all these things justly, ye did injustly revoke them; and if by good and truth the same was granted, they were not made frustrate nor annihilate without fraud; so as if there were no deceit nor fraud in the Revocation, then how wrongfully and subtilly have been done those things that have been done! Whether will your Holiness say, That ye might do those things that ye have done, or that ye might not do them? If ye will say that ye might do them, where then is the Faith which becometh a Friend, yea, and much more a Pope to have, those things not being performed, which lawfully were promised? And if ye will say that ye might not do them, have we not then very just cause to mistrust those Medicines and Remedies with which in your Letters ye go about to heal our Conscience, especially in that we may perceive and see those Remedies to be prepared for us, not to relieve the Sickness and Disease of our Mind, but for other means, pleasures, and worldly respects? And as it should seem profitable, that we should ever continue in hope or despair, so always the Remedy is attempted; so that we being always a-healing, and never healed, should be sick still. And this truly was the chief cause why we did consult and take the advice of every Learned Man, being free, without all affection, that the Truth (which now with our labour and study we seem partly to have attained) by their judgments more manifestly divulged, we might more at large perceive; whose Judgments and Opinions it is easy to see how much they differ from that, that those few Men of yours do shew unto you, and by those your Letters is signified. Those few Men of yours do affirm the prohibition of our Marriage to be inducted only by the Law positive, as your Holiness hath also written in your Letters; but all others say the prohibition to be inducted, both by the Law of God and Nature : Those Men of yours do suggest, that it may be dispensed for avoiding of slanders; The others utterly do contend, that by no means it is lawful to dispense with that, that God and Nature hath forbidden. We do separate from our Cause the Authority of the See Apostolick, which we do perceive to be destitute of that Learning whereby it should be directed; and because your Holiness doth ever profess your ignorance, and is wont to speak of other Mens mouths, we do confer the sayings of those, with the sayings of them that be of the contrary Opinion: for to confer the Reasons it were too long. But now the Universities of Cambridg, Oxford, in our Realms; Paris, Orleance, Biturisen, Andegavon, in France; and Bonony in Italy, by one consent; and also divers other of the most famous and

Learned Men, being freed from all affection, and only moved in respect of verity, partly in Italy, and partly in France, do affirm the Marriage of the Brother with the Brother's Wife to be contrary both to the Law of God and Nature; and also do pronounce, that no Dispensation can be lawful or available to any Christian Man in that behalf: But others think the contrary, by whose Counsels your Holiness hath done that, that sithence ye have confessed ye could not do, in promising to us as we have above rehearsed, and giving that Commission to the Cardinal Campege to be shewed unto us; and after, if it so should seem profitable, to burn it, as afterwards it was done indeed, as we have perceived. Furthermore, those which so do moderate the Power of your Holiness, that they do affirm, That the same cannot take away the Appellation which is used by Man's Law, and yet is avilable to Divine Matters everywhere without distinction. No Princes heretofore have more highly esteemed, nor honoured the See Apostolick than we have; wherefore we be the more sorry to be provoked to this contention, which to our usage and nature is most alienate and abhorred. Those things so cruel we write very heavily, and more glad would have been, to have been silent if we might, and would have left your Authority untouched with a good will; and constrained to seek the verity, we fell, against our Will, into this contention; but the sincerity of the Truth prohibited us to keep silence, and what should we do in so great and many perplexities? For truly if we should obey the Letters of your Holiness, in that they do affirm that we know to be otherwise, we should offend God and our Conscience, and we should be a great slander to them that do the contrary, which be a great number, as we have before rehearsed: Also, if we should dissent from those things which your Holiness doth pronounce, we would account it not lawful, if there were not a Cause to defend the Fact, as we now do, being compelled by necessity, lest we should seem to contemn the Authority of the See Apostolick. Therefore your Holiness ought to take it in good part, tho we do somewhat at large and more liberally speak in this Cause, which doth so oppress us, specially forasmuch as we pretend none atrocity, nor use no rethorick in the exaggerating and encreasing the indignity of the Matter; but if I speak of any thing that toucheth the quick, it proceedeth of the meer verity, which we cannot nor ought not to hide in this Cause, for it toucheth not Worldly Things but Divine, not frail but eternal; in which things no feigned, false, nor painted Reasons, but only the Truth, shall obtain and take place: and God is

the Truth to whom we are bound to obey rather than to Men; and nevertheless we cannot but obey unto Men also, as we were wont to do, unless there be an express cause why we should not; which by those our Letters we now do to your Holiness: and we do it with charity, not intending to spread it abroad, nor yet further to impugn your Authority, unless ye do compel us; albeit also, that that we do, doth not impugne your Authority, but confirmeth the same, which we revocate to its first foundations; and better it is in the middle way to return, than always to run forth head-long and do ill. Wherefore if your Holiness do regard or esteem the tranquillity of our Mind, let the same be established with verity, which hath been brought to light by the consent of so many Learned Men; So shall your Holiness reduce and bring us to a certainty and quietness, and shall deliver us from all anxiety, and shall provide both for us and our Realm, and finally shall do your Office and Duty. The residue of our Affairs we have committed to our Ambassadours to be propounded unto you, to whom we beseech your Holiness to give credence, &c.

XLIII.

A Promise made for engaging the Cardinal of Ravenna.
An Original.

(Cotton Libr. Vitel.)

