Chapter VIII
Reading edition
THE POPE'S DILEMMA.
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · In February, 1527, in pursuance of the alliance with France, which Wolsey, recognising too late the fatal effects of the union with Charles,Note 2 · However that may be, before the Bishop's negotiations were completed the first steps had been taken towards the divorce, or, as Wolsey and HNote 3 · Another precedent was also forced on Henry's mind. On 11th March, 1527, two months before Wolsey opened his court, a divorce was granted at Note 4 · To effect the Pope's liberation, or rather to call an assembly of cardinals in France during Clement's captivity, was the real object of theNote 5 · In ignorance of all this, Wolsey urged Henry to send Ghinucci, the Bishop of Worcester, and others to Rome with certain demands, among whichNote 6 · It is, indeed, quite a mistake to represent Wolsey's failure to obtain a sentence in Henry's favour as the sole or main cause of his fall. HNote 7 · It is not, however, impossible to trace Wolsey's real designs behind these conflicting reports. He knew that Henry was determined to have a Note 8 · Henry's suspicions, and his knowledge that Wolsey would be hostile to his marriage with Anne Boleyn, induced him to act for the time indepenNote 9 · The second commission, with which Knight was entrusted, was hardly less strange than the first. By his illicit relations with Mary Boleyn, HNote 10 · Dr. Knight had comparatively little difficulty in obtaining the dispensation for Henry's marriage with Anne Boleyn; but it was only to be efNote 11 · From the point of view of justice, the Pope had an excellent case; even the Lutherans, who denied his dispensing power, denounced the divorcNote 12 · It was thus with the utmost reluctance that he granted the commission brought by Knight. It was a draft, drawn up by Wolsey, apparently declNote 13 · On 25th July Campeggio embarked at Corneto,[603] and proceeded by slow stages through France towards England. Henry congratulated himself thNote 14 · In accordance with his instructions, Campeggio first sought to dissuade Henry from persisting in his suit for the divorce. Finding the King Note 15 · Meanwhile, Campeggio found help from an unexpected quarter in his efforts to waste the time. Quite unknown to Henry, Wolsey, or Clement, theNote 16 · But all this legal argument might be invalidated by the brief. It was useless to proceed with the trial until the promoters of the suit knewNote 17 · So, on the 31st of May, 1529, in the great hall of the Black Friars, in London, the famous Court was formally opened, and the King and QueenNote 18 · The proceedings then went on without her; Fisher Bishop of Rochester, made a courageous defence of the validity of the marriage, to which HeNote 19 · Long before the vacation was ended, news reached Henry that the case had been called to Rome; the revocation was, indeed, decreed a week befNote 20 · By the Treaty of Cambrai Francis abandoned Italy to Charles. His affairs beyond the Alps had been going from bad to worse since the death ofNote 21 · That nuncio had gone to Barcelona to negotiate an alliance between the Pope and the Emperor; and the success of his mission completed Clemen