ason, and the laws both positive and
divine." If there was to be a reconciliation with the Holy See, the
first advance must be made on the Bishop of Rome's side; and Cromwell,
in a simultaneous despatch, warned Francis not "to move or desire his
Grace to the violation of any laws recently passed, as a thing whereunto
he would in no wise condescend or agree."[419]

[Sidenote: Henry distrusts Francis.]

Henry, however, felt no confidence either in the sincerity of the pope,
or in the sincerity of the French king, as he haughtily showed. He did
not even trust De Bryon's account of the rejection of the overtures of
the emperor. "If it happeneth," he wrote, "that the said Bishop will
obstinately follow the steps of his predecessor, and be more inclined to
the maintenance of the actions and sentences of his see than to equity
and justice, then we trust that our good brother--perceiving the right
to stand on our side, and that not only the universities of his whole
realm and dominions hath so defined, but also the most part of the rest
of Christendom, and also the best learned men of the Bishop of Rome's
own council, now being called for that purpose--will fully and wholly,
both he and his whole realm, adhere and cleave to us and our doings in
this behalf; and we herein desire shortly to have answer, which we would
be right loth should be such as whereupon we might take any occasion of
suspicion; trusting, further, that our said good brother will both
promise unto us upon his word, and indeed perform, that in the meantime,
before the meeting of our deputies,[420] he nor directly nor indirectly
shall practise or set forth any mean or intelligence of marriage, or of
other practices with the emperour."[421]

[Sidenote: The pope makes indirect advances, which are received also
with coldness.]

[Sidenote: January.]

So cold an answer could have arisen only from deep distrust; it is
difficult to say whether the distrust was wholly deserved. Analogous
advances, made indirectly from the pope were met with the same reserve.
Sir Gregory Cassalis wrote to Cromwell, that Farnese, or Paul III., as
he was now called, had expressed the greatest desire to please the king.
He had sent for lawyers out of Tuscany, on whose judgment he had great
reliance, and these lawyers had given an opinion that the pope might _ex
officio_ annul the first marriage as Henry desired, and pronounce the
second valid.[422] This was well, but it did not go beyo