Allocution of Pope Benedict XIV, July 3, 1747

Ad Eminentissimos, et Reverendissimos Dominos S.R.E. Cardinales habita in Consistorio Secreto Feria II. Die 3. Julii 1747.

To the Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church gathered in the Secret Consistory of Monday, July 3, 1747.

Venerabiles Fratres.

Venerable Brothers.

Ad gloriam Omnipotentis Dei, Sanctaeque Romanae Ecclesiae praesidium ac decus, creare intendimus unum Diaconum Cardinalem, videlicet dilectissimum in Christo Filium nostrum Henricum Benedictum Clementem Ducem Eboracensem, Clericali Militiae jam a Nobis adscriptum, et secundum carnem Filium Charissimi in Christo Filii nostri Jacobi III. Magnae Brittaniae Regis. Si Filiorum laudes a Parentibus exordiri velimus, non desunt exempla, quae ex Sacris literis desumantur: sed Jacobi Regis res praeclare gestas enumerare praetermittimus, eo quod perspectae satis, explorataeque sunt ominibus, qui rerum publicarum cognitione delectantur. Quis enim ignorat, illum quidem a pueritia, licet immerentem, Regno caruisse, indole tamen regali, iisque virtutibus ornatum se praebuisse, quibus optimi Reges commendantur? Bellicas expeditiones suscepit, acerrimis praeliis interfuit, in quibus ob singularem prudentiam, animique fortitudinem maximam gloriam sibi vindicavit: Provincias, ac Regna a nobis disjunctissima non sine gravi incommodo, ac vitae periculo saepius peragravit, non eo tantum consilio, ut Familiam suam in avitam Sedem restitueret, sed potissimum, ut Fidem, ac Religionem in pristinum splendorem revocaret: sed quis judicia Dei perscrutari, aut intelligere possit! omnes aditus semper interclusos invenit, nempe, ut ejus virtus in humilitate magis perficeretur. Nulla enim calamitas ipsius animum frangere, aut virtutem debilitare, nullus labor, nullae angustiae a Christianis legibus, et institutis eum avocare potuerunt; siquidem Evangelium ipse non verbis, sed moribus toto suae vitae cursu professus est, ex quo illud didicit, et animo infixit, nihil prodesse homini, si universum Mundum lucretur, animae vero suae detrimentum patiatur.

To the glory of Almighty God, and for the defense and prestige of the Holy Roman Church, we intend to create one Cardinal Deacon, namely our most beloved son in Christ, Henry Benedict Clement, Duke of York, by us already enlisted into the ranks of the clergy, the son, according to the flesh, of our most dear son in Christ, James III, King of Great Britain. Should we wish that the merits of sons originate in their fathers, there is no lack of examples which might be picked out from Sacred Scripture; but we omit recounting the excellent deeds of King James, because they are sufficiently well-known and familiar to all who delight in the knowledge of public affairs. Who is unaware that even though he has been denied his kingdom from boyhood, undeservedly of course, nevertheless, by his royal nature has shown himself furnished with those virtues for which the best kings are praised? He undertook military commands and took part in very dangerous battles, in which he acquired the greatest glory for himself on account of his uncommon prudence and strength of character. Not without serious inconvenience and danger to his life did he often travel all the way to that nation and kingdom so very far removed from us, and not only with the intention to restore his family to its ancestral throne, but more so, to recall the Faith and Religion to its former splendour. But who can discern or understand the judgements of God! He always found all entries blocked, but only, of course, that his virtue be all the more perfected by humility. For no misfortune was able to break his spirit or weaken his courage; no trial or hardship was able to call him away from the laws and institutions of Christianity. If in fact the whole length of his life he himself has professed the Gospel not in word but in deed, on account of it he has learned and engrained in his memory this: that it profits a man nothing, if he should gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his soul.

Sed quid de Maria Clementina hujus praeclarissimi Regis Uxore praedicabimus? Illa profecto ante oculos omnium per plures annos in hac Urbe ita versata est, ut ejus integritatem, moresque sanctissimos universa Civitas miraretur; ita vero cursum vitae suae consummavit, ut omnium virtutum exempla reliquerit, de quibus nulla umquam aetas conticescet.

Moreover, what shall we assert concerning Maria Clementina, wife of this very noble king? That woman has lived in this City right before the eyes of all, in such wise that the whole citizenry has admired her goodness and most holy character. Truly, she completed the course of her life so as to leave behind models of all the virtues; no age shall fall completely silent about them.

Ex his Parentibus natus est Henricus Dux Eboracensium, ut nempe innotesceret, ex arbore bona bonos fructus exoriri. Ipse vigesimum tertium annum attigit, eam videlicet aetatem, in qua Sanctus Carolus Borromaeus a Pio IV. Avunculo suo, et Praedecessore nostro inter Cardinales adscriptus fuit. Neque ignorare Vos arbitramur, Petrum Lucemburgensem in vestrum Collegium cooptatum fuisse, cum ad annum decimum septimum vix pervenisset; Robertum vero de Nobilibus a Julio III. Avunculo suo, ac Praedecessore nostro Cardinalium Coetui additum fuisse, cum tredecim annos enumeraret. Porro, licet immatura aetate ad gravissimam dignitatem sustinendam viderentur, tamen virtutis praesidio in admirationem sui universos pertraxerunt. Supervacaneum est de Sancto Carolo Borromaeo verba facere, qui ob vitae innocentiam, susceptosque pro Ecclesia labores a Paulo V. Praedecessore nostro in sanctos solemni pompa relatus fuit. De Petro autem Lucemburgensi illud quidem certum est a Clemente VII. Pseudo-Pontifice inter Cardinales recensitum fuisse Avenione, tamen ob morum sanctitatem a Clemente VII, legitimo totius Ecclesiae Pastore inter Beatos adscriptus fuit, quibus cultus publicus conceditur: Postremo non multis ab hinc annis edita est in lucem vita Cardinalis Roberti de Nobilibus, et certissimis documentis confirmata, ex qua manifesto constat illum vitae sanctimonia, ac virtutum praestantia singulari praeditum fuisse, licet ad annum aetatis suae decimum septimum solum pervenerit.

