ARCHIVE - Court of His Holiness in Rome

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The Sealed Letter Carried by Cardinal Banastre

Your Holiness,

Cardinal Banastre was most insistent that he travel to the Lateran to pay homage and know your will when we both heard the good news of your ascension to the Papal Throne. I have asked him to pass on my personal regards and look forward to the day when I can leave England to pay proper Christian homage to you myself.

The reasons why I cannot leave England for the moment are not pleasant. The cowardly Duke of Lancaster has raised a huge army against me, and has persuaded several of the foremost duchies and earldoms of my realm to similarly betray me.

I ask of Your Holiness that you condemn this rebellion, so that I may go into battle knowing that I do God's will, and not just that of those nobles who remain loyal to the Crown.

There are those who say that my claim to the throne is the bogus one, and that I am the traitor to be deposed. I intend to prove these people wrong in this very missive.

I am the first to confess that my family and our allies used means that could only be described as less than Christian in our deposition of the Lancastrian child King John. Indeed, I have asked Cardinal Banastre for penance for these sins and have served such. However, I have not committed these acts without feeling they were justified.

I submit to Your Holiness that the House of Lancaster's claim to the throne, from Henry Bolingbroke to the present day, is entirely invalid. It is known that Henry Bolingbroke - later Henry IV - deposed Richard II, who was rightful King of England, being the grandson of Edward III via his first son, Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince, who predeceased him.

What Bolingbroke did permanently violated the noble tradition of kinghood in England. It is certain that he was of royal blood, since he was the son of John of Gaunt, Edward III's third son. However, Your Holiness, surely it stands to reason that this does not give the House of Lancaster the right to depose the reigning king simply because they did not like him!

Now I come to the reason why I feel my claim is valid. My father, the Duke of York and another Edward, is directly related via his mother, Anne; via Anne's father, Roger, Earl of March; via Roger's mother, Philippa; to, finally, Philippa's father, Lionel, Duke of Clarence, who was Edward III's second son. It is by our direct descendance from my great ancestor Lionel that I feel my claim is valid, and more strong than that of the House of Lancaster, who can only claim descendance through a more junior son of Edward III.

This is where I feel the House of Lancaster has done serious wrong and why our House has done right by the Church's standards.

Cardinal Banastre even quoted to me a passage from the Bible in Leviticus which settled my doubts that our actions, whilst unpleasant, were excusable and even necessary.

OOC: written in Latin:
And in case a man should cause a defect in his associate, then just as he has done, so should it be done to him. Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; the same sort of defect he may cause in the man, that is what should be caused in him.

I hope your Holiness can forgive my arrogance in quoting the Bible to a man who is clearly more learned in the Holy Book, but it is this passage that has been in my mind and keeping my hand steady as I have steered England towards justice and peace.

Holiness, I ask for your help in breaking the stalemate between myself and my foes. With your blessings upon my endeavours, I can expect the loyalty of my nobles with greater confidence. As loathe as I am to ask of it, and if it is your will that it be so, an excommunication upon the House of Lancaster and its allies would, without doubt, have even greater effect.

I am your humble servant.

By his own hand,

Edmund Rex

 

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An ancient, gnarled priest bows his head before the Pope, with his ever-present assistant there to provide him support and aid should he need it. The Grand Inquisitor, Cardinal Montpetit addresses the Pope.

"Your Holiness, congratulations on your unanimous election. Thank God that someone with the capacity to work the Church out of the hole it is in has arisen. Te Deums are being sung throughout Europe in honor of this new turn. Now, Your Holiness, as you might know, as Grand Inquisitor I was commanded to investigate the assassination of the Pope Innocent. If you are ready, I am prepared to make my report. The assassin was known to us, and I have discovered who ordered her sent, and strong clues as to who commissioned her, based on the testimony of those involved."

 

[Blinky]

"You are lucky today, first of the pilgrims to be granted an audience."

Taking a step before the pope, the young man clothed poorly kneels to the ground while crossing himself. Much to the surprise of everyone, this peasant speaks in fluent Latin as he look up at the Pope from his kneeling position.

"Your Holiness, I have come of a far journey, called from over two years ago by Innocent, may he rest in peace, his own hand as you can see."

The man proffers a crinkled letter still bearing the papal seal and the call to pilgrimage.

"No doubt as you will see. It has been addressed to my friend. He was known as Friar Bernardo, a brother of the Dominican order. Much to his own concern and upon the behalf of my soul, Bernardo brought this very letter from the Kingdom of Navarra to England where I met with family.

