esently seen.

Meanwhile, on the side of Flanders, the atmosphere was dubious and
menacing. The refugee friars, who were reported to be well supplied with
money from England, were labouring to exasperate the people, Father Peto
especially distinguishing himself upon this service.[673] The English
ambassador, Sir John Hacket, still remained at Brussels, and the two
governments were formally at peace; but when Hacket required the
queen-regent to forbid the publication of the brief of July in the
Netherlands, he was met with a positive refusal. "M. Ambassador," she said,
"the Emperor, the King of Hungary, the Queen of France, the King of
Portugal, and I, understand what are the rights of our aunt--our duty is to
her--and such letters of the pope as come hither in her favour we shall
obey. Your master has no right to complain either of the emperor or of
myself, if we support our aunt in a just cause."[674] At the same time,
formal complaints were made by Charles of the personal treatment of Queen
Catherine, and the clouds appeared to be gathering for a storm. Yet here,
too, there was an evident shrinking from extremities. A Welsh gentleman had
been at Brussels to offer his services against Henry, and had met with
apparent coldness. Sir John Hacket wrote, on the 15th of December, that he
was assured by well-informed persons, that so long as Charles lived, he
would never be the first to begin a war with England, "which would rebound
to the destruction of the Low Countries."[675] A week later, when the
queen-regent was suffering from an alarming illness, he said it was
reported that, should she die, Catherine or Mary, if either of them was
allowed to leave England, would be held "meet to have governance of the Low
Countries."[676] This was a generous step, if the emperor seriously
contemplated it. The failure of the Nun of Kent had perhaps taught him that
there was no present prospect of a successful insurrection. In his conduct
towards England, he was seemingly governing himself by the prospect which
might open for a successful attack upon it. If occasion offered to strike
the government in connection with an efficient Catholic party in the nation
itself, he would not fail to avail himself of it.[677] Otherwise, he would
perhaps content himself with an attitude of inactive menace; unless menaced
himself by a Protestant confederation.

Amidst these uneasy symptoms at home and abroad, parliament re-assembled on
the 15th of Janu