kingdom is a two-headed monster: will you bear such an anomaly any
longer? Frederick and other German princes have cast off the yoke of Rome.
Do likewise; become once more king, govern your kingdom in concert with
your lords and commons."[83]

With much more of such talk Cromwell flattered the King, who probably
hardly knew whether to punish or reward such unheard-of boldness; but when
Cromwell, prepared for the emergency, took from his pocket a copy of the
prelates' oath to the Pope, Henry's indignation bore all before it, and
Cromwell's fortune was made. He at once obtained a seat in Parliament
(1529), and took the lead in the anti-clerical measures which culminated
in the emancipation of the English clergy from the Papacy, and their
submission to the King. Gardiner, ambitious and able as he was, was yet an
ecclesiastic, and looked grimly upon such a religious policy as that into
which Henry was being towed by his infatuation for Anne; but Cromwell was
always ready with authorities and flattery to stiffen the King's resolve,
and thenceforward, until his fall before a combination of nobles, his was
the strong spirit to which Henry clung.

It will be seen that the influences against the King's marriage with Anne
were very powerful, since it had become evident that the object could only
be attained by the separation of England from the Papal communion; a step
too bold and too much smacking of Lutheranism to commend itself to any but
the few who might benefit by the change. The greatest danger seemed that
by her isolation England might enable the two great Catholic powers to
combine against her, in which case Henry's ruin was certain; and, eager as
he was to divorce Katharine in England and marry Anne, the King dared not
do so until he had secured at least the neutrality of France. As usual, he
had to pay heavily for it. Dr. Fox, Henry's most able and zealous foreign
minister, was again sent to France, and an alliance was negotiated in the
spring of 1532, by which Henry bound himself to join Francis against the
Emperor in case of attack, and Francis undertook to support Henry if any
attempt was made by Charles to avenge his aunt. Anne was once more
jubilant and hopeful; for her cause was now linked with a national
alliance which had a certain party of adherents in the English Court, and
an imperial attack upon England in the interests of Katharine was rendered
unlikely. But, withal, the opposition in England itself had to