Forgive me, Your Holiness, for failing to introduce myself. The man you see before you is Carlos Trastamara and King of Navarra. For the last two and a half years, Bernardo and I walked from the shores of Normandy to Rome as commanded by terms of pilgrimage. My intent prior to this trip were to live my life of sin and debauchery as I had done throughout my short life.

However, the charity of fellow Christians and the inequities that I witnessed personally have effected new life. Thus, as I have been instructed in Saint Thomas over these months, I recognize my return to God much as the holy Gospels have described time and again. My penance is not finished though.

While at the cathedral in Paris, my penance was to learn the petitions of every village that I passed through to their patron saint. From our last meeting, Friar Bernardo told me," Carlos pauses briefly before continuing remembering past experiences.

"Friar Bernardo told me that there were at least two hundred petitions that I have recited to him before he stopped counting. If you wish it, I shall tell you of the many petitions I have learned and do as my confessor has wished."

Carlos pauses as he awaits the Pope's answer.

 

[Fireblade]

Henry, Duke of Campania, laughs a cold, bitter laugh at the Aragonese letter.

"Your Holiness, René, rightful and true King of Naples, rejects out of hand the lies in the letter sent to Your Holiness. Please, allow me to illustrate to Your Holiness and the Church the lies that Constantine, King of Greece, have for all these years passed off as truth, and why Naples owes no fealty to Constantine."

Henry snaps his fingers, and an aide unveils a chart, detailing a partial geneology of the Aragonese Trastamara.

"As you can quite obviously see, your Holiness, this is not complete, as the children of Eleanore, Regina Anglia, are missing, but I'm sure it will suffice."

Duke Henry first points to the name at the top of the list, Ferdinand.

"This, Your Holiness, is King Ferdinand of Aragon, who came to the throne of Aragon after Martin, King of Aragon and last King of the Barcelona dynasty, died without issue - a point we shall return to later."

The finger points to the lower left, to Alfonso V, King of Aragon.

"Alfonso, Fifth of the Name, King of Aragon. Alfonso Rex died without issue at the walls of Napoli, in a naked attempt to grab the Kingdom.. from himself, it turned out." Duke Henry chuckles for a second, and then continues. "Since Alfonso died without issue, either legal or bastard, then the Crown of Aragon passed to Joan, brother of Alfonso, son of Ferdinand.

Joan, who, alas, met his fate very early.. and very suspiciously, did leave a heir to the Crowns of Aragon and Navarra, who is none other than the man in this very room, Charles. But, this is where the vile and disgusting usurpation of the Crown of Aragon comes in by the Caesar of the so-called Eastern Roman Empire, Constantine. As you see by the table, Your Holiness, Blanca, from whom Constantine's supposed 'claim' to the throne of Aragon takes place, is not only female, but her husband, the pretender King of Aragon, is unrelated to the House of Trastamara, but is not even the senior heir. Which leads to another, serious problem. Constantine, not being an heir to Joan, has no claim to the Crowns of Aragon and Navarra. Let us pretend for a moment that Carlos had never been born, and that, indeed, Blanca was the senior heir.. which she is not, for Pere, Duke of Noto, and Enric, Duke of Villena, are still alive, but I digress. To return to my point, Constantine, although he is married to Blanca, would NOT automatically be the King of Aragon, but any offspring the two would have could inherit the Crown. Constantine would merely be prince-consort to Queen Blanca, not a legal crowned King of Aragon."

Duke Henry raises his eyebrow for a moment, and continues.

"Personally, your Holiness, I find it strange that more nobles did not cry out against this disgusting usurpation. However, if I shall continue, I ask you to look at the second piece of my evidence, the last will of King Alfonso, as he lay dying outside the city of Napoli, slain by soldiers loyal to himself."

An old treaty, taken from the archives of the Kingdom of Naples, is presented to the Pope, and read aloud by a herald.

Last Will of Alfonso V and His Wishes for the Kingdom of Naples

I Alfonso V King of Aragon do hereby present my last will and wishes for the Kingdom of Naples


I. I Alfonso V do hereby upon the acceptance of the enclosed treaty will forever renounce any claim upon the throne of Naples by myself and subsequent Kings of Aragon. No more shall Aragon rule in Italia, for I have caused too much pain and suffering for the good people there.

By his own hand in Naples.

