itely declined to take so delicate a negotiation out of
Cromwell's hands. For himself, he had not yet abandoned hope of a
different issue. Lord Darcy was still eager as ever, and wished to
communicate directly with the Emperor. From Ireland, too, the news were
less discouraging. The insurrection had burnt down, but was still
unsubdued. Lord Thomas found one of his difficulties to lie in the
incompleteness of the Papal censures. The formal Bull of Deposition was
still unpublished. The young chief had written to the Pope to say that,
but for this deficiency, he would have driven the English out of the
island, and to beg that it might be immediately supplied. He had himself,
too, perhaps, been in fault. The murder of an archbishop who had not been
directly excommunicated was an irregularity and possibly a crime. He
prayed that the Pope would send him absolution. Paul as he read the letter
showed much pleasure. He excused his hesitation as having risen from a
hope that the King of England would repent. For the future he said he
would do his duty; and at once sent Lord Thomas the required pardon for an
act which had been really meritorious.[326]

The absolution may have benefited Lord Thomas's soul. It did not save him
from the gallows.

Again Cromwell and Chapuys met. Again the discussion returned to the
insoluble problem. The Spanish Council of State had half recommended that
the divorce should be passed over, as it had been at Cambray. Chapuys
laboured to entangle Henry in an engagement that it should be submitted
to the intended General Council. The argument took the usual form.
Cromwell said that the King could not revoke what he had done, without
disgrace. Chapuys answered that it was the only way to avoid disgrace, and
the most honourable course which he could adopt. The King ought not to be
satisfied in such a matter with the laws and constitutions of his own
country. If he would yield on this single point, the taking away the
property of the clergy might in some degree be confirmed. The ground
alleged for it being the defence of the realm, there would be less
occasion for such measures in future; the Emperor would allow the King to
make his submission in any form that he might choose, and everything
should be made as smooth as Henry could desire.

Cromwell, according to Chapuys, admitted the soundness of the argument,
but he said that it was neither in his power, nor in any man's power, to
persuade the King, who w