Henry VII: EPISTULAE

Exemplar bullae apostolicae Sanctissimi Domini nostri, Julii papae Secundi illustrissimo principi Henrico Regi Angliae illius nominis Septimo pro expeditione contra Turcum transmissae.

A copy of the apostolic bull of our most holy lord, Julius, Pope the 2nd, sent to the most illustrious prince Henry, King of England of that name the 7th, for the expedition against the Turk.

Carissime in Christo fili noster, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem.

Dearest in Christ, our son, greeting and apostolic blessing.

Litterae tuae serenitatis quas nuper ad nos scripsisti de sancto proposito tuo juvandi viribus atque opibus Christianam rempublicam, deque studio ac diligentia quibus hac de causa usus es in devinciendis tibi foedere et affinitatibus plerisque Christianis principibus, de desiderio etiam ut per nos reliqui principes reconcilientur, oratoresque illorum ad nos vocentur, ut de numero et genere copiarum, de belli ducibus, deque tempore locisque eligendis quibus perfidis Turcis et allis Christiani nominis hostibus bellum inferendum sit decernatur, tam nobis gratae et jucundae fuerunt ut, non contenti eas decies relegisse, etiam in consistorio nostro secreto recitandas duxerimus; non solum quia ad communem rem Christianam spectabant, sed ut tua laus esset illustrior. Quibus in dicto consistorio recitatis, omnes venerabiles fratres nostri, sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinales, certatim de tuis laudibus loqui coeperant, alii sanctum propositum, alii animi magnitudinem, alii liberalitatem, summis et veris laudibus extollentes. Omnes denique in hoc convenientes, majestatem tuam et actione gratiarum et commendatione dignissimam esse, quippe quae non solum vires et opes suas in expeditionem tam sanctam offerat, sed reliquos principes ad id excitare non cesset.

The letters of your serenity which you recently wrote to us concerning your holy intent to aid the Christian republic with strength and resources, and concerning the zeal and diligence with which you have used yourself in this cause in binding by treaty and kinship with very many Christian princes, and also concerning the desire that by our means the remaining princes be reconciled, and that their envoys be summoned to us so that the number and kind of forces, the commanders of the war, and the times and places to be chosen in which war is to be waged upon the perfidious Turks and other enemies of the Christian name may be determined — were so pleasing and agreeable to us that, not content with having read them ten times over, we even judged them fit to be recited in our secret consistory; not only because they pertained to the common Christian cause, but so that your praise might be the more illustrious. When read in that consistory, all our venerable brethren, the cardinals of the holy Roman Church, began eagerly to speak of your praises: some extolling the holy purpose, some your greatness of spirit, some your liberality, with the highest and truest commendations. All, in short, agreeing on this point, declared that your majesty is most worthy of thanks and commendation, inasmuch as you not only offer your forces and resources to so holy an expedition, but do not cease to stimulate the other princes to it.

Itaque, fili carissime, dies ille tibi perennis gloriae instar fuit, quo nostro et sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalium ore tam egregie laudatus fuisti.

Therefore, dearest son, that day was to you as a perennial glory, on which you were so excellently praised by the mouth of our cardinals and of the cardinals of the holy Roman Church.

Quod vero nos ad reconciliandos reliquos Christianos principes inter se dissidentes hortaris, facis, fili carissime, prae nimio desiderio expeditionis tam sanctae, nosque id in bonam partem accipimus. Sed neque tuis nec aliorum in hac re monitis exhortationibusve egemus. Currimus enim sponte, et desideria tua omniumque aliorum praevenimus.

As for the fact that you urge us to reconcile the remaining Christian princes, differing among themselves, you do this, most dear son, from an excessive desire for so holy an expedition, and we take it in good part. But we need neither your nor others' admonitions or exhortations in this matter. For we run of our own accord, and we anticipate the desires of you and of all others.

