and imaginations, wherewith all men's stomakes were full, with small digestion. The long-hid and secret love that was betweene the king and mistress Anne Bullen brake now out, and the matter was by the king disclosed unto my lorde cardinall'; whose persuasion upon his knees long time before to the king to the contrary would not serve the king was so affectioned, that will bare place, and discretion was banished cleane for the time. My lorde being provoked to declare his opinion and wisdome in the avauncement of his desired purpose, thought it not mete to wade too farre alone, or to give his hasty judgement or advice in so weighty a matter, but desired of the king license to aske counsell of men of auncient study, and famous learning, bothe in the divine and civil lawes. That obteined, by his legantine authority, he sent his commission out for all the bishoppes of this realme, that were learned in either of the saide lawes, or else had in any highe estimation for their prudent counsaile and judgement in princely affaires of long experience. Then assembled these noble prelates at Westminster before my lorde cardinall, as well auncient famous and notable clerkes of bothe universities of Oxford and Cambridge, as also of divers cathedrall colleges of this realme, reckoned and accompted learned 4 By the king disclosed unto my lorde cardinall.] "The first suggestion of the divorce has been attributed to different persons. 1. By the public the credit or infamy of it was given to Wolsey (instigator et auctor consilii existimabatur, Poli Apol. ad Cæs. 115, 116), and the Emperor, in his answer to Henry's defiance, openly charges the cardinal with it (Le Grand, iii. 46).—2. Wolsey denied or admitted it, as best suited his purpose. He denied it in the presence of the king in the legatine court (Cavendish, p. 560), and repeatedly boasted of it to the French ambassador (Le Grand, iii. 186, 200, 318, 319). -3. Henry himself declared that the idea originated not with the cardinal, but with himself, and that his scruples were confirmed by the bishop of Tarbes (Cavendish, p. 560. Le Grand, iii. 218. Hall, 180): and Longland, the king's confessor, agrees with him so far, as to say that he derived his first information respecting it from Henry (Burnet's History, iii. App. p. 400). But Cardinal Pole, who, writing to the king on such a subject, would hardly venture to assert what, if it were not true, Henry must have known to be false, assures us that it was first mentioned to the king by certain divines, whom Anne Boleyn sent to him for that purpose. Illa ipsa sacerdotes suos, graves theologos, quasi pignora promptæ voluntatis misit, qui non modo tibi licere affirmarent uxorem dimittere, sed graviter etiam peccare dicerent, quod punctum ullum temporis eam retineres; ac nisi continuo repudiares, gravissimam Dei offensionem denuntiarent. Hic primus totius fabulæ exorsus fuit.' Pole, f. lxxvi." Lingard, vi. 113. and of witty discretion in the determination of doubtful matters. Then was this matter of the king's case debated, reasoned, argued, and consulted of from day to day, and time to time, that it was to the learned a goodly hearing, but in the conclusion, (as it seemed to me, and other,) the auncient fathers of bothe the lawes, (by my small estimation,) at their departure, departed with one judgement, contrary to the principall expectation. I heard then the opinion of some of the most famous persons amonge that sorte, reporte, that the king's case was too obscure for any learned man to discuss, the pointes therein were so doubtfull to have any true understanding or intelligence. And therefore they departed without any resolution or judgement. Then in this assembly of bishoppes it was thought most expedient, that the king should first send out his commissioners into all the universities of Christendome, as well here in Englande, as into forraine regions, to have among them his grace's case argued substantially, and to bringe with them from thence the very definition of their opinions in the same, under the seales of every university. That for this time was their determination; and so allowed, that diverse commisioners were incontinent appointed to this matter, who were divided, as some to Oxonforde, some to Cambridge, some to Lovaine, some to Paris, some to Orleaunce, some to Bononye, and some to Padway, and so forthe. Although these commisioners had the travell, yet was the costes and charges the king's; the which were no lesse than great and notable sommes of money, and all went out of this realme. For as I heard reported (and as it semed in deede) besides the charges of the embassage, the famous and most notable persons, and in especiall such as had any rule, or had the custody of