Alfonso V

Treaty of Napoli

I. The province of Naples shall be handed over to the Kingdom of Aragon, thus making the entire nation under the rule of the Aragonese Kingdom.

II. Upon "annexation" the Kingdom of Naples consiting of the provinces of Napoli and Apuila shall forever more be given to the Papal states as sign that only the servants of God shall rule the good people of Naples.

III. Giovanni III Julian shall forever more be remembered as the liberator of Naples, and released as all charges shall be dropped.

This is the treaty which I present to you, upon my deathbed.


By his own hand in Naples
Alfonso V.

"As you can see, Your Holiness, the Kingdom of Aragon therefore has no claim to the Kingdom of Naples. What rationale then, does Constantine have to claim my throne? He is not a legal heir to the Crown of Aragon, nor the legal heir to Naples. And, since King Alfonso dropped all pretense to the Crown of Naples for himself and his heirs, then the sole claimant to the throne happens to be none other than King René of Naples, who was duly crowned such by His Holiness Benedict XIII in this very room!"

The Duke stays silent for a moment, and then continues.

"There is one other thing, your Majesty. The House of Trastamara only came to the throne in Anno Domini One Thousand Four Hundred and Seventeen. I mentioned Martin, King of Aragon, and last reigning King of the Barcelona dynasty, who did die without issue. However, his brother, John, King of Aragon, did leave one heir.. who happens to be none other than Yolanda, mother of King René. I charge, then, that if Constantine continues to maintain that Naples must swear fealty to the Crown of Aragon, then King René might just well do so, for HE has a valid claim to the Crown of Aragon, and shall recognize himself as such if Constantine wishes to maintain his arrogant position. I do not think Constantine will enjoy it very much, however, when René swears fealty to himself..

And I must inform your Holiness, and Your Majesty Carlos, that many of the nobles of Aragon and Catalonya are very angry at the mismanagement of the Kingdom.."

Duke Henry's face hardens like stone, and he then bows low.

"That is the essence of King René's position, your Holiness. If there are any questions that I may clear up, then by all means, ask, for I, and King René, have nothing to hide."

Later that night​

Duke Henry approaches King Carlos of Navarra, and gives a slight bow.

"Your Majesty, I have an offer from King René regarding your mutual claims to the Crown of Aragon, should you wish to discuss it.."

 

[Bagricula]

A strange silence folds around the Petrine Throne as the pilgrim approaches. His rough sackcloth contrasts with every shimmering silky thread shrouding the Princes of the Church. He walks with the strength of the peasantry, of those who live on their feet under the sun. Those whose only respite is an afternoon of fishing under the shade of a generous oak. His bearing though bespeaks the confidence and certainty of a righteous man, a mystic, or a king. A strong soul, thinks Nicholas as the man kneels before him. The Pope looks down at the petitioner, and follows the lines of time and hardship with his eyes, noting the grit, dust, and mud ingrained to the skin, unnoticed. Such is the crucible of faith.

As the pilgrim speaks, just as waves of sound crashed before over the hall, a strange rainfall of quiet stillness calmed the sea of petitioners, magnifying the pilgrim's voice as every ear in the hall strained to hear his strange tale. As Carlos, Crowned King of Navarra, completes his short petition, Nicholas finds himself sitting on the edge of the Petrine Throne staring into the King's face like a child fascinated by a minstrel's story. A small smile grows over the Pontiff's face. A soft grin, gentle, and serene covers his countenance, and he speaks softly with words that echo in the silent chamber:

"I will hear their petitions, carus filius, and carry them to God."

His Holiness, Pope Nicholas V, Vicar of Christ holds up his hand to stop any outflowing of the many souls Carlos had met in his pilgrimage. He beckons with a glance his secretary to his side speaking evenly, "Prospero, the Church needs a record of this man's journey. He has heard the voice of the flock, and that precious voice must be captured before it is lost. Bring us scribes."

Cardinal Vivarelli bows slightly, "Va bene, Sanctissimo," and hurries off the large dais to speak with the many acolytes, clerks, attendants, and scribes, that constantly moved about the Papal court.

Meanwhile, Nicholas leans back, straightening himself against the hard back of the Petrine Throne, preparing himself mentally for a long afternoon, evening, and night hearing the complaints, dreams, and anxieties of every villager Carlos had met. Before anything else, I am a simple priest, and he is a simple pilgrim. There are no Kings nor Popes in Heaven. Only the humble faithful and the jubilant angels. He smiles softly, and speaks to the pilgrim casually as the scribes are gathered.

