The Henson Journals

[148]

Saturday, March 3rd, 1928.

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Cardinal Bourne replies to me in today's Times, but not in my (prejudiced) judgement effectively. Though he tries to draw some red–herrings across my controversial path. However, in wasting the morning over a reply, I ignored these, & held his Eminence to the essential issue which his Pastoral raised. Also, I took the opportunity of quoting the damning letter of Gregory XIII through the cardinal of Como to the Nuncio Sega, which is printed in the original Italian in an Appendix to Mayer's 'England & the Catholic Church under Queen Elizabeth', & translated in the text. It demonstrates the Pontiff's personal connexion with the attempts to assassinate the Queen.

I walked round the park in the afternoon. Peter Richardson arrived for the week–end. We gave a dinner–party, but much to the discomfort of my conscience since it is Lent. The party numbered 12 in all. General Hayter & his wife seem pleasant people enough.

The weather today has been unseasonably warm with the result that I am half crippled with lumbago.