History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century
Chapter 226 : [925] Foxe, Acts, iv. p. 601.Henry VIII and Wolsey, who could hardly restrain their im

[925] Foxe, Acts, iv. p. 601.

Henry VIII and Wolsey, who could hardly restrain their impatience, soon heard of the pontiff's death from different quarters.[926] "The emperor has taken away Clement's life,"[927] said Wolsey, blinded by hatred. "Charles," rejoined the king, "will endeavour to obtain by force or fraud, a pope according to his desires." "Yes, to make him his chaplain," replied Wolsey, "and to put an end by degrees both to pope and popedom."[928] "We must fly to the defence of the church,"

resumed Henry, "and with that view, my lord, make up your mind to be pope."--"That alone," answered the cardinal, "can bring your Majesty's weighty matter to a happy termination, and by saving you, save the church ... and myself also," he thought in his heart.--"Let us see, let us count the voters."

[926] By sundry ways hath been advertised of the death of our holy father. Ibid. The king's instructions.

[927] By some detestable act committed for the late pope's destruction. Ibid. p. 603.

[928] By little and little utterly to exclude and extinguish him and his authority. Ibid.

Henry and his minister then wrote down on a strip of parchment the names of all the cardinals, marking with the letter _A_ those who were on the side of the kings of England and France, and with the letter _B_ all who favoured the emperor. "There was no _C_," says a chronicler sarcastically, "to signify any on _Christ's_ side." The letter _N_ designated the neutrals. "The cardinals present," said Wolsey, "will not exceed thirty-nine, and we must have two-thirds, that is, twenty-six. Now, there are twenty upon whom we can reckon; we must therefore, at any price, gain six of the neutrals."

[Sidenote: MEANS TO GAIN THE TIARA.]

Wolsey, deeply sensible of the importance of an election that would decide whether England was to be reformed or not, carefully drew up the instructions, which Henry signed and which history must register.

"We desire and ordain," the amba.s.sadors were informed in them, "that you secure the election of the cardinal of York; not forgetting that next to the salvation of his own soul, there is nothing the king desires more earnestly.

"To gain over the neutral cardinals you will employ two methods in particular. The first is, the cardinals being present, and having G.o.d and the Holy Ghost before them, you shall remind them that the cardinal of York alone can save Christendom.

"The second is, because human fragility suffereth not all things to be pondered and weighed in a just balance, it appertaineth in matter of so high importance, to the comfort and relief of all Christendom, to succour the infirmity that may chance ... not for corruption, you will understand ... but rather to help the lacks and defaults of human nature. And, therefore, it shall be expedient that you promise spiritual offices, dignities, rewards of money, or other things which shall seem meet to the purpose.

"Then shall you, with good dexterity, combine and knit those favourable to us in a perfect fastness and indissoluble knot. And that they may be the better animated to finish the election to the king's desire, you shall offer them a guard of 2000 or 3000 men from the kings of England and France, from the viscount of Turin, and the republic of Venice.

"If, notwithstanding all your exertions, the election should fail, then the cardinals of the kings shall repair to some sure place, and there proceed to such an election as may be to G.o.d's pleasure.

"And to win more friends for the king, you shall promise, on the one hand, to the Cardinal de' Medici and his party our special favour; and the Florentines, on the other hand, you shall put in comfort of the exclusion of the said family De' Medici. Likewise you shall put the cardinals in perfect hope of recovering the patrimony of the church; and you shall contain the Venetians in good trust of a reasonable way to be taken for Cervia and Ravenna (which formed part of the patrimony) to their contentment."[929]

[929] Foxe, iv. p. 604-608.

Such were the means by which the cardinal hoped to win the papal throne. To the right he said _yes_, to the left he said _no_. What would it matter that these perfidies were one day discovered, provided it were after the election. Christendom might be very certain that the choice of the future pontiff would be the work of the Holy Ghost.

Alexander VI had been a poisoner; Julius II had given way to ambition, anger, and vice; the liberal Leo X had pa.s.sed his life in worldly pursuits; the unhappy Clement VII had lived on stratagems and lies; Wolsey would be their worthy successor:

"All the seven deadly sins have worn the triple crown."[930]

[930] Les sept peches mortels ont porte la tiare. Casimir Delavigne, Derniers chants, le Conclave.

[Sidenote: THE DIVORCE DEMANDED.]

Wolsey found his excuse in the thought, that if he succeeded, the divorce was secured, and England enslaved for ever to the court of Rome.