"First tell me, carus filius, of the fate of Frater Bernardo that he does not kneel here beside you at the end of your quest?"

As Carlos and Nicholas speak, the scribes gather to record this strange and momentous event. Any other petitioners are told to wait or return tomorrow morning. Nicholas tries to avoid looking out over the crowd, many of whom are rich and powerful graces and eminences, and concentrate solely on the one lamb before him, the one lamb eager to divulge his souls long journey to absolution.

 

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In the back stands a man garbed in simple travelling garments, perhaps of a finer cut than would be common, brittly rigid against the exiting petitioners like a rock in the current of a river. Though hard-worn, the eyes burn with a fever-bright fire. The madness of saints and devils flicker inside, his posture indicating that he is prepared to wait until Judgement Day in that same position.

Those fanatical eyes remained ever-fixed, barely blinking, upon the Throne of Peter and the man upon it. We shall have words, you and I, cousin. This exile ends one way or another today.

 

[Bagricula]

Before Dawn​

Prospero Vivarelli turns over violently in his sleep. If only sleep, he thinks angrily and drowsily. He'd stayed up late last night listening to the interminable petitions of small Norman fishing villages and Provencal hamlets, while Nicholas listened carefully, he imagined trying to remember the fingering for his fugues. The Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church had taken a liking to fugues recently, and had tried composing a few of them himself on the clavier. Not that he got much time behind a keyboard anymore.

What keeps him awake though is a continuous knocking at his door. It had only started a few moments ago, but in those heightened moments of the early morning it feels like an eternity of hammering to Prospero. He is quite certain that Prospero is his name for a much more vigorous round of knocking begins along with angry shouts in a German accent:

"Get up, Prospero Vivarelli, or I'll excommunicate you and every one of your ancestors back to the first one to be dunked in the baptismal font!"

Deus Altus! His Holiness! Panic rushes adrenaline through Prospero's tired limbs and he lunges out of bed staggering quickly to open the door. Outside, Nicholas V, Servant of the Servants of God, stands with his hands folded in front of his morning gown smiling beatifically.

"Buongiorno! You know I didn't mean a word of that," The Pope speaks cheerfully as he enters the room, "After King Carlos, I'm afraid we didn't have time to go over my correspondence. I thought we'd be best to do it now, before audiences begin."

His head swimming with confusion, Prospero replies with a weary, "Si, Sanctissimo.." as he stumbles over to open his writing desk.

"Benissimo," the Pontiff replies, sitting himself on his secretary's bed, "Gott in himmel! You still sleep on boards like an ascetic, eh, Prospero?"

The Papal Secretary who by now had extracted the necessary implements and had begun sharpening his pen replies evenly, regaining clarity as he concentrates on his work, "Si, Sanctissimo. I find it helps clear the mind in the morning and prevent indigestion."

His Holiness nods, feeling the hard bed, "Ja, certainly. Like a military camp. We are the Church Militant, are we not, Prospero?"

"As you say, Holy Father, 'ita vero.'"

Nicholas grins, "A great expression. I'm glad you noticed. Now, to begin: Meus filius carus..."

And so in the hour before dawn, the Pope and his secretary prepare the epistles that would be sent out over Christendom in reply to the many sent to be read by the Vicar of Christ on Earth.

 

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Dominic had learnt through the ascension of many popes that it was important to be in their eyesight when needed and discreetly out of the way when not. The first few months of any new Pontiff was always fraught with petitioners, quelling disquiet and asserting themselves in the eyes of the world. He would remain waiting. Performing his duties as best he could and watching for a clue that he may be needed. The other stuff he was to present could wait for an opportune moment.

The situation with Mainz was most interesting and that fool Telemond was likely to lead his Holiness into trouble if he listened to him, but as Corleone heard what pope Nic said in response to some of his challenges. * Very interesting * He thinks. * This Pope might not be anyone's fool. Good job I'm paying attention *

He sits back in his Cardinal chair, set against on side wall and continues to watch and think.

*Hmmm ... There's a chambermaid in the west wing I could find ... perhaps later. After a visit to the new chapel *



.

 

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Rome, Pontifical States

The ship carrying Constantine arrived at the Roman harbor. he walked around the city for a short while, feeling a small bit jealous that Barcelona was not as grand as Rome. Finally, he left to meet with the Pope as commanded.

When he arrived, he knelt and kissed the Pope's rings.

