ought not to be maintained at all, if it was
just, there must be no respect of persons.

[Sidenote: The government cannot yield.]

The clauses to which the bishop and the ex-chancellor declined to bind
themselves were those which declared illegal the marriage of the king
with Catherine, and the marriage legal between the king and Queen Anne.
To refuse these was to declare Mary legitimate, to declare Elizabeth
illegitimate, and would do more to strengthen Mary's claims than could
be undone by a thousand oaths. However large might be More's estimate of
the power of parliament, he could have given no clear answer--and far
less could Fisher have given a clear answer--if they had been required
to say the part which they would take, should the emperor invade the
kingdom under the pope's sanction. The emperor would come to execute a
sentence which in their consciences they believed to be just; how could
they retain their allegiance to Henry, when their convictions must be
with the invading army?

[Sidenote: Cromwell explains to Cranmer that concession is impossible.]

What ought to have been done let those say who disapprove of what was
actually done. The high character of the prisoners, while it increased
the desire, increased the difficulty of sparing them; and to have given
way would have been a confession of a doubtful cause, which at such a
time would not have been dangerous, but would have been fatal. Anne
Boleyn is said to have urged the king to remain peremptory;[271] but the
following letter of Cromwell's explains the ultimate resolution of the
council in a very reasonable manner. It was written to Cranmer, in reply
to his arguments for concession.

[Sidenote: And begs that he will not urge it further.]

"My Lord, after mine humble commendation, it may please your Grace to be
advertised that I have received your letter, and showed the same to the
King's Highness; who, perceiving that your mind and opinion is, that it
were good that the Bishop of Rochester and Master More should be sworn
to the act of the king's succession, and not to the preamble of the
same, thinketh that if their oaths should be taken, it were an occasion
to all men to refuse the whole, or at least the like. For, in case they
be sworn to the succession, and not to the preamble, it is to be thought
that it might be taken not only as a confirmation of the Bishop of
Rome's authority, but also as a reprobation of the king's second
marriage. Where