“Now to say yet a little more of this man upon whom and his seedes there lyeth so great a work, he seemeth as in countenance as in spirit liker to Philip Melanchthon than to Luther, and peradventure a fitter instrument to overthrow the falsehood by degrees than by a sodayne, which accordeth with a frequent saying of his own: That in these operations _non bisogna far salti_. He is by birth a Venetian, and well-skilled in the humour of his own country. For learning, I think I may justly call him the most deep and general scholar of the world, and above other parts of knowledge he seemeth to have looked very far into the subtelties of the Canonists, which part of skill gave him introduction into the Senate. His power of speech consisteth rather in the soundness of reason than in any other natural habilitie. He is much frequented and much intelligenced of all things that passe, and lastly, his life is the most irreprehensible and exemplar that hath ever been known.”--Public Record Office, State Papers, Venice, Misc. 12, f. 805. In November 1607 the Earl writes to Wotton: “SIR HENRY WOTTON,--His Majesty hath well approved your care and industry, and he hath commanded me to return you thanks for it, being much pleased in the constant and magnanimous proceedings of that State upon all occasions offered, and particularly in the carriadge of the matter concerning il Padre Paolo, of whose escape from so foule an assassinate his Majesty is right glad, as he expressed himself to the Venetian Ambassador here at his last audience, to whom he did also make known his particular good declination towards il Padre Paolo, for his learning, modesty and zeale in the defence of so good a cause as is the sovereign power of an estate which hath dependence of none but of God against the usurpations of the Pope of Rome, who being not only contented to have intruded himself into the sole power and authoritie for matters belonging to religion, doth seek also cunningly to wynd himself, by little and little into the civil government and lift himself up above all the Monarchs of the Earth, as the examples in that State and elsewhere to make manifest; for which also his Breve against the oath of obedience here may serve for an instance, whereof I do send you a copy here enclosed, together with another Breve, which for better explication of the former hath since been published at Rome, to prevent all exceptions that might be conceived against it, both which you may impart to the partie you wrote of, for his better satisfaction and encouragement in the course he hath begun, to which His Majesty wishes all good success, for the propagation of God’s glory.”