"Your Holiness. I am Honored that you have agreed to attempt to mediate the Neapolitan conflict. I must point out that I have no ties to these rebels in Apulia that are loyal to my banner. I have not ordered them to rise up against Renatus of Anjou. They fight him of their own free will. My stance is a most Catholic one. Through a treaty with the Mohammedans in Egypt, I have enabled Catholics to travel through Jerusalem. As far as the King of Naples is concerned, I had no quarrel with him until he broke our treaty. The treaty states that if I end up in a war over my rightful Greek claims, that Naples must support me militarily or economically. He did neither, instead he took that opportunity to lash out against Aragon, which is why his subjects in Apulia revolted. Their loyalty is evidently not to their King, but to their Faith, as is mine, Father."

 

[Bagricula]

In the Lateran​

After working in the early morning dictating correspondence with Prospero, Nicholas is rushed through a quick breakfast and then carried to the audience chambers in the Sedia Gestatoria. Guards along either side keep the crowds back, many eager to get a word with the Pontiff. Not so many as before.. Nicholas notes, Perhaps they think Carlos's petition is still going on and have decided to wait out the week before returning. He rides patiently as the solemn procession reaches the Petrine Throne, where he dismounts and climbs the dais accompanied by long-cloaked cardinals.

Pope Nicholas V speaks briefly with Cardinal Vivarelli before the Papal Secretary descends from the dais to seek out the Archbishop of Canturbury. The English cleric is lead up the many steps of the dais to the white throne of Saint Peter. After Banastre performs the requisite obsequience, His Holiness leans forward and speaks in his characteristic soft familiar voice as if they were two acolytes in a small country chapel instead of two primates in the greatest basilica on Earth.

"Alan, meus filius, let me see you face."

His Holiness smiles paternally before continuing. The Archbishop of Canturbury can sense the approaching footsteps of Cardinal Vivarelli behind him.

"I see goodness in your face, Alan. Meus filius Edmund has many difficult decisions ahead of him. Some would say he has already made many difficult decisions. And some would say he has made the wrong ones."

He pauses and Cardinal Vivarelli hands him a paper bearing the Keys of Saint Peter.

"My son, if Edmund will be king, he will need the strength of defeat his enemies. But if he wishes to remain king he will need the love of God. You must give that to him. Instruct him always in the Word of the Lord and the way of compassion. Remind him of humility and that all his glorious victories and ignominous defeats are vanity and dust under the mill wheel of time. Take this letter to him and take my blessing. Deus pacem Britannio vult."

(OOC: More to come for Montepetit and the Neapolitan negotiations)

 

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The figure stands in precisely the same position as he was located in the day before. The only concession to his bodily needs would be a small flask of water tied firmly below his belt, reached for without his gaze ever leaving the Pope.

 

[Fireblade]

Henry, Duke of Campania, bows.

"Caesar Constantine, let it be known that Naples did support your Majesty in its war against the King of Bohemia. Did we not pay not less than half of the income of the treasury to your Kingdom? The treaty did not specify how such aid would be rendered, but it was rendered nonetheless.

His Majesty of Naples, René, does not wish ill upon the Kingdom of Aragon. After all, his own mother was Aragonese, and he loved visiting the Kingdom in his youth. His Majesty.. and myself, wish so very much for peace to be restored between the two Kingdoms, for just as you are a most Catholic ruler, so is King René.

I must also bring up the point to his Holiness that several letters were sent to Caesar Constantine, and no reply was recieved. When we wished for dialogue concerning ending the tribute, we were met only with silence. King René, of course, as any lord would, took the opprotunity from apparent Aragonese acceptance to end the paying of tribute."

 

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Rome, Pontifical States

Constantine scoffed.

"Apparently, it is not only I who disagree with the decisions of your King. Apparently, the people of Apulia stand behind my claim, while your King's supposed concessions are only a fraudulent attempt at appeasement while giving up nothing. Not acceptable."

 

[Fireblade]

Duke Henry turns to the Pope.

"Your Holiness, I must note that Caesar Constantine has not addressed the.. irregularities of his accession to the throne of Aragon, but instead, has merely pointed out part of a treaty that can be interpreted in several ways. The fact remains, your Holiness, that the Caesar has no claim upon the throne of Naples or the lands thereof, not by blood, nor by Aragon upon Naples, for the crowns are completely seperate."

 

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Rome, Pontifical States

Constantine nodded.