their universitie seales, were choked by the commisioners with such notable sommes of money, that they were the more glad to agree to their requestes, and to graunt to all that they desired: by meanes whereof all the commisioners retourned home againe with their purpose finished according to their commision, under the particular seale of every severall university, whereat there was no small joy conceived of the principall persons in so much as the commisioners were not only ever after in great estimation, but also most liberally advaunced and rewarded, far beyond their worthy desertes. Notwithstanding, Such notable sommes of money.] It is a question of fact which has been warmly debated, whether the suffrages of the universities in Henry's favour were purchased by money. It does not seem very necessary that we should enter they prospered, and the matter went still forwarde, having now (as they thought) a sure staffe to stand by. 6 These proceedings declared to my lord cardinall, he sent againe for the bishoppes, to whom he declared the effect and travell of these commisioners, and for affirmaunce thereof shewed them the instruments of every university under the severall seales. Then this matter brought to passe, they went once againe to consultation, how it should be ordered to the purpose. -It was then thought good and concluded, that the king should send unto the pope, declaring the opinions of those universities, which were manifestly authorized by their common seales; to the which it was thought that the consent of these worthy prelates of this realme should be necessary to be sent also thither, altogether comprised in an instrument, sealed with all their seales annexed to the saide instrument, which was not long in doing; nor was long after, but the ambassadors were assigned to travaille in this matter, and to take upon them this journey accordingly, having furthermore certaine instructions, amonge which one was this, that if the pope would not hereupon agree to give judgement definitive in the king's case, then to require another commision from his holiness, to be graunted under leade' to establish a court to be kept in Englande for that into this dispute. But any one who wishes so to do, may consult Burnet's History of the Reformation, vol. iii. p. 401, appendix; Harmer's [Wharton's] Specimen of Errors, p. 7; Fiddes's Life of Wolsey, p. 420; Poli Epistolæ, vol. i. p. 238. A.D. 1744. • The instruments of every university.] Eight of these determinations, with a long discourse in support of the judgments contained in them, were printed soon afterwards, in one volume, under the following title: "The Determinations of the moste famous and mooste excellent universities of Italy and Fraunce, that it is so unlefull for a man to marry his brother's wyfe, that the pope hath no power to dispence therewith: Imprinted by Thomas Berthelet the 7. day of Novembre, 1531." They were also published in Latin: in which language they are exhibited by Bishop Burnet, in his History of the Reformation, vol. i. book ii. No. 34. Records. 7 Under leade.] Under a leaden seal or bull, bulla plumbea. In the course of time the bulla gave its name to the document, to which it was, originally, a mere appendage. The term is now restricted, by common usage, to the chief documents issuing from the papal chancery, answering to the letters patent of secular princes. Papal rescripts, however, as well as papal bulls, are "under leade," and, like them, are divided into matters of grace and matters of justice; in the former the leaden bulla is attached by a silken cord, in the latter by a hempen twist. Metallic bulle were anciently used by the emperors of the East, and by many sovereigns of Europe. The doges of Venice used them until the extinction of the republic. Sometimes the bullæ purpose, only directed to my lord cardinall and legate of Englande, and to the cardinall Campaigne (who was then, although he were a stranger, bishoppe of Bathe, the which the king gave him at a certaine time, being an ambassador from the pope,) to determine and justly to judge according to their conscience and discretions. To the which after long sute made, and the good will of the sayd cardinall by faire promises obteined to travell into England, the pope graunted to their sute. And this done and atcheved, they made retourne unto the king, making relation unto him, that now his graces pleasure and purpose should be brought substantially to passe, being never more likely, considering the state of bothe the judges. Long was the expectation on all sides for the comming of this legate from Rome, with his commision. After very long desire this legate was arrived in England, and being sore vexed with the disease of the goute', was constrained by force thereof to make a longe journey or ever he came to London; who should have bine were of silver, sometimes of gold: the document by which, in 1356, the emperor Charles IV. determined the mode of election of future emperors, and established the constitution of the empire, is called, by way of pre-eminence, the Golden Bull, the bulla being of that metal. It is still preserved at Frankfort. A diminutive of the word remains in common use; Napoleon employed it for his official communications, or bulletins, of military news; in England, it is employed for the official announcement of a royal personage's state of health. 