BOOK THE TWENTY-FIRST.

REVOLUTION.

(Continued.)

CHAPTER V.

Forward!

1530.

1. PEERS and burgesses were busy with abuses in the Church, and every one was wondering at the boldness of their speech. A year ago, such words as rang from bench to ceiling would have sent a speaker to the stake. A revolution was begun in the high court of parliament. When Wolsey had been smitten by a sentence which implied that the old secular laws of England were in force, and no one had a right to exercise authority in the Pope's name, men asked how many, and what kind of rights the Pope possessed? A slave of Rome would not have dared to ask, but slaves of Rome were growing fewer day by day. Even Henry, despot and defender of the faith, was forced to tolerate inquiry in the field of law, though he was still as prompt as ever to repress inquiry in the field of faith.

2. A long and heavy list of clerical offences

was prepared, and after sorting and verifying these offences, the Commons sent them to the House of Lords. Fisher stood up in rage and fear. To him, and men like him, the stars seemed shooting from their spheres. "Nay, it is not the good, but the goods, of the Church ye seek;" but no one listened to his jokes. The day for governing by epigrams was past. As roll on roll came pouring in, Fisher stood up to stay inquiry. "To what tendeth these portentous and curious petitions from the Commons? To no other interest or purpose but to bring the clergy in contempt with the laity, that they may seize their patrimony." This charge against the House of Commons of plundering the Church, was sure to cause a great explosion; and Norfolk, eager to say a popular word, rose up in anger, and replied, "My Lord of Rochester, many of these words might well have been spared; but I wist it is often seen that the greatest clerks are not always the wisest men." Fisher had an easy mastery of words. "My lord," he answered, with the scorn that Wolsey might have used, "I do not remember any fools in my time that ever proved great clerks."

3. The news soon reached the House of Commons that a bishop had openly accused the knights and burgesses of a desire to rob the Church. All other business ceased. Audley, the Speaker, was appointed to repair, with a committee of the House, to Henry's presence, and to let his Majesty know "how grievously they thought themselves injured thereby; a prelate having charged them with lack of

faith, as though they had been infidels or heretics." Henry called for Fisher, and inquired why he had taken that offensive tone? "Sir," said Fisher, "being in parliament, I spoke my mind freely in defence of the Church, which I see is daily injured and oppressed by the common people whose office it is not to judge of her manners, much less to reform them; and therefore I thought myself bound in conscience to defend her in all that lay within my power." Fisher had been writing a book on the Divorce, which he had sent to Spain; and Charles, believing it would serve his aunt, was having it printed at the press of Alcala, in the very palace where his aunt was born. Luckily for Fisher, Henry was ignorant of these facts. Indisposed to treat the old man harshly, Henry let him off with the advice to use his words more temperately another time. The burgesses were not appeased, and from that hour of insult they began a reformation of the Church, which only ceased when England had regained her independence of the Pope.

4. The fight was long and fierce. Realm, Church, and Family, appeared to be divided, each against itself, by an internal force. Each seemed to have a male and female side. The males were mostly for reform, the females mostly against reform. The males were mostly Friends of Light, pupils of the new learning, supporters of the printing-press; the females mostly slaves of tradition, worshippers of relics, believers in the miracles of saints. From principles the division dropt to persons. As the friends of Lady Anne were men of the new order,

most of the males were favourable to Anne. As the friends of Catharine were of the old order, nearly all the females were favourable to Catharine. The universities decided by a vast majority for the King and Anne; but when the King's confessor went to Oxford, he was stoned by female furies in the market-place.

5. Catharine and Anne appeared to soar above these passions. Catharine spoke no ill of Anne, while Anne regarded Catharine as a victim of unscrupulous priests and kings. Henry still went to see the Queen. "They pay each other," said an Italian visitor, "the best attentions, and his Highness makes her many compliments in the Spanish fashion. Peace appears to reign, as though there had never been a question in dispute between them. Catharine affirms with warmth that everything her lord, the King, has done, has been inspired by true and holy doubt, and not by preference for another love." She rarely dropt this pure and lofty tone.

6. Yet being supported, as she thought, by Norfolk, and directed by the art of Chapuys, Catharine wrote to Clement, praying him to give his sentence; confident from what she knew of Anne, that a Papal confirmation of her marriage with the King would cause that lady to renounce her lover and retire. The enemies whom Catharine feared the most were not in London, but in Rome. "I have had much pleasure and comfort from thy letters," she wrote to Ortiz, "seeing that thou tellest me of the good

and evil which is passing where thou art. I know full well the pains thou art at, and the affection and goodwill thou hast for this business, and the manner in which thou dost recommend it to his Holiness, so that he may do justice quickly; judging in his conscience which is the best road and most certain for those who have to fill that holy seat. In all and everything that may be done by his Holiness I see no other road than that of recommending all to God. I pray to Him that He may remedy the evils of which this kingdom, and Christendom through this business, seem to have no end. I fear that God's vicar on earth does not wish to remedy them. I do not know what to think of his Holiness; unless, like the heretics, who seeing this cause in suspense, strive to cause yet more delay, he, the head and protector of the Church, wishes the Church to have a great fall. I cannot do more, as I have written to his Holiness, than inform him of the truth. I have represented to him the evils I see if they do not bring this cause to an end, and through the means which appear to me the proper ones. If these are of no avail, I will appeal to God, because on earth there is no faith and charity in His ministers. His mercy will not abandon me. I entreat thee to endeavour to continue the same course as thou hast done heretofore. I have seen a copy of the breve which his Holiness has issued, and I have shown it to learned persons, and they have told me that the medicine which is to cure this wound must be stronger. That remedy is the sentence. Anything else will bring us nothing