"Allow me to interject, Your Holiness, but the Neapolitan tells fictional stories. It is true that it was allowed for the Anjou to take the throne of Naples... However, as it was agreed that Naples would aid Aragon in all further conflicts regarding Greece. He did not. The tribute he paid was permanant, and had nothing to do with the war. It did not increase, instead, it stopped entirely once my army traveled across the Mediterannean as he saw I was no threat. The Neapolitan King's excuse for breaking his tribute was because he was my equal, and therefore was not able to be my vassal. That is not true. the King of Scotland is a vassal of the King of Ireland... But I digress. I do not claim Naples as the King of Aragon. I claim Naples as the Emperor of the Romans. Naples was part of the Eastern Roman Empire until the Norman Hautevilles stole it in the 11th and 12th century. I am not asking him to step down as King, only to return to paying tribute, as he did before... Should we not come up with a fair solution, I cannot say for certain that I can stop the rebels from capturing Napoli."

 

[Fireblade]

Duke Henry laughs.

"Very well, the Kingdom of Naples shall pay tribute to the Eastern Roman Empire."

Duke Henry pulls a small copper coin out of his pocket, one that a common street begger can, with difficulty, use to buy a small, molded loaf of bread, and flips it towards Constantine. The coin clatters on the floor.

"You are no Emperor, Constantine, but a Caesar, appointed by the Church to rule Thrace in its stead. Even if you were a proper Emperor, on equal footing with King Joachim, then even then the Kingdom of Naples owes you no fealty, for the Kingdom of Naples is not within the boundries of the Western or Eastern Empires. The only overlord of the Kingdom of Naples is his Holiness, the Regent of God on Earth."

 

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Rome, Pontifical States

Constantine nodded.

"It is good that I amuse you... However, your words are not worthy of the shit of a Dog. Your King broke a treaty in which he swore before God to uphold. If he lies before God, then he has no loyalty to the Pontiff. I was crowned by a Pope as Caesar of Constantinople. I made it possible for Catholics to travel to the Holy land. Do not lecture me on Catholicism and piety."

 

[unmerged(3110)]

Corleone raises an eyebrow at the bickering in front of his Holiness and becomes uncomfortable with the direction things were going in.

A patronising, disrespecting Duke. Crafty in the extreme and an "Emperor" that could not contain his angry agression.

He rises briefly to stand between the two men.

He speeks first to Constantine


"Perhaps you will allow me to lecture you on Catholicism and piety my lord?"

"Both of you great lords seem to have forgotten you are in the presence of the Hier of St. Peter and on hallowed ground. Your bickering lowers the tone on the Holy see and I would ask you to take any agressive "tradesmen" shouting outside or to a private room where your tone would not be so disruptive"

"The referances to the defaecation of dogs in the presence of his Holiness is quite insufferable. I would ask that the gentleman concerned apologise to the Holy Father and the desecration of these holy precincts"

He looks at Constantine expectantly.



.

 

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Rome, Pontifical States

Constantine bowed.

"You are correct, Cardinal. the petty squabbling is irresponsible, However, as I was named the Defender of the Faith, I see it as my duty to protect the Pontiff, from this schemer who spreads his lies in an attempt to manipulate the Holy Father to assisting his King against my Empire... I am currently involved in a Holy struggle assisting Venice against the heretical forces that invaded Italy... What has Naples done, aside from breach their promises, Father? Why has Renatus of Anjou gone to Nuremberg at the wishes of the King of Germany instead of Rome, at the wishes of the most Holy Father?"

 

[unmerged(3110)]

Corleone is not stupid enough to directley challenge Constantine about the fact he had not apologised.

He thought to leave that to the Pontiff if he saw fit.

"IF the Duke is a schemer who spreads his lies in an attempt to manipulate the Holy Father it is for the lord our god to disclose it to him. It is not for you, (respected sir) to try to interfere in the divinations of our holy father.... do you doubt him? "

"Perhaps if you could restrict yourself to documented proof and allow his holiness to decide the facts for himself as he should?"

"I would say the same to your honoured oponent in this matter. Please keep things a little more factual and restrained."


He takes a long breath.

"Please gentlemen give his holiness time to consider things. It seems to me that you are like squabbling children that want an answer from your father imediatley.... before "bedtime""

I am a little confused on one point also.... Did his Holiness say that he would personaly mediate this issue in this chamber ? These things are usualy conducted in another, more conveineint location. AND never actualy run by his Holiness himself"

He looks to the Holy seat.

.