ed me, and that divers times; making a
good pause in one place; at which time I desired the datary to advertise
his Holiness that I would speak with him; and albeit the datary made no
little difficulty therein, yet perceiving that upon refusal I would have
gone forthwith to the pope, he advertised the pope of my said desire. His
Holiness dismissing as then the said cardinals, and letting his vesture
fall, went to a window in the said chamber, calling me unto him. At which
time I showed unto his Holiness how that your Highness had given me express
and strait commandment to intimate unto him how that your Grace had
solemnly provoked and appealed unto the general council; submitting
yourself to the tuition and defence thereof; which provocation and appeal I
had under authentic writings then with me, to show for that purpose. And
herewithal I drew out the said writing, showing his said Holiness that I
brought the same in proof of the premises, and that his Holiness might see
and perceive all the same. The pope having this for a breakfast, only
pulled down his head to his shoulders, after the Italian fashion, and said
that because he was as then fully ready to go into the consistory, he would
not tarry to hear or see the said writings, but willed me to come at
afternoon."

The afternoon came, and Bonner returned, and was admitted. There was some
conversation upon indifferent matters; the pope making good-natured
inquiries about Bennet, and speaking warmly and kindly of him.

"Presently," Bonner continues, "falling out of that, he said that he
marvelled your Highness would use his Holiness after such sort as it
appears ye did. I said that your Highness no less did marvel that his
Holiness having found so much benevolence and kindness at your hands in all
times past, would for acquittal show such unkindness as of late he did. And
here we entered in communication upon two points: one was that his
Holiness, having committed in times past, and in most ample form, the cause
into the realm, promising not to revoke the said commission, and over that,
to confirm the process and sentence of the commissaries, should not at the
point of sentence have advoked the cause, retaining it at Rome--forasmuch
as Rome was a place whither your Highness could not, ne yet ought,
personally to come unto, and also was not bound to send thither your
proctor. The second point was, that your Highness's cause being, in the
opinion of the best learned men