God had given grace to repent of their schism;
and if their repentance was sincere, how would the angels, who rejoice
at the conversion of a single sinner, triumph at the recovery of a
great and noble people."

He moved to rise; Mary and Philip, seeing that the crisis was
approaching, fell on their knees, and the assembly dropped at their
example; while, in dead silence, across the dimly-lighted hall, came
the low, awful words of the absolution.

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, which with his most precious blood hath
redeemed and washed us from all our sins and iniquities, that he might
purchase unto himself a glorious spouse without spot or wrinkle, whom
the Father hath appointed head over all his Church--he by his mercy
absolves you, and we, by apostolic authority given unto us by the Most
Holy Lord Pope Julius the Third, his vicegerent on earth, do absolve
and deliver you, and every of you, with this whole realm and the
dominions thereof, from all heresy and schism, and from all and every
judgment, censure, and pain for that cause incurred; and we do restore
you again into the unity of our Mother the Holy Church, in the name of
the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Amidst the hushed breathing every tone was audible, and at the pauses
were heard the smothered sobs of the queen. "Amen, amen," rose in
answer from many voices. Some were really affected; some were caught
for the moment with a contagion which it was hard to resist; some
threw themselves weeping in {p.174} each other's arms. King, queen,
and parliament, rising from their knees, went immediately--the legate
leading--into the chapel of the palace, where the choir, with the
rolling organ, sang _Te Deum_; and Pole closed the scene with a
benediction from the altar.

"Blessed day for England," cries the Italian describer, in a rapture
of devotion. "The people exclaim in ecstasies, we are reconciled to
God, we are brought back to God: the king beholds his realm, so lately
torn by divisions, at the mercy of the first enemy who would seize
upon it, secured on a foundation which never can be shaken: and who
can express the joy--who can tell the exultation of the queen? She has
shown herself the handmaid of the Lord, and all generations shall call
her blessed: she has given her kingdom to God as a thank-offering for
those great mercies which He has bestowed upon her."[397]

[Footnote 397: Descriptio Reductionis Angliae: