h the fall of Wolsey. The
latter had bent before the storm, and at once surrendered all his plunder
to the King and to Anne's relatives, which secured his personal immunity
for a time, whilst he watched for the divisions amongst his opponents that
might give him his chance again. Anne's uncle, Norfolk, aristocratic and
conservative, took the lead in the new government, to the annoyance of the
Duke of Suffolk, who occupied a secondary place, for which his lack of
political ability alone qualified him. Sir Thomas More became Chancellor,
and between him and Anne there was no great love lost, whilst Anne's
father, now Earl of Wiltshire, became Lord Privy Seal, and her brother,
Lord Rochford, was sent as English ambassador to France. With such a
government as this--of which Anne was the real head[79]--no very distinct
line of policy could be expected. The Parliament, which was summoned on
Wolsey's fall, was kept busy legalising the enrichment of Anne at the
expense of the Cardinal, and in clamorous complaints of the abuses
committed by the clergy, but when foreign affairs had to be dealt with the
voice of the government was a divided one. Anne and her paternal family
were still in favour of France; but the Emperor and the Pope were close
friends now, and it was felt necessary by the King and Norfolk to attempt
to reconcile them to the divorce, if possible, by a new political
arrangement. For this purpose Anne's father travelled to Bologna, where
Charles and Clement were staying together, and urged the case of his
master. The only result was a contemptuous refusal from the Emperor to
consider any proposal for facilitating his aunt's repudiation; and the
serving of Wiltshire, as Henry's representative, with a formal citation of
the King of England to appear in person or by proxy before the Papal Court
in Rome entrusted with the decision of the divorce case. This latter
result drove Henry and Anne into a fury, and strengthened their discontent
against the churchmen, whilst it considerably decreased the King's
confidence in Wiltshire's ability. It was too late now to recall Wolsey,
although the French government did what was possible to soften the King's
rigour against him; but Henry longed to be able again to command the
consummate ability and experience of his greatest minister, and early in
the year 1530 Henry himself became a party to an intrigue for the
Cardinal's partial rehabilitation. Anne, when she thought Wolsey was
dyin