t he spake willing to hide his choler, and make me
believe that he was nothing angry with their doings, when in vary deed I
perceived, by many arguments, that it was otherwise. And one among others
was taken here for infallible with them that knoweth the pope's conditions,
that he was continually folding up and unwinding of his handkerchief, which
he never doth but when he is tickled to the very heart with great choler."

At length the appeal was read through; and at the close of it Francis
entered, and talked to the pope for some time, but in so low a voice that
Bonner could not hear what was passing. When he had gone, his Holiness said
that he would deliberate upon the appeal with the consistory, and after
hearing their judgments would return his answer.

Three days passed, and then the English agent was informed that he might
again present himself. The pope had recovered his calmness. When he had
time to collect himself, Clement could speak well and with dignity; and if
we could forget that his conduct was substantially unjust, and that in his
conscience he knew it to be unjust, he would almost persuade us to believe
him honest. "He said," wrote Bonner, "that his mind towards your Highness
always had been to minister justice, and to do pleasure to you; albeit it
hath not been so taken: and he never unjustly grieved your Grace that he
knoweth, nor intendeth hereafter to do. As concerning the appeal, he said
that, forasmuch as there was a constitution of Pope Pius, his predecessor,
that did condemn and reprove all such appeals, he did therefore reject your
Grace's appeal as frivolous, forbidden, and unlawful." As touching the
council, he said generally, that he would do his best that it should meet;
but it was to be understood that the calling a general council belonged to
him, and not to the King of England.

The audience ended, and Bonner left the pope convinced that he intended, on
his return to Rome, to execute the censures and continue the process
without delay. That the sentence which he would pronounce would be against
the king appeared equally certain.

It appeared certain, yet after all no certain conclusion is possible.
Francis I., though not choosing to quarrel with the see of Rome to do a
pleasure to Henry, was anxious to please his ally to the extent of his
convenience; at any rate, he would not have gratuitously deceived him; and
still less would he have been party to an act of deliberate treachery. When