Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/126

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100
RELATIONS OF HENRY VI

tion for Your Holiness and the Holy Roman Church, over which you so worthily preside, we think well to make known to Your Holiness that with all our vassals and subjects we will come to your assistance, and serve you, as hitherto we have always shown to Your Holiness and the Roman Church untainted and sincere obedience, reverence, and filial devotion." He adds that he will take every means to get other princes to do the same, and "secure obedience and unity with the Roman Church under Your Blessedness and Your Successors."[1]

The pious King Henry likewise wrote several letters at this time to the Emperor Frederick urging him again to strong action, and he sent the Bishop of Rochester and another prelate to emphasize the need of united action if the bark of Peter is to be brought safely out of the raging seas to a safe port.[2]

In 1439, on hearing that the Greeks were once more united with the Western Church, Henry wrote to Pope Eugenius IV expressing his fervent gratitude to God for this good

  1. Beckynton Correspondence, pp. 94–8.
  2. Ibid., p. 93.