Pope Clement VII to our dearest son in Christ, the most illustrious Henry, King of England and Defender of the Faith.

Dearest son in Christ, greetings and an apostolic blessing. We have derived great spiritual pleasure from reading the copy of the letter written by your Serene Highness to that son of iniquity Martin Luther. While we recognised your learning and wisdom in it, we were amazed above all at your seriousness and steadfastness. For once that ungodly person, having been convicted and defeated by you on account of his nefarious heresy, had not only failed to come to his senses, but had with the utmost impetuosity, and commensurate wickedness, resorted to vulgar abuse, he subsequently realised that you were no more to be moved by that than you had previously been likewise moved by his false arguments. So he has made a fresh attempt on you by means of poisoned words of flattery, only to find you as adept in avoiding his snares as you were before in repelling and shattering his attack. Out of our paternal love for you we therefore first offer your Serene Highness our warmest congratulations, as much on the excellence of your other virtues as on that greatness of spirit of yours; and then give thanks for this most sacred and most painstaking offering, not only in our name but in that of all Christians, because you are almost alone in the whole world in safeguarding and advancing the true Christian religion not only with the resources of your kingdom but also – and much more – with your learning, literary talent, and wisdom. For all which things, since we reckon nothing else equal to your merits, we promise your Serene Highness only what we can indeed promise, namely genuine and everlasting glory with God. Given at St Peter's in Rome under the seal of the Fisherman, 26 March 1527, in the fourth year of our pontificate.