DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61669#0188
HOLBEIN’S “AMBASSADORS
Other friendships which George de Selve contracted while in
Italy are known principally from his letters. Reginald Pole,1 Cardinal
Bembo,2 Sadoleto, Bishop of Carpentras,3 were counted amongst the
most intimate of these. It might almost be thought, indeed, that Selve
had taken the great and gentle Sadoleto for his episcopal model, so
many are the points of resemblance between the two churchmen.
The first letter we possess written by the bishop himself from the
beautiful city on the Adriatic is dated in February, 1534, and is
from which he was rescued by the Du Faur family, one of whom sent Bunel to Italy as
tutor to his sons. Bunel died of fever, at Turin, in 1546.
1 Reginald Pole, the celebrated Cardinal, was born in 1500, and was the son of Sir
Richard Pole and of Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury. He was educated at
Charterhouse and Oxford, after which he was sent by King Henry VIII. to study at
Padua. He steadily opposed the divorce of the king, and in 1532 had drawn such a
hornets’ nest about his ears in England that he asked permission to go abroad again to
study theology. He now resided for some years at Padua, and either there or at Venice
made acquaintance with Selve. Bembo, Longolius, Sadoleto, Contarini, Ludovico Priuli,
were among the circle of his friends. The Pope employed him on a committee for reforming
the discipline of the Church, but the greater part of his time was spent in endeavouring to
raise the European powers against Henry VIII., with the view to re-establish the Papal
authority in England. He was one of the Legates sent to the Council of Trent. On the
death of Cranmer in 1557 Pole became Archbishop of Canterbury. He died on the
same day as Queen Mary, November 17, 1558.
2 Pietro Bembo, born at Venice in 1470, was one of the most celebrated Italian
writers of the sixteenth century. After a varied existence he was appointed secretary to
Leo X. in conjunction with Sadoleto. On the death of that Pope he retired to Padua,
where his house became a centre of intellectual life. He was made a Cardinal in 1539,
and subsequently Bishop of Gubbio and of Bergamo. He died, covered with honours, in
1547-
3 Jacopo Sadoleto, Cardinal, in whom brilliant talents were united with extraordinary
charm of disposition, was born at Modena in 1477. He studied at Ferrara at the same
time as Bembo, which was the origin of their friendship, and was afterwards secretary to
Leo X. Sadoleto never asked a favour for himself. He was appointed Bishop of
Carpentras (a Papal see in the south of France, depending from Avignon) in 1517.
Although reluctant to leave his diocese, such were his qualities of mind and character
that he was frequently summoned to Rome on important commissions, and was made a
Cardinal in 1536, without having in any way sought or coveted distinction. His gentleness,
goodness, and moderation made him beloved by all; he even protected heretics, saying,
“ Je ne sais comment la nature m’a cree, mais je ne puis hair parce qu’on ne partage pas
mon opinion ” (Guettee, “ Hist, de 1’Eglise de France,” vol. viii., p. 222). His correspond-
ence with Calvin (from whose opinions he of course entirely differed) is well known.
Melanchthon sent him every new work he published. After being employed in many
high offices, Sadoleto died at Rome in 1547.
153
Other friendships which George de Selve contracted while in
Italy are known principally from his letters. Reginald Pole,1 Cardinal
Bembo,2 Sadoleto, Bishop of Carpentras,3 were counted amongst the
most intimate of these. It might almost be thought, indeed, that Selve
had taken the great and gentle Sadoleto for his episcopal model, so
many are the points of resemblance between the two churchmen.
The first letter we possess written by the bishop himself from the
beautiful city on the Adriatic is dated in February, 1534, and is
from which he was rescued by the Du Faur family, one of whom sent Bunel to Italy as
tutor to his sons. Bunel died of fever, at Turin, in 1546.
1 Reginald Pole, the celebrated Cardinal, was born in 1500, and was the son of Sir
Richard Pole and of Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Salisbury. He was educated at
Charterhouse and Oxford, after which he was sent by King Henry VIII. to study at
Padua. He steadily opposed the divorce of the king, and in 1532 had drawn such a
hornets’ nest about his ears in England that he asked permission to go abroad again to
study theology. He now resided for some years at Padua, and either there or at Venice
made acquaintance with Selve. Bembo, Longolius, Sadoleto, Contarini, Ludovico Priuli,
were among the circle of his friends. The Pope employed him on a committee for reforming
the discipline of the Church, but the greater part of his time was spent in endeavouring to
raise the European powers against Henry VIII., with the view to re-establish the Papal
authority in England. He was one of the Legates sent to the Council of Trent. On the
death of Cranmer in 1557 Pole became Archbishop of Canterbury. He died on the
same day as Queen Mary, November 17, 1558.
2 Pietro Bembo, born at Venice in 1470, was one of the most celebrated Italian
writers of the sixteenth century. After a varied existence he was appointed secretary to
Leo X. in conjunction with Sadoleto. On the death of that Pope he retired to Padua,
where his house became a centre of intellectual life. He was made a Cardinal in 1539,
and subsequently Bishop of Gubbio and of Bergamo. He died, covered with honours, in
1547-
3 Jacopo Sadoleto, Cardinal, in whom brilliant talents were united with extraordinary
charm of disposition, was born at Modena in 1477. He studied at Ferrara at the same
time as Bembo, which was the origin of their friendship, and was afterwards secretary to
Leo X. Sadoleto never asked a favour for himself. He was appointed Bishop of
Carpentras (a Papal see in the south of France, depending from Avignon) in 1517.
Although reluctant to leave his diocese, such were his qualities of mind and character
that he was frequently summoned to Rome on important commissions, and was made a
Cardinal in 1536, without having in any way sought or coveted distinction. His gentleness,
goodness, and moderation made him beloved by all; he even protected heretics, saying,
“ Je ne sais comment la nature m’a cree, mais je ne puis hair parce qu’on ne partage pas
mon opinion ” (Guettee, “ Hist, de 1’Eglise de France,” vol. viii., p. 222). His correspond-
ence with Calvin (from whose opinions he of course entirely differed) is well known.
Melanchthon sent him every new work he published. After being employed in many
high offices, Sadoleto died at Rome in 1547.
153