canonical decrees set forth in this matter, even as appeareth to us by the letter of the foresaid bishop; and as Holy Mother Church hath not any more that she can do in the preceding case... We, therefore, zealous for justice, and revering the catholic faith, and willing to uphold and defend Holy Church, the rights and liberties of the same, to pluck out by the roots heresies and errors out of our kingdom of England, as far as in us lieth, and to punish with condign punishment heretics so convicted; and considering that such heretics, convicted in the form aforesaid, according to law, divine and human, and the canons and institutes in this behalf, ought, as a matter of course, to be burned with the burning of fire. To you we command, with all strictness possible, and positively enjoin, that the aforesaid John, now being in your custody, you cause to be committed to flames in some public and open place, within the liberty of the city foresaid, having made public the reason before stated, in presence of the people; and him to be burned in the same fire in very deed, by way of abomination of a crime of this kind, and as an open example to others, his neighbours: and this at your instant peril by no means omit ye. Witness the king, the 14th day of May, the sixteenth year of his reign. (Letters of the Kings of England, ed. cited, I, 119.) CHAPTER XIV THE DIVORCE QUESTION 104. Henry's Attempts to secure the Aid of the Church The following letter from the emissary of the king to the Italian universities shows the method on which Henry proceeded in his efforts to obtain the sanction of the Church to his divorce from Katherine. Richard Croke to Henry VIII., on the prevarication of certain Friars of the University of Padua, who had taken his Majesty's money to give their subscription as disallowing his marriage with Queen Katharine, but now are for it. (Ms. Harl. 416, fol. 21 Orig.) Please yt yowr Highnes to be aduertysed that syns the xxviij day of Auguste I delyuered vnto friar Thomas xxiij crouynes; syns the whyche tyme he hathe got yowr Highnes but vij subscriptions; the whiche I sent by Harwel the xix of Octobre. And of them, too only excepte, there ys not on worthy thanke. I have and do often cal vpon hym, but he answerithe me that there ys no mo doctors to be goten: the contrary whereoff I knowye to be trew. And whan I demande off hym for the declaration off my accompts som remembrance off his hande for xlvij crouynes whyche I have paide hym, he answerythe that at th'end off the cause he wyl other make me a byl, or delyver me th'ole money ayene. And hys cause why he wol make me no byl, ys, as he saithe, feare leste hys byl myght be shewed to yowr Highnes aduersaryes. Off the whyche pretendyd feare I so moche the more douzt, by cause I have taken hym twysse styffelye reasonying upon the Queenys parte ayenste yowr Highnes conclusion with a friar of Florence, whom afore thys day he alwayes assuryed me to be off yowr Highnes opinion. Albeyt now he saithe the said friar ys departyd, beynge utter enymye to the same. And in communication, |