soon found a shorter, and, for him, a safer way of
ridding his master of a wife who had tired him and could bear him no son.
A French alliance, with a possible reconciliation with Rome in some form,
would not have suited Cromwell; for it would have meant a triumph for the
aristocratic party at Henry's Court, and the overthrow of the men who had
led Henry to defy the Papacy.

If the aristocratic party could influence Henry by means of the nameless
"new young lady," the Boleyns and reformers could fight with the same
weapons, and early in February 1535 we find Chapuys writing, "The young
lady formerly in this King's good graces is so no longer, and has been
succeeded by a cousin-german of the concubine, the daughter of the present
governess of the Princess."[128] This new mistress, whilst her little
reign lasted, worked well for Anne and Cromwell, but in the meantime the
conspiracy amongst the nobles grew and strengthened. Throughout the upper
classes in the country a feeling of deep resentment was felt at the
treatment of Mary, and there was hardly a nobleman, except Anne's father
and brother, who was not pledged to take up arms in her cause and against
the religious changes.[129] Cromwell's answer to the disaffection, of
which he was quite cognisant, was the closer keeping than ever of the
royal ladies, with threats of their death if they were the cause of a
revolt, and the stern enforcement of the oath prescribed by the Act of
Supremacy. The martyrdom of the London Carthusians for refusing to take
the oath of supremacy, and shortly afterwards the sacrifice of the
venerable Bishop Fisher, Sir Thomas More and Katharine's priest Abel, and
the renewed severity towards her favourite confessor, Friar Forest,[130]
soon also to be martyred with atrocious cruelty, shocked and horrified
England, and aroused the strongest reprobation in France and Rome, as well
as in the dominions of the Emperor; destroying for a time all hope of a
French alliance, and any lingering chance of a reconciliation with Rome
during Henry's life. All Catholic aspirations both at home and abroad
centred for the next year or so in the Princess Mary, and her father's
friendship was shunned even by Francis, except upon impossible conditions.
Henry's throne, indeed, was tottering. His country was riddled with
disaffection and dislike of his proceedings. The new Pope had forged the
final thunderbolt of Rome, enjoining all Christian potentates to execute
the s