it was not to be
supposed that the King wanted to set up "a God of his own," or to
separate himself from the rest of Christendom. He was as anxious as any
one for a Council, but it must be a Council called by the Emperor as chief
of Christian Europe. It is to be observed that Henry, as Head of the
Church of England, took upon himself the entire ordering of what was or
was not to be. Even the form of consulting the clergy was not so much as
thought of. Chapuys could not answer for as much indifference on the
Emperor's part. The Council, he thought, must be left in the Pope's hand
at the outset. The Council itself, when it assembled, could do as it
pleased. He suggested, however, that Cromwell should put in writing his
conception of the manner in which a Council could be called by the
Emperor, which Cromwell promised to do.

All things were thus appearing to run smooth. Four days later, when the
marriage with Jane Seymour had been completed, Chapuys saw Henry again.
The King asked him if he had heard further from the Emperor. Chapuys was
able to assent. Charles's eager letters had come in by successive posts,
and one had just arrived in which he had expressed his grief and
astonishment at the conduct of Anne Boleyn, had described how he had
spoken to his own Council about the woman's horrible ingratitude, and had
himself offered thanks to God for having discovered the conspiracy, and
saved the King from so great a danger. Henry made graceful
acknowledgments, replied most politely on the offer of the Infanta, for
which he said he was infinitely obliged to the Emperor, and conducted the
Ambassador into another room to introduce him to the Queen.

Chapuys was all courtesy. At Henry's desire he kissed and congratulated
Jane. The Emperor, he said, would be delighted that the King had found so
good and virtuous a wife. He assured her that the whole nation was united
in rejoicing at her marriage. He recommended the Princess to her care, and
hoped that she would have the honourable name of peacemaker.

The King answered for her that this was her nature. She would not for the
world that he went to war.

Chapuys was aware that Henry was not going to war on the side of
Francis--that danger had passed; but that he would not go to war at all
was not precisely what Chapuys wished to hear. What Charles wanted was
Henry's active help against the French. The fourth condition of the
proposed treaty was an alliance offensive and defensi