'It would be very useful and good, if your holiness would attend the council in person; but if that cannot be, send your immediate commands for it to continue its sittings in the manner in which it has commenced; for there are measures before it affecting the very vitals of Christianity that can not, and ought not, to suffer a moment's delay.
'Should your holiness require, in future, any measures to be discussed that do not demand such haste, such as touching an union with the Greek church, another council may be called better inclined towards it; for should this council be now dissolved, it is to be doubted whether another can be assembled within the eighteen months, from events that may arise.
'Your holiness will be pleased to weigh maturely all that we have written to you, and give directions for the continuation of this council; and have the goodness to receive our admonitions paternally and kindly, for it has been our conscience, and the great difficulties into which the church of God has fallen, and also our anxiety that your character may not be liable to the least suspicion, that have urged us to make them. This we will more clearly demonstrate to you when we shall be in your presence, which we hope will shortly happen.'
This remonstrance had its due effect on the holy father, who re-established the council at Basil, which was attended by great multitudes of ecclesiastical and secular lords, ambassadors, princes and prelates, and common people out of number.
THE DUKE OF BAR ENTERS THE COUNTY OF VAUDEMONT TO CONQUER IT BY FORCE.
I have before mentioned that a serious quarrel[2] had taken place between Réné duke of Bar and Anthony de Lorraine count de Vaudemont. In consequence thereof, the duke of Bar had collected a great body of men at arms, as well from his own duchy as from other parts of Germany, to the amount of six thousand men. The principal leaders were the counts de Salmes, de Salivines and de Linanges, the bishop of Metz, sir Thibaut de Barbey, and other noble men of high rank. The duke had also with him that gallant and renowned knight the lord de Barbasan, by whose advice he ordered his army,—for he had great knowledge and experience in war.
Having provided a sufficiency of artillery, provision and stores, the duke marched his army before Vaudemont[3], the capital of that country, which was naturally strong, and had been repaired with additional fortifications, by the count, who had likewise well victualled and garrisoned it, knowing that it was intended to be attacked by his enemies.