Success at first appeared probable. Many cardinals spoke openly in favour of the English prelate; one of them asked for a detailed account of his life, in order to present it as a model to the church; another wors.h.i.+pped him (so he said) as a divinity.... Among the G.o.ds and popes adored at Rome there were some no better than he. But ere long alarming news reached England. What grief! the pope was getting better. "Conceal your instructions," wrote the cardinal, "and reserve them _in omnem eventum_."

Wolsey not having obtained the tiara, it was necessary at least to gain the divorce. "G.o.d declares," said the English amba.s.sadors to the pope, "_except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it_.[931] Therefore, the king, taking G.o.d alone for his guide, requests of you, in the first place, an engagement to p.r.o.nounce the divorce in the s.p.a.ce of three months, and in the second the avocation to Rome."--"The promise first, and only after that the avocation,"

Wolsey had said; "for I fear that if the pope begins with the avocation, he will never p.r.o.nounce the divorce."--"Besides," added the envoys, "the king's second marriage admits of no refusal, whatever bulls or briefs there may be.[932] The only issue of this matter is the divorce; the divorce in one way or another must be procured."

[931] Where Christ is not the foundation, surely no building can be of good work. State Papers, vii. p. 122.

[932] Convolare ad secundas nuptias non pat.i.tur negativum. Ibid. p.

138.

Wolsey had instructed his envoys to p.r.o.nounce these words with a certain air of familiarity, and at the same time with a gravity calculated to produce an effect.[933] His expectations were deceived: Clement was colder than ever. He had determined to abandon England in order that he might secure the States of the Church, of which Charles was then master, thus sacrificing the spiritual to the temporal. "The pope will not do the least thing for your majesty," wrote Bryan to the king; "your matter may well be in his _Pater noster_, but it certainly is not in his _Credo_."[934] "Increase in importunity," answered the king; "the cardinal of Verona should remain about the pope's person and counterbalance the influence of De Angelis and the archbishop of Capua. I would rather lose my two crowns than be beaten by these two friars."

[933] Which words, fas.h.i.+oned with a familiarity and somewhat with earnestness and gravity. Ibid.

[934] Ibid. vol. i, p. 330.

[Sidenote: THE POPE'S TERGIVERSATIONS.]

Thus was the struggle about to become keener than ever, when Clement's relapse once more threw doubt on every thing. He was always between life and death; and this perpetual alternation agitated the king and the impatient cardinal in every way. The latter considered that the pope had need of _merits_ to enter the kingdom of heaven. "Procure an interview with the pope," he wrote to the envoys, "even though he be in the very agony of death;[935] and represent to him that nothing will be more likely _to save his soul_ than the bill of divorce."

Henry's commissioners were not admitted; but towards the end of March, the deputies appearing in a body,[936] the pope promised to examine the letter from Spain. Vannes began to fear this doc.u.ment; he represented that those who had fabricated it would have been able to give it an appearance of authenticity. "Rather declare immediately that this brief is not a brief," said he to the pope. "The king of England, who is your holiness's son, is not so like the rest of the world. We cannot put the same shoe on every foot."[937] This rather vulgar argument did not touch Clement. "If to content your master in this business," said he, "I cannot employ my head, at least I will my finger."[938]--"Be pleased to explain yourself," replied Vannes, who found the _finger_ a very little matter.--"I mean," resumed the pontiff, "that I shall employ every means, provided they are _honourable_." Vannes withdrew disheartened.

[935] Burnet's Ref. i. p. 49.

[936] Postquam conjunctim omnes. State Papers, vii. p. 154.

[937] Uno eodemque calceo omnium pedes velle vestire. Ibid. p. 156.

[938] Quod forsan non licebit toto capite a.s.sequi, in eo digitum imponam. Ibid. p. 157.

He immediately conferred with his colleagues, and all together, alarmed at the idea of Henry's anger, returned to the pontiff; they thrust aside the lackeys, who endeavoured to stop them, and made their way into his bed-chamber. Clement opposed them with that resistance of inertia by which the popedom has gained its greatest victories: _siluit_, he remained silent. Of what consequence to the pontiff were Tudor, his island, and his church, when Charles of Austria was threatening him with his armies? Clement, less proud than Hildebrand, submitted willingly to the emperor's power, provided the emperor would protect him. "I had rather," he said, "be Caesar's servant, not only in a temple, but in a stable if necessary, than be exposed to the insults of rebels and vagabonds."[939] At the same time he wrote to Campeggio: "Do not irritate the king, but spin out this matter as much as possible;[940] the Spanish brief gives us the means."