From these parents was Henry, Duke of York, born, in order, naturally, that it be known that good fruits come from a good tree. He himself has reached his twenty-third year, to wit, the same age in which Saint Charles Borromeo was enrolled among the cardinals by Pius IV, his uncle and our predecessor. Nor do we believe you to be unaware that Peter of Luxemburg was chosen to be a member of your College when he had scarcely reached his seventeenth year; indeed, that Roberto de' Nobili was added to the assembly of cardinals by Julius III, his uncle and our predecessor, when he was barely thirteen years of age. Furthermore, granting that they seemed to be called to bear a too heavy responsibility when as yet too young, nevetherless, by the aid of their virtue, they made everyone admire them. It would be superfluous to speak of Saint Charles Borromeo, who, on account of his innocence of life and the labours he undertook for the Church, was enrolled by Paul V, our predecessor, among the saints with solemn pomp. Moreover, concerning Peter of Luxemburg: indeed it is certain that he was numbered among the cardinals by Anti-Pope Clement VII in Avignon; nevertheless, on account of his holiness of character, he was enlisted by Clement VII, the legitimate pastor of the whole Church, among the ranks of the blessed to whom public veneration is granted. Finally, not too many years ago, the life of Cardinal Roberto de' Nobili was published for all to see, authenticated with very strong evidence, on account of which it is evidently factual that he was endowed with holiness of life as well as a unique prominence of virtues, although he reached but the seventeenth year of his life.

His praeclarissimis Cardinalibus haud dissimilem futurum merito conjicimus Henricum Benedictum Ducem Eboracensium: ille quidem ab ineunte Adolescentia diligenter, accurateque iis artibus operam impendit, quibus ingenium excoleretur; sed illud praecipue sibi ob oculos proposuit, ut Parentum suorum vestigiis inhaeret. Quamobrem maximo studio Religionis incensus, pietatem Sibi comitem, ac ducem in omni vitae cursu ita delegit, ut nullis unquam illecebris, nullo saeculi hujus apparatu, ac pompa a suscepto virtutis tramite declinaverit. Ex hoc fonte praeclara voluntas excitata est, ob quam militiae Ecclesiasticae nomen dare vehementer optavit, ubi caeteris negotiis, curisque solutus, unum, quod necessarium est, videlicet animae salutem, liberius operaretur. Hinc facili conjectura perspicimus, si ipse inter Cardinales referatur, non mediocrem Sedi Apostolicae gloriam, et Religioni utilitatem futuram: etenim tam praeclaro Juveni aptissime conveniunt verba Sancti Bernardi ex Epistola 42. <<Moribus antiquavit dies, praevenit tempora meritis, et quod aetati deest, compensavit virtutibus.>> Illud quoque aptari potest, quod in Sacris literis continetur <<Cani sunt sensus hominis, et aetas senectutis vita immaculata.>>

Deservedly we infer that Henry Benedict, Duke of York, will not be unequal to these most outstanding cardinals. Indeed, from the threshold of youth he applied himself with careful diligence to those occupations through which his natural talent might be refined. Yet he specially proposed himself to set before his gaze the following: to follow closely in the footsteps of his parents. Wherefore, aflame with the greatest zeal of Religion, he so chose piety for himself as a companion and guide the whole course of his life, that never did he deviate on account of any enticement, or ware or vanity of this world, from the chosen path of virtue. From this beginning a noble determination was aroused, on account of which he intensely desired to enlist in the ranks of the clergy, where, free from other pursuits and obligations, he might more freely work to one end, because it is necessary: namly, the welfare of his soul. Hence, we observe by a simple inference that, if he himself is enrolled among the cardinals, there shall not be a small amount of glory for the Apostolic See, and a future advantage to Religion: as a matter of fact, the words of Saint Bernard from his fortieth epistle do well befit this noble youth: "In his character he has rejected the present day, and has anticipated the times by his merits; and what he lacks in age, he compensates with virtue." This too can be quoted fittingly, which in Sacred Scripture is contained: "Understanding is grey hair of men, and a blameless life is old age" [Wisdom 4:9].

Then His Holiness asked the assembled cardinals whether or not they concurred with his decision.

Quid Vobis videtur?

What do you think of this matter?

His Holiness having heard the opinons of the assembled cardinals proceeded to create Henry, Duke of York, a cardinal.

Auctoritate Omnipotentis Dei, Sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, ac Nostra creamus Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Diaconum Cardinalem Henricum Benedictum Clementem Ducem Eboracensem, cum dispensationibus, derogationibus, et clausulis necessariis et opportunis, et firma remanenete reservatione duorum in pectore alias a Nobis facta. In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

By the authority of Almighty God, of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as Ours, we create Henry Benedict Clement, Duke of York, a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, with the necessary and suitable dispensations, derogations, and clauses, and keeping the reservation of two others previously created by Us steadfast in pectore. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.