Saint Carlo BORROMEO (1538–1584). Autograph letter with the handwritten greeting “Come fratello Il Carle Borromeo,” Rome, February 16, 1564, to Bishops Alessandro Crivelli and Carlo Visconti, nuncios to Spain; 2 folio-sized pages, addressed with remnants of a red wax seal (letter slightly damaged along one edge, affecting a few letters at the end of 3 lines on the first page); in Italian. An interesting diplomatic letter written in his capacity as secretary to his uncle, Pope Pius IV, concerning the Council of Trent and the situation in France, a few months before he was appointed Archbishop of Milan. He urges the nuncios to carry out their mission with prudence and diligence. He expresses satisfaction with their letters and their discussions with the ministers regarding the council’s decisions: “The reports they have given us regarding the discussions held with some of those ministers have all been welcome; and it seems to His Holiness that, as for matters pertaining to the Council [the Council of Trent], you have treated them with great respect.” There would certainly be more to say: for if anything is lacking in the perfection of the said Council, it is the signature of the Count of Luna [Philip II’s representative at the Council], a point on which His Holiness is confident that His Majesty [Philip II] will see to it himself, as befits his character and his Christian piety. For their part, the nuncios will not fail to bring this to his attention at the appropriate time, given that His Holiness has already fulfilled his own role by confirming all the acts of the Council without exception, as they will soon see in the printed bull that will accompany the volume of the Council’s acts: “Although one might say more; for if anything is lacking in the perfection of the said Council, it is the signature of the Count of Luna; His Holiness nevertheless trusts that His Majesty [Philip II] will provide for this, as befits his disposition and his Christian piety; and you, acting in good faith, must not fail to tell him this, since His Majesty has already brought to perfection what pertains to him by confirming all the conciliar acts without any exception, as you will soon see from the papal bull that will be sent to you in print together with the volume of the Council.” As for the affairs of the Kingdom of France, if the situation is as grave as it has been portrayed to them, His Catholic Majesty should have taken even greater care not to give any cause for grievance—whether regarding precedence, the meeting itself, or any other matter—so that they could never claim that they had been given a pretext to act improperly: “Regarding the affairs of the Kingdom of France, if the trouble is as great as it has been portrayed to them, His Catholic Majesty ought to have taken even greater care not to give them cause for complaint—whether regarding precedence, the meeting itself, or any other matter—so that they might never say, that we have given them cause to act wrongly.” We eagerly await news regarding the latest order received by Madame’s secretary concerning Orange, as well as a favorable outcome to the matter of the Three Castles: “We eagerly await word of the latest order that Madame’s secretary will have received regarding Orange; though I do not know if His Highness will wait that long to take action against him. And likewise, some favorable resolution regarding the matter of the Three Castles.” For the past five days, His Holiness has been suffering somewhat from gout, though this in no way prevents him from attending to his usual duties without interruption, and the attack is now subsiding. Otherwise, His Holiness is in excellent health, and they are all doing wonderfully well: “For the past five days, His Holiness has been suffering a little from gout, which is not a cause for concern, as it does not prevent him from attending to his affairs, to which he devotes himself as usual without interruption; and the gout is, moreover, already on the wane; and in all other respects, His Holiness, praise be to God, is doing quite well, and the rest of us are all doing very well indeed”…