Series 3 > Letters of James the Fourth, 1505-1513

288 LETTERS OF JAMES IV [1513
from Henry, and has had to put up with the capture,
imprisonment, and death of his subjects, fearing that he
would incur the displeasure of His Holiness if he resorted
to force, and trusting that the princes of Christendom
would desist from their hateful internecine strife, and that
he would get a fair hearing for his complaints. But, alas,
the princes who should compose disputes think of inflaming
minds rather than of quieting them, and under the pretence
of defending the Church, study to acquire power to the
great detriment of religion. His Holiness remains the only
defence of the Faithful; his task it is to see that Christen¬
dom is not imperilled by the ambition and lust for power
of other rulers, and that instead Christians at his command
lay down the arms that they took up against one another.
His indulgence to those sons of his who are devoted to him
in other respects, the King of France and the princes of
his house, should be in proportion to the magnitude of the
danger, so that, when they are reconciled and united in
arms, an expedition may be prepared under the leadership
of His Holiness, which will certainly be victorious. For the
most obedient sons of the Papal See, wishing as they do
to succour the Head of the Church in his peril, deplore that
the illustrious royal family of France, bound to them by
kinship and treaty, should be ruined or brought low.
Assures His Holiness that Louis will do anything that the
Pope may command. Whatever his offence, to forgive is
better than to punish. At least let the former devotion
shown by the Kings of France for the Papal See speak for
him. Let the noted generosity of Julius be shown to Louis,
so that James and he (nos) following so mighty leaders,
may be ready to risk their lives in the cause of Christ
against his savage enemies. Begs His Holiness to send his
demands to him in the first place ; is confident that he
can get from Louis a decision which will satisfy Julius.
Will spare neither body nor mind in his attempts to effect
this, as Octavian Olarius will tell him fully.