a petition more comfortable unto me.
And so, making what convenient speed I may, my trust is shortly to wait
upon your Highness. Thus Jesu preserve your most noble Grace to his
pleasure, and your most comfort and honour. Written at Paris, the seventh
day of July, by your Grace's most humble and faithful servant, REGINALD
POLE."[274]

We must speak of this transaction as it deserves, and call it wholly bad,
unjust, and inexcusable. Yet we need not deceive ourselves into supposing
that the opposition which was crushed so roughly was based on any principal
of real honesty. In Italy, intrigue was used against intimidation. In
France intimidation was used against intrigue; and the absence of rectitude
in the parties whom it was necessary to influence, provoked and justified
the contempt with which they were treated.

The conduct of the English universities on the same occasion was precisely
what their later characters would have led us respectively to expect from
them. At Oxford the heads of houses and the senior doctors and masters
submitted their consciences to state dictation, without opposition, and, as
it seemed, without reluctance. Henry was wholly satisfied that the right
was on his own side; he was so convinced of it, that an opposition to his
wishes among his own subjects, he could attribute only to disloyalty or to
some other unworthy feeling; and therefore, while he directed the
convocation, "giving no credence to sinister persuasions, to show and
declare their just and true learning in his cause," he was able to dwell
upon the answer which he expected from them, as a plain matter of duty; and
obviously as not admitting of any uncertainty whatever.

"We will and command you," he said, "that ye, not leaning to wilful and
sinister opinions of your own several minds, considering that we be your
sovereign liege lord [and] totally giving your time, mind, and affections
to the true overtures of divine learning in this behalf, do show and
declare your true and just learning in the said cause, like as ye will
abide by: wherein ye shall not only please Almighty God, but also us your
liege lord. And we, for your so doing, shall be to you and to our
university there so good and gracious a lord for the same, as ye shall
perceive it well done in your well fortune to come. And in case you do not
uprightly, according to divine learning, handle yourselves herein, ye may
be assured that we, not without great cause, shall so quick