Manuscript certificate from Swiss cantons of Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zug appointing a papal plenipotentiary.

Bookseller Notes

Instructions by the Catholic cantons of Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zug jointly appointing Melchior Lussi (1529-1601) as envoy plenipotentiary to Pius IV, (1499-1565), to ratify their Treaty of Friendship and Union with him and affirm their loyalty. This is in the wake of the intercantonal Wars of Kappel, which saw Switzerland divided along its newly Protestant and traditionally Roman Catholic lines. After the Catholic cantons were victorious in in 1531 they proceeded to institute Counter-Reformation policies in some regions, and at the same time to strengthen and affirm their allegiance to Rome. Five of the seven traditional catholic cantons here appoint the statesman Melchior Lussi to Rome, to represent them at the Council of Trent, and to assure the Pope of their devotion: 'We, the Mayor ['Schultheiss'], High Bailiff ['Ammann'], Senate, Citizens and Compatriots of [each of] the Five Old Catholic Cantons... and especially our excellent forebears, have always shown ourselves obedient sons and members of the... Roman Church and of the Apostolic See, they even putting their lives in danger and shedding their blood, whence they have been called the Defenders of the Liberty of the Church', which was a title granted to the Swiss Guard by Julius II. Whatever Melchior Lussi 'purposes, acts and completes or allows in this matter, We engage... on the preservation of our honour, to execute in good faith", all "confirmed... by our seal but in particular that of our faithful and beloved Confederates the people of Lucerne'.