[7] These Savii, or _wise men_, had charge of the diplomatic
despatches of the Republic.
But the task of the courtly Nani was not an enviable one, deferent as
was the form of the epistle in which these devoted sons declared that
nothing could have been further from the thoughts of Venice than to
prejudice the rights of the Church--humbly as they implored the Holy
Father to recall the many acts of loyalty by which Venice had shown her
love and reverence. Had she not been foremost in the Crusade? Was the
Church anywhere more magnificently supported in temporal weal? Earnestly
as they assured him of the harmlessness of those laws which he condemned
as hurtful to their souls, quietly announcing that the Republic had
transgressed no right in making laws for her own independent civil
government,--and gracious and diplomatic as were the ways of Nani,--his
Holiness declared the letter to be "frivolous and vain," and dismissed
the ambassador with temper, assuring him that unless the Republic found
means to retract those laws "the gates of hell should not prevail" to
deter him from inflicting the utmost threatened penalty.
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