

OF 



THE STATE OF EUROPE. 



[Written about the year 1580.] 



IN the consideration of the present state of Christen 

 dom, depending on the inclinations and qualities of 

 the princes, governors of the same, first the person 

 of the pope, acknowledged for supreme of the 

 princes catholic, may be brought forth. 



Gregory XIII. of the age of seventy years, 

 by surname Boncompagno, born in Bolonia of the 

 meanest state of the people, his father a shoemaker 

 by occupation ; of no great learning nor understand 

 ing, busy rather in practice, than desirous of wars, 

 and that rather to further the advancement of his 

 son and his house, a respect highly regarded of all 

 the popes, than of any inclination of nature, the 

 which, yet in these years, abhorreth not his secret 

 pleasures. Howbeit, two things especially have set 

 so sharp edge to him, whereby he doth bend himself 

 so vehemently against religion. The one is a mere 

 necessity, the other the solicitation of the King of 

 Spain. For, if we consider duly the estate of the 

 present time, we shall find that he is not so much 

 carried with the desire to suppress our religion, as 

 driven with the fear of the downfal of his own, if in 

 time it be not upheld and restored. 



