By what judgment of pious majesty your Serenity either makes light of the hindrances of the times or esteems the hearts of your servants, is known by no better token than this: that in sending your sacred writings far and wide, you fulfill the vows of those who long, and do not wait for the services of suppliants. The minds of all crave to meet you, nor is that so glorious which few can do, as that which all desire—to see you. But that now the address of your august greeting has anticipated the homage of a page owed to you, let the pious judge impute nothing to lack of devotion, nothing to slowness. Had not an interposed obstacle suspended the approach to our attempts, assuredly even now my word, venerable to the world, would have sent you replies rather than awaited your oracles.
Yet the delay did not harm me so much as envious spite begrudged. You did not indeed find me in possession of my office, but you made me happy by the greeting of your pious lips. Nor does it matter whether your august discourse receives us or awaits us: from your most exalted graciousness it is as much that ours is not despised, as that yours is granted. Therefore, after the death of my father, most devoted and most faithful to you, your nobleman—to whom, amid most happy successes in unbroken prosperity, this too fell out as a thing to be wished by divine favor, that he knew the commonwealth glad and flourishing while you ruled the world, and that, received into a peaceful end, he left you lords of the nations:
for making these things known and commending them to you—and indeed also the beginnings of my career of service, which you nurtured while my father yet lived, but which more and more after him you will increase with the heap of your sacred favor—as I ought, or as it had been fitting to wish, I was offering to the ears of your venerable retinue one of my counselors, who, as regards Gallic ignorance, is reckoned to surpass the rest in letters; the more especially having conceived confidence, because the governor of Italy was publicly applauding your peace, and, with the rumor spread abroad, was coloring the favor of the East as restored to himself. The journey undertaken for the dispatched reports was therefore cut off and forbidden. Surely the course of truth itself will see what herein pertains to your august gladness;
yet it seems but a small tax on friendship, that one whom you profess to honor should be unwilling to have him honored by others too: since all of us who receive you with worthy homage ought to wish the very same to be done by all. For he shows little of his own devotion who, having condemned the freedom of meeting you, strives to make others also undevoted: although the holiness of a heavenly disposition cannot judge him culpable whom even the will alone has rendered innocent. Wherefore you clearly see him himself allege what I would wish, who so anxiously tried to prevent that I could not. And so, since by the divine gift and yours both your sacred writings and opportune occasions come forth—however they differ: those to whom you offer new things pray for the increase of your kingdom, those for whom you preserve accustomed things wish for their safeguarding.
Thus, by the guidance of your pious helm, one side indeed sought out other remedies, and yet neither party suffered a repulse. Among these, however, I more particularly owe this: that the effect of this petition was granted in regard to me. How much grace you have bestowed on your special servant, you have shown by giving freely: and, this advantage alone being laid up as a reward in your treasuries, you willed that what you were giving to the poor should stand not at a price, but as a prize. And this very thing—with what elegance does it worthily merit praise—that you preferred to return what had been offered by your servants rather than to spurn it, and, that the gift might be made more gladly, you willed to sadden the homage?
And although whatever comes to your hands is turned toward the poor, and therefore perhaps he who begrudges the distributing may dissuade you from receiving: yet it is God's part to supply the means of divine recompense, whence you may both dispense when the needy are in want, and grant when the weaker beg. Run therefore, most pious prince, along the twofold way in the unity of your work. Sufficiency will never be lacking to such a soul, if you believe: He Himself granting the means, you have whence it may be supplied—He by whom it has been infused into your will that you can deny nothing.