[939] Malle Caesari a stabulo nedum a sacris inservire, quam inferiorum hominum subditorum, va.s.salorum, rebellium injurias sustinere. Herbert, vol. i, p. 261.

[940] Le Grand, vol. i, p. 131.

[Sidenote: STRATAGEMS AND DELAYS.]

In fact, Charles V had twice shown Lee the original doc.u.ment, and Wolsey, after this amba.s.sador's report, began to believe that it was not Charles who had forged the brief, but that Pope Julius II had really given two contradictory doc.u.ments on the same day. Accordingly the cardinal now feared to see this letter in the pontiff's hands. "Do all you can to dissuade the pope from seeking the original in Spain,"

wrote he to one of his amba.s.sadors; "it may exasperate the emperor."

We know how cautious the cardinal was towards Charles. Intrigue attained its highest point at this epoch, and Englishmen and Romans encountered craft with craft. "In such ticklish negotiations," says Burnet, (who had had some little experience in diplomacy) "ministers must say and unsay as they are instructed, which goes of course as a part of their business."[941] Henry's envoys to the pope intercepted the letters sent from Rome, and had Campeggio's seized.[942] On his part the pope indulged in flattering smiles and perfidious equivocations. Bryan wrote to Henry VIII: "Always your grace hath done for him in deeds, and he hath recompensed you with fair _words_, and fair _writings_, of which both I think your grace shall lack none; but as for the _deeds_, I never believe to see them, and especially at this time."[943] Bryan had comprehended the court of Rome better perhaps than many politicians. Finally, Clement himself, wis.h.i.+ng to prepare the king for the blow he was about to inflict, wrote to him: "We have been able to find nothing that would satisfy your amba.s.sadors."[944]

[941] Burnet's Ref. vol. i. p. 54.

[942] De intercipiendis literis. State Papers, vol. vii, p. 185.

[943] Ibid. p. 167.

[944] He added: Tametsi noctes ac dies per nos ipsi, ac per juris-peritissimos viros omnes vias tentemus. (Ibid. p. 165.) Although night and day by ourselves, and along with the most skilful lawyers, we try all ways.

Henry thought he knew what this message meant: that he had found nothing, and would find nothing; and accordingly this prince, who, if we may believe Wolsey, had hitherto shown incredible patience and gentleness,[945] gave way to all his violence. "Very well then," said he; "my lords and I well know how to withdraw ourselves from the authority of the Roman see." Wolsey turned pale, and conjured his master not to rush into that fearful abyss;[946] Campeggio, too, endeavoured to revive the king's hopes. But it was all of no use.

Henry recalled his amba.s.sadors.

[945] Incredibili patientia et humanitate. Burnet, Records, p. x.x.xii.

[946] Ne praeceps huc vel illuc rex hic ruat curamus. Ibid. p. x.x.xiii.

Henry, it is true, had not yet reached the age when violent characters become inflexible from the habit they have encouraged of yielding to their pa.s.sions. But the cardinal, who knew his master, knew also that his inflexibility did not depend upon the number of his years; he thought Rome's power in England was lost, and placed between Henry and Clement, he exclaimed: "How shall I avoid Scylla, and not fall into Charybdis?"[947] He begged the king to make one last effort by sending Dr. Bennet to the pope with orders to support the avocation to Rome, and he gave him a letter in which he displayed all the resources of his eloquence. "How can it be imagined," he wrote, "that the persuasions of sense urge the king to break a union in which the ardent years of his youth were pa.s.sed with such purity?[948]... The matter is very different. I am on the spot, I know the state of men's minds.... Pray, believe me.... The divorce is the secondary question; the primary one is the _fidelity of this realm_ to the papal see. The n.o.bility, gentry, and citizens all exclaim with indignation: Must our fortunes, and even our lives, depend upon the nod of a foreigner? We must abolish, or at the very least diminish, the authority of the Roman pontiff.[949]... Most holy father, we cannot mention such things without a shudder."... This new attempt was also unavailing. The pope demanded of Henry how he could doubt his good will, seeing that the king of England had done so much for the apostolic see.[950] This appeared a cruel irony to Tudor; the king requested a favour of the pope, and the pope replied by calling to mind those which the papacy had received from his hands. "Is this the way," men asked in England, "in which Rome pays her debts?"

[947] Hanc Charybdin et hos scopulos evita.s.se. Burnet, Records, p.