were to be swept finally away, and with them an Act was introduced
of final separation from the Papacy. Were it only in defiance of the Pope,
Chapuys said, such measures impending would matter little, for the motive
was understood; but the Preachers were teaching Lutheranism in the
pulpits, drawing crowds to hear them, and, unless the root could be torn
out, the realm would be lost.

Before the closing stroke was dealt in England the last scene of the
tragi-comedy had to be played out in Rome itself. On the Pope's return
from Marseilles the thunderbolt was expected to fall. The faithful Du
Bellay rushed off to arrest the uplifted arm. He found Clement wrangling
as before with Cifuentes, and Cifuentes, in despair, considering that, if
justice would not move the Pope, other means would have to be found. The
English Acts of Parliament were not frightening Clement. To them he had
become used. But he knew by this time for certain that, if he deprived
Henry, the Emperor would do nothing. Why, said he, in quiet irony, to the
Emperor's Minister, does not your master proceed on the Brief _de
Attentatis_? It would be as useful to him as the sentence which he asks
for. By that the King has forfeited his throne. Cifuentes had to tell him,
what he himself was equally aware of, that it was not so held in England.
Until the main cause had been decided it was uncertain whether the
marriage with Anne Boleyn might not be lawful after all.[267] In one of
his varying moods the Pope had said at Marseilles that, if Henry had sent
a proctor to plead for him at Rome, sentence would have been given in his
favour.[268] It was doubtful whether even the Emperor was really
determined, so ambiguous had been his answers when he was asked if he
would execute the Bull. Du Bellay arrived in the midst of the suspense. He
had brought an earnest message from Francis, praying that judgment might
be stayed. As this was the last effort to prevent the separation of
England the particulars have a certain interest.

In an interview with the Pope Du Bellay said that when he left London he
believed that the rupture was inevitable. His own sovereign, however, had
sent him to represent to the Holy See that the King of England was on the
eve of forming a treaty with the Lutheran Princes. The King of France did
not pretend to an opinion on the right or wrong of his brother of
England's case; but he wished to warn his Holiness that means ought to be
found to prevent s