thee in writing as well as by word of mouth through our nuncios, but the cares of the Church have prevented us hitherto from carrying out our design.’  He then goes on to tell him that he has sent him ’our beloved son Dominicus,’ a Greek archpriest of Brundus, and he commends his nuncio to Joannitz, requiring that he should receive him with humility, treat him kindly, and through him communicate his further submission more explicitly.  Should he (the Pope) be satisfied concerning his intentions and submission, he proposes to send him higher nuncios, or rather legates, to assure him and his (subjects) in the true faith.’

Joannitz evidently did not at first receive or treat the holy emissary quite so deferentially as he might have done; but at length he answers, beginning his epistle as follows:—­’To the venerable and most holy Father, highest priest, I, Johannes, Emperor of the Wallachs and Bulgarians, send thee joy and health.’[126] He acknowledges the letter, which he says is dearer to him than gold or any jewels, and thanks God for having remembered him, his race, and the Fatherland from which they originated.

Then he recites what the Holy Father said about his benevolent intentions, and adds that he, too, had attempted once, twice, and indeed three times to communicate with him, but was debarred from doing so by the number of his enemies; but now, knowing what are the Holy Father’s feelings towards him, he sends, along with the nuncio whom the Pope had commissioned, also ‘our pious and trusty priest Blasius,’ to convey his thanks, friendship, and service to him, as his Holy Father and highest priest.  Then, with an eye to business (which, by the way, pervades the whole correspondence), he adds that as by his sacred writing his Holiness had asked him to explain what he desired from the Holy Roman Church (which, however, was not the case), his Imperial Majesty desires of the Apostolic chair that he and his subjects should be fortified as children in the bosom of the Mother Church, and particularly he asks from the Roman Church, his mother, the crown and honour which his forefathers the old emperors received.  ’One was Peter, another Samuel, and others, who preceded us in the government.’  If his Holiness will do this, his every desire in regard to the demeanour of his Empire towards the Church shall be fulfilled.

‘But,’ he adds, rather significantly, ’you must not be surprised that your nuncio did not come back sooner, for we suspected him.  Many persons have come and tried to mislead us, but we were proof against their machinations.’ (False prophets he means.) ’But in this case, however, the praetext’ (white robe) ‘was convincing proof, and we were satisfied.’  (But he was not satisfied.) ’But, most Holy Father, if it please thee, please send us the higher nuncios, and send this one with them, and then we shall be convinced that both the first and the second mission were from thee.  May the Lord grant thee a long life!’