e active measures
immediately, as I wrote in my last, which advice he has sent to me again
lately to repeat.[250] Without this they fear disorder. The smallest force
would suffice."

Knowing Charles's unwillingness, the Ambassador added a further
incitement. Among the preachers, he said, there was one who spread worse
errors than Luther. The Prelates all desired to have him punished, but the
Archbishop of Canterbury held him up, the King would not listen to them;
and, were it not that he feared the people, would long since have
professed Lutheranism himself.[251]

CHAPTER XIV.

Interview between the Pope and Francis at Marseilles--Proposed
compromise--The divorce case to be heard at Cambray--The Emperor
consents--Catherine refuses--The story of the Nun of Kent--Bishop Fisher
in the Tower--Imminent breach with the Papacy--Catherine and the Princess
Mary--Separation of the Princess from her mother--Catherine at Kimbolton--
Appeals to the Emperor--Encouragement of Lutheranism--Last efforts of
Rome--Final sentence delivered by the Pope--The Pope's authority abolished
in England.

The Pope's last brief had been sufficiently definite to enable the Emperor
to act upon it if Henry still disobeyed. English scruples, however,
required a judgment on the divorce itself before force was openly tried.
Clement went, as he had intended, to France in October, and met the French
King at Marseilles. Norfolk, as has been said, was not allowed to be
present; but Gardiner and Bonner attended as inferior agents to watch the
proceedings. Cifuentes followed the Papal Court for Charles, and the
English Nuncio, who had been at last recalled, was present also. The main
result of the interview was the marriage of the Duke of Orleans to the
Pope's niece, Catherine de' Medici, a guarantee that Francis was not to
follow England into schism but was to remain Catholic. The engagements
with which he had tempted Henry into committing himself were thus
abandoned, and the honour which had been saved at Pavia was touched, if it
was not lost. It had strength enough, however, to lead him still to exert
himself to bring Clement to reason. The bribe of Calais was not tried
upon him, having been emphatically negatived by the Emperor. The
Chancellor of France presented in Henry's name a formal complaint of the
Pope's conduct. It was insisted that when he commissioned Campeggio to go
to England, he had formally promised not to revoke the cause to Rome,