POLE REGINALD: (1500-1558) English cardinal of the Catholic Church, the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury 1556-58 during the Counter Reformation. A rare L.S., Reg Carlus. Polus, with a few additional words in his hand, two pages, 4to, Avignon, 25th January 1539, to Cardinal Farnese, in Latin. Pole announces his safe arrival in Avignon and informs his correspondent that he was at Carpentras the previous day, where he had the opportunity to visit Jacopo Sadoleto, 'and I leave it to Your Serene most Reverend and Illustrious the thought of how lovingly it was to see him; I have had great consolation to find that the Lord has blessed him….and it is certainly an admirable thing as far as I have been able to learn and see the love and reverences that all the people bring to him' and further informing Farnese that he will continue to update him with all of his progress as he travels. With integral address leaf, bearing the original paper seal. Some very light, minimal age wear, VG

Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589) Italian cardinal and diplomat and a great collector and patron of the arts. Grandson of Pope Paul III, Farnese was appointed as his principal secretary in 1538 and managed most of the Papal business, with the assistance of Monsignor Marcello Cervino, until 1549.

Jacopo Sadoleto (1477-1547) Italian Catholic cardinal and counterreformer, noted for his correspondence with, and opposition to, John Calvin. Sadoleto was Bishop of Carpentras from 1517 until his death.

At the time of writing this letter Pole had been attainted in absentia following his disagreement with King Henry VIII, to whom he had not offered his support in his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, despite the King's offer of the Archbishopric of York or the Diocese of Winchester.