end on the most
frivolous incidents. The courier who carried the king's written promise
was detained beyond the day appointed: news was brought to Rome that
a libel had been published in England against the court of Rome, and a
farce acted before the king in derision of the pope and cardinals.[**]

* Father Paul, lib. i.

** Father Paul, lib, i.

The pope and cardinals entered into the consistory inflamed with anger;
and by a precipitate sentence the marriage of Henry and Catharine was
pronounced valid, and Henry declared to be excommunicated if he refused
to adhere to it. Two days after, the courier arrived; and Clement, who
had been hurried from his usual prudence, found that though he heartily
repented of this hasty measure, it would be difficult for him to retract
it, or replace affairs on the same footing as before.

It is not probable that the pope, had he conducted himself with ever so
great moderation and temper, could hope, during the lifetime of Henry,
to have regained much authority or influence in England. That monarch
was of a temper both impetuous and obstinate; and having proceeded
so far in throwing off the papal yoke, he never could again have been
brought tamely to bend his neck to it. Even at the time when he was
negotiating a reconciliation with Rome, he either entertained so little
hopes of success, or was so indifferent about the event, that he had
assembled a parliament, and continued to enact laws totally destructive
of the papal authority. The people had been prepared by degrees for this
great innovation. Each preceding session had retrenched somewhat from
the power and profits of the pontiff. Care had been taken, during some
years, to teach the nation that a general council was much superior to
a pope. But now a bishop preached every Sunday at Paul's Cross, in order
to inculcate the doctrine that the pope was entitled to no authority
at all beyond the bounds of his own diocese.[*] The proceedings of the
parliament showed that they had entirely adopted this opinion; and there
is reason to believe that the king, after having procured a favorable
sentence from Rome, which would have removed all doubts with regard to
his second marriage and the succession, might indeed have lived on terms
of civility with the Roman pontiff, but never would have surrendered to
him any considerable share of his assumed prerogative. The importance
of the laws passed this session, even before intelligence