Reminiscimur etenim, reminiscimur quantum Deo Redemptorique nostro prae caeteris hominibus debeamus, qui non solum nos praetioso sanguine suo redemit, sed dignos etiam duxit quos universo gregi fideli pastorem praeesse vellet. Atque ideo ab initio nostri pontificatus omnes alias curas huic uni postponendas putavimus ut, concordibus et bene consentientibus Christianis principibus, valida et necessaria expeditio in Fidei nostrae sanctissimae hostes fieri posset. Nostris litteris, nostris monitis, nostris nunciis, carissimus in Christo filius noster Maximilianus Romanorum rex illustris cum Ludovico Francorum rege Christianissimo amicitiam foedusque iniit; nostroque assiduo hortatu Ferdinandus Aragonum et Siciliae rex Catholicus cum ipso Christianissimo rege Francorum in gratiam rediit, foedusque arctissima affinitate connexum percussit; quod et ipse fatetur et attestatur.

For we remember, we remember how much we owe to God our Redeemer above all men, who not only redeemed us with his precious blood, but also deemed some worthy to preside as shepherd over the whole faithful flock. And therefore from the beginning of our pontificate we judged all other cares should be postponed to this one, so that, with Christian princes concordant and well consenting, a strong and necessary expedition might be made against the enemies of our most holy Faith. By our letters, by our admonitions, by our envoys, our most dear son in Christ, Maximilian, illustrious King of the Romans, formed friendship and a league with Louis, most Christian King of the Franks; and at our continual exhortation Ferdinand, Catholic King of Aragon and of Sicily, returned into favor with that same most Christian King of the Franks, and struck the league together with the closest kinship; which he himself both confesses and testifies.

Nos etiam, posteaquam quaedam alienatio animorum inter eosdem Romanorum et Francorum reges exorta est, non cessavimus eorum utrumque ad pristinam concordiam revocare; misimusque hujus rei causa ad ipsum Romanorum regem dilectum filium, nobilem virum Constantinum Cominatum, principem Macedoniae, qui nihil aliud egit nisi ut hujusmodi concordiam persuadeat, adeo ut sperari possit eos, nisi aliorum consilia obstiterint, pacem foedusque esse renovaturos. Haec nos, fili carissime, hactenus fecimus, nec ulli regi aut principi Christiano defuimus in subministrandis auxiliis et subsidiis indulgentiarum et gratiarum, quae ab hac sancta Sede Apostolica possunt praestari; ut si qui ab infidelibus circumsepti sunt, ut Poloni, fines suos tueri et illos repellere cum victoria possent; qui vero nomen Christianum navigatione, classibus atque exercitibus propagare coeperunt, prout rex ipse Catholicus et illustris Portugalliae rex, victoriam prosequi commodius et fortius valeant.

We also, after a certain alienation of minds arose between the same kings of the Romans and of the Franks, did not cease to recall each of them to their former concord; and for this purpose we sent to the king of the Romans our beloved son, the noble man Constantinum Cominatum, prince of Macedonia, who did nothing else but to persuade such concord, so that it may be hoped they, unless the counsels of others oppose, will renew peace and the treaty. These things we, most dear son, have done up to now, nor have we failed any Christian king or prince in supplying aids and subsidies, indulgences and graces which from this holy Apostolic See can be granted; so that if any are, like the Poles, hemmed in by infidels, they may be able to defend their borders and repel them with victory; and those who have begun to propagate the Christian name by navigation, by fleets and by armies, so that the Catholic and illustrious king of Portugal himself may be enabled to pursue victory more conveniently and more bravely.

De oratoribus vero omnium principum Christianorum ad nos convocandis ut communi consensu expeditio ipsa concerni, dux seu duces exercituum eligi, et reliqua bello necessaria constitui possint, assentimur serenitati tuae. Sed saepe alias haec res a Romanis pontificibus praedecessoribus nostris fuit temptata, novissime vero piae memoriae Innocentii viii., quo Deus Omnipotens magnam occasionem rei bene gerendae fidelibus suis obtulerat. Divisae enim tunc erant vires Turcorum, et Zizimus, hujus perfidi Baizeti Turcorum tyranni frater germanus, quem omnis veteranus exercitus sequebatur, apud Sedem Apostolicam servabatur.

