Pius, after an attempt to combine the Catholic nations in a crusade against Geneva, which was frustrated by the jealousy of Spain, the internal weakness of France and the respect inspired by Switzerland,[40] determined to cast his fortunes on the Council.  He had several strong points in his favor.  The reigning Emperor, Ferdinand, wielded a power insignificant when compared with that of Charles V. The Protestants, though formally invited, were certain not to attend a Council which had already condemned the articles of their Confession.  The cardinal dogmas of Catholicism had been confirmed in the sessions of 1545-1552.  It was to be hoped that, with skillful management, existing differences of opinion with regard to doctrine, church-management, and reformation of abuses, might be settled to the satisfaction of the Catholic powers.

[Footnote 40:  See Sarpi, vol. ii. pp. 43, 44.]

The Pope accordingly sent four Legates, the Cardinals Gonzaga, Seripando, Simoneta, Hosius, and Puteo, to Trent, who opened the Council on January 15, 1562.[41] As had been anticipated, the Protestants showed strong disinclination to attend.  The French prelates were unable to appear, pending negotiations with the Huguenots at Poissy and Pontoise.  The German prelates intimated their reluctance to take part in the proceedings.  The Court of France demanded that the chalice for the laity and the use of the vulgar tongue in religious services should be conceded.  The Emperor also insisted on these points, making a further demand for the marriage of the clergy.  Circumstances both in France and Germany seemed to render these conditions imperative, if the rapid spread of Protestant dissent were to be checked and the remnant of the Catholic population to be kept in obedience.  Of ecclesiastics, only Spaniards and Italians, the latter in a large majority, appeared at Trent.  The Courts of other nations were represented by ambassadors, who took no part in the deliberations of the Council.[42]

[Footnote 41:  Cardinal Puteo was soon replaced by a Papal nephew, the Cardinal d’Altemps (Mark of Hohen Embs).]

[Footnote 42:  At the first session there were five Cardinals, one hundred and four prelates, including Patriarchs, Archbishops and Bishops, four Abbots, and four Generals of Orders.  These were all Italians, Spaniards and Portuguese.  And yet this Conciliabulum called itself a General Council, inspired by the Holy Ghost to legislate for the whole of Latin and Teutonic Christianity.]

In spite of this inauspicious commencement, Pius declared the Council a General Council, and further decreed that it should be recognized as a continuation of that Council which had begun at Trent in 1545.  This rendered co-operation of the Protestants impossible, since they would have been compelled to accept the earlier dogmatic resolutions of the Fathers.  It was decided that no proxies should be allowed to absentees; that the questions of doctrine and reform