trusting in the mercy of God, and hoping that it will come to pass, that they may be brought back to the most holy and salutary concord of one faith, hope, and charity, yielding willingly to them herein, [the said synod] hath, as far as concerns itself, given and granted, agreeably to their request, a public security and faith, which they call a safe-conduct, of the tenor which will be written down below; and for their sakes it hath postponed the definition of those articles until the second next session, which, that they may conveniently be present thereat, it hath indicted for the festival day of the conversion of Saint Paul, which will be on the 25th day of the month of January of the ensuing year. And it furthermore ordains this, that the sacrifice of the mass, on account of the close connection between both subjects, shall be treated of in the same session; and that it will meanwhile treat of the sacraments of penance and extreme unction in the next session. But this it hath decreed to be holden on the festival of Saint Catharine, virgin and martyr, which will be the 25th of November; and that at the same time, in both [sessions], it shall proceed with the matter of reformation.
SAFE-CONDUCT GRANTED TO THE PROTESTANTS.
The sacred and holy general synod of Trent, lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost, the same legate and nuncios of the holy Apostolic See presiding therein,—grants, as far as regard the holy synod itself, unto all and each one throughout the whole of Germany, whether ecclesiastic or secular persons, of whatsoever degree, estate, condition, and quality they be, who may wish to repair to this œcumenical and general council, so that on those thin^ which are to be treated of in the said synod, they may be sole and shall have the power in all liberty to confer, make proposals, and treaty to come freely and safely to the said œcumenical council, and there remain and abide, and propound therein, as well in writing as by word, as many articles as to them shall seem good, and to confer and dispute, without any abuse or contumely, with the fathers, or with those who may have been selected by the said holy synod; as also to withdraw whensoever it shall please them, the public faith and full security, which they call a safe-conduct, with all and each of the necessary and suitable clauses and decrees, even though they
