But the constable of Castile was not born to cheer the heart of his prudent master with such a magnificent spectacle.  Velasco fell back to Gray and obstinately refused to stir from his entrenchments, while Henry before his eyes laid siege to Dijon.  On the 28th June the capital of Burgundy surrendered to its sovereign, but no temptations could induce the constable to try the chance of a battle.  Henry’s movements in the interior were more successful than were the operations nearer the frontier, but while the monarch was thus cheerfully fighting for his crown in France, his envoys were winning a still more decisive campaign for him in Rome.

D’Ossat and Perron had accomplished their diplomatic task with consummate ability, and, notwithstanding the efforts and the threats of the Spanish ambassador and the intrigues of his master, the absolution was granted.  The pope arose early on the morning of the 5th August, and walked barefoot from his palace of Mount Cavallo to the church of Maria Maggiore, with his eyes fixed on the ground, weeping loudly and praying fervently.  He celebrated mass in the church, and then returned as he went, saluting no one on the road and shutting himself up in his palace afterwards.  The same ceremony was performed ten days later on the festival of our Lady’s Ascension.  In vain, however, had been the struggle on the part of his Holiness to procure from the ambassador the deposition of the crown of France in his hands, in order that the king might receive it back again as a free gift and concession from the chief pontiff.  Such a triumph was not for Rome, nor could even the publication of the Council of Trent in France be conceded except with a saving clause “as to matters which could not be put into operation without troubling the repose of the kingdom.”  And to obtain this clause the envoys declared “that they had been obliged to sweat blood and water.”

On the 17th day of September the absolution was proclaimed with great pomp and circumstance from the gallery of St. Peter’s, the holy father seated on the highest throne of majesty, with his triple crown on has head, and all his cardinals and bishops about him in their most effulgent robes.

The silver trumpets were blown, while artillery roared from the castle of St. Angelo, and for two successive nights Rome was in a blaze of bonfires and illumination, in a whirl of bell-ringing, feasting, and singing of hosannaha.  There had not been such a merry-making in the eternal city since the pope had celebrated solemn thanksgiving for the massacre of St. Bartholomew.  The king was almost beside himself with rapture when the great news reached him, and he straightway wrote letters, overflowing with gratitude and religious enthusiasm, to the pontiff and expressed his regret that military operations did not allow him to proceed at once to Rome in person to kiss the holy father’s feet.

The narrative returns to Fuentes, who was left before the walls of Cambray.