provided his subjects with no more forcible object-lesson.
Distress was felt at once in Flanders; complaints grew so clamorous
that the Regent sent an embassy post-haste to Henry to remonstrate,
and to represent the closing of the Staple as an infraction of
commercial treaties. Henry coldly replied that he had broken no
treaties at all; it was merely a private dispute between his merchants
and himself, in which foreign powers had no ground for intervention.
The envoys had to return, convinced against their will. The Staple at
Calais was soon reopened, but the English King was able to (p. 309)
demonstrate to his people that the Flemings "could not do without
England's trade, considering the outcry they made when the Staple of
Calais was closed for only three months".

[Footnote 872: _Ibid._, vi., 1460.]

[Footnote 873: _Ibid._, vi., 1510, 1523, 1571.]

Henry, indeed, might almost be credited with second-sight into the
Emperor's mind. On 31st May, 1533, Charles's council discussed the
situation.[874] After considering Henry's enormities, the councillors
proceeded to deliberate on the possible remedies. There were three:
justice, force and a combination of both. The objections to relying on
methods of justice, that is, on the papal sentence, were, firstly,
that Henry would not obey, and secondly, that the Pope was not to be
trusted. The objections to the employment of force were, that war
would imperil the whole of Europe, and especially the Emperor's
dominions, and that Henry had neither used violence towards Catherine
nor given Charles any excuse for breaking the Treaty of Cambrai.
Eventually, it was decided to leave the matter to Clement. He was to
be urged to give sentence against Henry, but on no account to lay
England under an interdict, as that "would disturb her intercourse
with Spain and Flanders. If, therefore, an interdict be resorted to,
it should be limited to one diocese, or to the place where Henry
dwells."[875] Such an interdict might put a premium on assassination,
but otherwise neither Henry nor his people were likely to care much
about it. The Pope should, however, be exhorted to depose the English
King; that might pave the way for Mary's accession and for the
predominance in England of the Emperor's influence; but the execution
of the sentence must not be entrusted to Charles.[876] It would (p. 310)
be excellent if James V. or the Irish would undertake