Rome, Februar. 7, 1532. EGO Willielmus Benet Serenissimi Domini mei D. Henrici Octavi Angliæ, &c. Regis, in Romana Curia Orator, habens ad inscripta ab ipso Rege potestatem et facultatem, prout constat per ipsius Majestatis Literas Patentes datas in Regia sua Greenewici die penultima Decemb. M.D.XXXI. manu sua propria suprascriptas, et secreto sigillo suo sigillatas; Quoniam in ipsius Regis arduis negotiis expertus sum singularem et præclaram operam Reverendissimi in Christo Patris et Domini D. Henrici Sancti Eusebii S. R. E. Presbyteri Cardinalis Navennæ, quibus et deinceps uti cupio, ut eandem semper voluntatem et operam sua Dominatio Reverendissima erga ipsum regem præstet, libere promitto eidem Cardinali nomine dicti mei Regis, quod sua Majestas provideri faciet eidem Cardinali, de aliquo Monasterio seu Monasteriis aut aliis beneficiis Ecclesiasticis in Regno Galliæ primo vacaturis, usq; ad valorem annuum sex millium ducatorum: Et insuper promitto

quod Rex Angliæ prædictus præsentabit, seu nominabit eundem Cardinalem ad Ecclesiam Cathedralem primo quovis modo vacaturam, seu et ad præsens vacantem, in Regno Angliæ, et de illa ei provideri faciet; et casu quo Ecclesia primo vacatura hujusmodi, ceu ad præsens vacans, non fit Ecclesia Eliensi, promitto etiam quod succedente postea vacatione Ecclesiæ Eliensis, Rex Angliæ transferri faciet eundem Cardinalem, si ipsi Cardinali magis placuerit, ab illa alia Ecclesia de qua provisus erit, ad Ecclesiam Eliensem et dictorum Monasteriorum et Beneficiorum Ecclesiasticorum in Regno Galliæ, et Ecclesiæ Cathedralis in Regno Angliæ possessionem pacificam, cum fructuum perceptione, ipsum Cardinalem assequi faciet: Et hæc omnia libere promitto, quod Rex meus supradictus plenissime et sine ulla prorsus exceptione ratificabit et observabit et exequetur; in quorum fidem præsentes manu mea propria scripsi et subscripsi, sigilloq; munivi. Dat. Rom. die septimo Februarii, M.D.XXXÍÍ.

This is all written with his own hand, and was sent over by kim to the king.

XLIV.

Bonner's Letter about the proceedings at Rome. An Original. (Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13.)

Rome, April 29, 1532. PLEASETH it your Highness; This is to advertise the same, that sithen we William Benet, Edward Karne, and Edmond Bonner, sent our Letters of the 7th of this present to your Highness; There hath been two Disputations publick, the one the 13th of this, the other the 20th day of the same, according to the order given and assigned, which was three Conclusions to be disputed every Consistory; and what was spoken, as well by your Highness's Counsel, for the justification of the Conclusion purposed the said 13th, as also for the impugnation thereof by the Party adverse, with Answers made thereunto by your Highness's said Counsel as fully as were any wise deduced, your said Highness shall perceive by the Books sent herewithal containing the same; and also the Justifications, Objections, and Answers, made in the 6th of this present, according as I Edward Karne in my said Letters promised. The Copies of all the which Justifications, Objections, and Answers, after that they were. fully noted and deduced in writing, and maturely considered by your Highness's Learned Counsel, I Edward,

Karne did bring to the Pope's Holiness, and to the Cardinals, for their better information; and likewise did of the first, alwise afore the Consistory, according to the order assigned at the beginning; looking in likewise that the Queen's Counsel should do this same, but as yet they have done nothing therein, tho your Ambassadors and I have called upon the Pope many times for the same. And as concerning such things as were spoken and done for either part in the Disputation of the 20th day, it is not possible for us, by reason of the shortness of time, to reduce all in good order, and to send the same to your Highness at this time; nevertheless with all speed it shall be made ready, and sent to your Highness by the next Courier. After the Disputation done, the said 13th day of this present, the Advocate of the Party adverse did alledg, That we did seek this Disputation but only to defer the Process; protesting therefore, That the Queen's Counsel would dispute no more; and desiring therefore the Pope's Holiness, and the whole Consistory, to make Process in the principal Cause. Whereunto I Edward Karne said, That the Pope's Holiness, with the whole Senate, had granted the Disputations upon the Matters, and given an order that the Conclusions published should be disputed according to the same. Whereupon I desired, that forasmuch as there remained sixteen Conclusions not disputed (which to propose and justify, with your Highness's Counsel, I would be ready at all times), that if the Party adverse knowing the Conclusions to be Canonical, would not confess them, and thereby avoid Disputations, that then the said Party should dispute them, and upon the refusal of both the same, the Matters excusatories to be admitted by his Holiness, especially because the said Party adverse hath nothing material that could be perceived to lett the same. The Pope's Holiness answered, That he would deliberate upon the demand of both Parties. The 16th of this present, the Datary on the Pope's behalf sent unto me Edward Karne an Intimation for disputation of the Consistory to be kept the 20 of this present, and that I should send the Conclusions not disputed, that they might be in the said Consistory disputed; adding withal, that the said Consistory should be, ultimus et peremptorius terminus quoad alias Disputationes. Of the which Intimation your Highness shall receive a Copy herewith. Upon this, with the advice of your Ambassadors and Counsel here, I repaired unto the said Datary, and brought unto him three Conclusions to be disputed, with a Protestation, De non recedendo ab ordine hactenus observato, according to the Proem of the said Conclusions, the Copy whereof your Highness shall receive