But,"
continued this sagacious Counsellor, after a word explanatory of the
"future council," "it were better to avoid this appeal in order not to
irritate the Pope more than ever; and also because he who appealeth
admiteth that the goodness of his cause is doubtful, whereas that of the
Republic is indubitable."
Such was the opinion, brief as positive, to which the senators listened
in undisguised satisfaction on that memorable day in January, 1606; and
although those briefs, "Given in Saint Peter's, in Rome, under the Ring
of the Fisherman, on the 10th of December, 1605," darkly threatened
excommunication unless these dearly beloved sons of Venice withdrew from
the stand they had taken, yet with a Doge who "would laugh at an
excommunication," and a learned Counsellor who assured them that the
cause of the Republic was indubitable, well might the shadows lessen in
the Senate Chamber; while in calm assurance the Savii[7] prepared the
reply to these communications from his Holiness, which the Signor
Agostino Nani presently delivered in an audience at Rome.
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