Concerning the summoning of the orators of all Christian princes to us, so that by common consent the expedition itself may be arranged, a leader or leaders of the armies chosen, and the other necessities of war established, we assent to your Serenity. But this matter has often at other times been attempted by the Roman pontiffs our predecessors, and most recently by the pious memory of Innocent VIII, to whom Almighty God had offered a great occasion for the right conduct of the affair. For then the forces of the Turks were divided, and Zizimus, that perfidious brother germane of Baizet, the Turkish tyrant, whom the whole veteran army followed, was being kept at the Apostolic See.

Convenere oratores omnes. Saepe de numero et genere copiarum, de classibus, de locis in quibus convenire deberent, quae loca Turcorum primum invadenda essent, discussum fuit. Maximam vero difficultatem videbatur afferre electio ducis ipsius, cum incertum esset quinam regum aut principum in tam sanctam expeditionem in propria persona esset iturus.

All the envoys met. Often the number and kind of forces, the fleets, the places at which they ought to assemble, and which places of the Turks should be invaded first were debated. But the greatest difficulty seemed to arise from the election of the leader himself, since it was uncertain which of the kings or princes would go in person on so holy an expedition.

Divisio etiam et attributio locorum quae a nostris reciperentur et Turcis subtraherentur disputationem non mediocrem attulit. Omnibus rebus discussis, remissi ad principes suos oratores praedicti ut plena mandata referrent, nihil admodum responderunt. Quod si tunc in tanta opportunitate difficile fuit expeditionem ipsam decernere, quid nunc futurum putemus, praesertim cum, proh dolor!

The division and attribution of the places that would be received by our men and taken from the Turks likewise produced no small dispute. With all matters examined, the forementioned envoys were sent back to their princes to bring full mandates, and they answered nothing at all. If then, in so great an opportunity, it was difficult to decide upon the expedition itself, what shall we now reckon will happen, especially since, alas!

ex eo tempore vires Turcorum nostris, ut remur, peccatis adauctae sint, Christianorum in aliqua parte attritae.

From that time the strength of the Turks, so to speak, has been increased against ours by (our) sins, and the Christians have been in some part worn away.

Nos tamen, fili carissime, litteris, nunciis, legatis, principes Christianos ad hoc excitare atque inducere non cessabimus, pro re gratissima habituri si tua quoque majestas, ut pollicetur, eos ad id hortari non desinat. In expeditione enim tam sancta quam Deus temporibus nostris fieri concedat, non solum nostras et sanctae Romanae ecclesiae facultates, sed et proprium sanguinem una cum eisdem venerabilibus fratribus nostris, dictae ecclesiae cardinalibus, cum opus fuerit, exponemus, ut tandem terra illa sanctissima qua Dominus et Salvator noster Jesus Christus nasci et pati pro nostra redemptione voluit, extrusa penitusque eliminata impii Machometis spurcitia, Christiano nomini cultuique reddatur. Cum aliquid constitutum erit de oratoribus convocandis, tuam majestatem in primis certiorem reddemus.

We, however, most dear son, will not cease to rouse and induce Christian princes to this by letters, messengers, and legates, being most grateful indeed if your Majesty likewise, as he promises, do not fail to exhort them thereto. For in so holy an expedition as God may grant to be undertaken in our times, we shall, when need is, expose not only our own and the Holy Roman Church’s resources, but also our own blood together with those same venerable brethren of ours, the cardinals of the said church, so that at last that most holy land wherein the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ willed to be born and to suffer for our redemption may be driven out and utterly purged of the filth of the impious Machometis, and restored to the Christian name and worship. When anything shall be settled about summoning envoys, we will first make your Majesty fully informed.

Deum interim oramus ut hunc animum tibi servet, et vires adaugeat, quo possit plurimum in communem utilitatem prout cupere se ostendit conferre, et reipublicae Christianae prodesse.

Meanwhile we pray to God that he preserve this mind for you, and increase your strength, that you may contribute as much as possible to the common good, as you show yourself desirous to do, and be of service to the Christian republic.

Data Romae, apud Sanctum Petrum, sub annulo Piscatoris, die ix Julii, anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo septimo, pontificatus nostri anno quarto.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, under the Fisherman's ring, on the 9th of July, in the year of our Lord 1507, in the fourth year of our pontificate.