Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/67

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
The Reformation
53

dynasty, supported the Swedes against the Austrians. That a cardinal, with the knowledge of the Pope, should support the Protestant Gustavus Adolphus against his most Catholic Majesty the Austrian Emperor, seemed to Pázmány infamous. Such a state of things had to be put an end to, for the Catholic supremacy was at stake. Pázmány was therefore sent to Rome, to ask the Pope to interfere in the interest of the Habsburgs. The Rome which he had left as a poor, unknown Jesuit monk, he now entered with princely splendour and an immense retinue, through the Porto del Popolo. He was received everywhere with great politeness, but gained nothing but fine speeches and effusive promises, so that at last, Pázmány, who had worked harder than any one else for the Catholic Church, left Rome with bitter disappointment in his heart. His desire remained unfulfilled, for he was unable to defeat the French policy. Neither did he succeed in creating a Catholic alliance strong enough to arrest the triumphant progress of Gustavus Adolphus. "It is with more joy than I received from all the signs of favour shown me at the Papal court" said Pázmány, just before leaving Rome, "that I now take my leave." But he nursed his anger, and at Ancona, before embarking, his bitter indignation found vent, and the Hungarian cardinal gave utterance to the following sentiments concerning the Pope, in the presence of the Roman divines. "Alas, I see that the Pope pays no heed to the dangers which threaten Christianity, and gives no aid to the Emperor. On the contrary, his Holiness supports the Emperor's foes and seeks an alliance with the French and Swedish against the most Catholic monarch." It was said that his failure grieved him the more because he had hoped that in undertaking