realm; and every one had given him the same assurances,[121] although
he had urged upon them the opposite opinion entertained by Pole:[122]
he had himself witnessed the {p.055} disposition with which the
people regarded Elizabeth, and he was satisfied that the queen's alarm
on this head was not exaggerated.[123]

[Footnote 121: "Le parole che haveva inteso da lei
disse di haver inteso da persone Catholice et digne
di fede in quel paese."--Ibid.]

[Footnote 122: "Et similmente espose l' opinione
vostra con le ragioni che vi movano."--Ibid.]

[Footnote 123: Julius III. to Pole: _Poli
Epistolae_, vol. iv.]

In opinions so emphatically given, the pope was obliged to acquiesce,
and the same view was enforced upon him equally strongly by the
emperor. Charles knew England tolerably well; he was acquainted
perfectly well with the moral and intellectual unfitness of the
intended legate for any office which required discretion; and Julius,
therefore, was obliged to communicate to the eager cardinal the
necessity of delay, and to express his fear that, by excess of zeal,
he might injure the cause and alienate the well-affected queen.[124]
Though Pole might not go to England, however, he might go, as he went
before, to the immediate neighbourhood; he might repair to Flanders,
with a nominal commission to mediate in the peace which was still
hoped for. In Flanders, though the pope forbore to tell him so, he
would be under the emperor's eyes and under the emperor's control,
till the vital question of the queen's marriage had been disposed of,
or till England was in a calmer humour.

[Footnote 124: "Onde se per questa molta diligenza
nostra, le avvenisse qualche caso sinistro, si
rovinarebbe