med, after all, to promise the best--to
marry her to Philibert of Savoy, and thus make use of her as a second
link to connect England with the House of Austria. But here the
difficulty would be with the queen, who in that case would have to
recognise her sister's rank and expectations.

The question should be settled before Philip left England, and he must
have faced parliament too, and, if possible, have been crowned. If he
went now, he would never come back; let him court the people advised
the keen Renard; let him play off the people against the lords; there
was ill blood between the rich and poor, let him use the opportunity.

The state of public feeling did not improve when, at the end of
September, Bonner commenced an inquisition into the conduct and
opinions of the clergy of his diocese. In every parish he appointed a
person or persons to examine whether the minister was or ever had been
married; whether, if married and separated from his wife, he continued
in secret to visit her; whether his sermons were orthodox; whether he
was a "brawler, scolder, hawker, hunter, fornicator, adulterer,
drunkard, or blasphemer;" whether he duly exhorted his parishioners to
come to mass and confession; whether he associated with heretics, or
had been suspected of associating with them; his mind, his habits, his
society, even the dress that he wore, were to be made matter of close
scrutiny.

The points of inquiry were published in a series of articles which
created an instantaneous ferment. Among the merchants they were
attributed to the king, queen, and Gardiner, and were held to be
the first step of a conspiracy against their liberties. A report
was spread at the same time that the king meditated a seizure of
the Tower; barriers were forthwith erected in the great thoroughfares
leading into the city, and no one was allowed to pass unchallenged.[369]

[Footnote 369: Renard to the Bishop of Arras: Ibid.
p. 330.]

{p.156} The Bishop of London was called to account for having
ventured so rash a step without permission of crown or council. He
replied that he was but doing his duty; the council, had he
communicated with them, would have interfered with him, and in the
execution of his office he must be governed by his own conscience.[370]
But the attitude of the city was too decided even for the stubborn
Bonner, he gave way sullenly, and suspended the execution of his
order.