... What belongs to God He will take care of;
before us lies a life of reformation, which no violence can take from
us. Let us so rule our deeds and thoughts as to seek in God only the
true glory of the priesthood and our own true greatness and power.'
In point of fact, this critical year, 1527, so far bore fruit that the
voices of serious men could again make themselves heard. Rome had
suffered too much to return, even under a Paul III, to the gay
corruption of Leo X.
The Papacy, too, when its sufferings became so great, began to excite a
sympathy half religious and half political. The kings could not
tolerate that one of their number should arrogate to himself the right
of Papal gaoler, and concluded (August 18, 1527) the Treaty of Amiens,
one of the objects of which was the deliverance of Clement. They thus,
at all events, turned to their own account the unpopularity which the
deeds of the Imperial troops had excited. At the same time the Emperor
became seriously embarrassed, even in Spain, where the prelates and
grandees never saw him without making the most urgent remonstrances.
When a general deputation of the clergy and laity, all clothed in
mourning, was projected, Charles, fearing that troubles might arise out
of it, like those of the insurrection quelled a few years before,
forbade the scheme.
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