8 Bishoppe of Bathe.] This appears to be an error: John Clerk was, at this time, bishop of Bath and Wells. Campeggio was bishop of Salisbury, which see had been given to him by Henry in 1524, during a mission from the pope to solicit aid against the Turk. 9 Disease of the goute.] Du Bellay insinuates that this gout served the purpose sometimes of a convenient pretext. "Je luy diz mon advis estre que, par envoyer le Cardinal Campege, il (le Pape) vouloit mener en bride l'Empereur, et eulx attendront l'effect des choses d'Italie, car il pourroyt tousjours avancer ou retarder soulz umbres de ses gouttes, le dit Cardinal actendant la fin, et bailler pour benefice ce qu'il auroyt faict, auquel qu'il vouldroyt des deulx princes, encores s'aydant là où il vouldroyt de l'ombre du personnage, car il pourroyt dire à l'ung l'avoir baillé bon Anglois, à l'autre bon Imperial." In the same letter he says: "Une des filles de chambre, monseigneur, de mademoiselle de Boulan se trouva mardy actainte de la suée, à grant haste le roy deslogea, et alla à douze milles d'icy, et m'a-t-on-dict que la damoyselle fut envoyée pour le suspect au Viconte son frère (père) qui est en Cainet (Kent). Jusques icy, monseigneur, l'amour n'a point prins de diminution. Je ne sçay si l'absence avec les difficultés de Rome pourroyt engendrer quelque chose." The Bishop of Bayonne to the grand master Montmorency, Dat. London, viij. June. Le Grand, iii. 136, 136. most solemnely received at Blackheath, and so with triumph conveied to London, but his desire was such, that he would not so be entertained with pompe, and vaine glory, and therefore sodainly came to his house without Temple barre, called then Bathe Place', where he was lodged, which was furnished with all manner of stuffe and implements of my lord's provision. So then after some deliberation, and consultation in the ordering and using of the king's matters, and his commision and the articles of his ambassage seene, read, and digested, it was determined, that the king and the good queene, his just wife, should be lodged at Bridewell. And then in the Black Friars a certaine place was there appointed most convenient for the king and queene's repaire to the courte, there to be kept for the disputation and determination of the case, whereas these two legates sat judges; before whom the king and queene were asscited and summoned to appeare; which was a strange sight, and the newest device, that ever was read or heard of before, in any region, story or chronicle, a king and a queene to be constrained by process compellatory to appeare in any courte as common persons, within their owne realme and dominion, to abide the judgements and decres of their own subjects, being the royall diademe and prerogative thereof. Forsoothe it is a world to consider the desirous will of wilfull princes, when they be set and earnestly bent to have their wills fulfilled, wherein no reasonable persuasions will suffice; and how little they regard the dangerous sequell that may ensue as well to themselves as to all their subjects. And above all things, there is nothing that maketh them more willfull than carnall love, and sensuall affection of voluptuous desire, and pleasures of their bodies, as was in this case; wherein nothing could be of greater experience than to see what inventions were furnished, what lawes were enacted, what costly edifications of noble and auncient monasteries were overthrowne', what diversity of opinions then 1 Bathe Place.] The Inn of the bishops of Bath was on the South side of the Strand; the site of it, and, probably, of other episcopal inns, of which there were several near it, was afterwards occupied by Arundel House: the space is now occupied by Howard Street, Arundel Street, Surrey Street, and Norfolk Street. 2 Monasteries were overthrowne.] At the same time we must not forget the example before set by Wolsey himself, in procuring the confiscation of some of these, for building and endowing his colleges at Oxford and Ipswich. In a letter from the king, given by Lord Herbert, highly honourable both to |