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THE DIVORCE OF CATHERINE OF ARAGON




  THE DIVORCE
  OF
  CATHERINE OF ARAGON


  THE STORY AS TOLD BY THE IMPERIAL AMBASSADORS
  RESIDENT AT THE COURT OF
  HENRY VIII.


  _IN USUM LAICORUM_


  BY
  J. A. FROUDE


  _BEING A SUPPLEMENTARY VOLUME TO THE
  AUTHOR'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND_


  NEW YORK
  CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
  1891

  [_All rights reserved_]



  Copyright, 1891,
  BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS.


  _The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A._
  Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Company.




CONTENTS


                                                                      PAGE

  INTRODUCTION                                                           1


  CHAPTER I.

  Prospects of a disputed succession to the crown--Various
  claimants--Catherine incapable of having further children--
  Irregularity of her marriage with the King--Papal dispensations--
  First mention of the divorce--Situation of the Papacy--Charles
  V.--Policy of Wolsey--Anglo-French alliance--Imperial troops in
  Italy--Appeal of the Pope--Mission of Inigo de Mendoza--The
  Bishop of Tarbes--Legitimacy of the Princess Mary called in
  question--Secret meeting of the Legates' court--Alarms of
  Catherine--Sack of Rome by the Duke of Bourbon--Proposed reform
  of the Papacy--The divorce promoted by Wolsey--Unpopular in
  England---Attempts of the Emperor to gain Wolsey                      21


  CHAPTER II.

  Mission of Wolsey to Paris--Visits Bishop Fisher on the way--
  Anxieties of the Emperor--Letter of the Emperor to Henry VIII.--
  Large offers to Wolsey--Address of the French Cardinals to the
  Pope--Anne Boleyn chosen by Henry to succeed Catherine--Surprise
  and displeasure of Wolsey--Fresh attempts of the Emperor to bribe
  him--Wolsey forced to continue to advocate the divorce--Mission
  of Dr. Knight to Rome--The Pope at Orvieto--The King applies for
  a dispensation to make a second marriage--Language of the
  dispensation demanded--Inferences drawn from it--Alleged intrigue
  between the King and Mary Boleyn                                      41


  CHAPTER III.

  Anxiety of the Pope to satisfy the King--Fears of the Emperor--
  Proposed alternatives--France and England declare war in the
  Pope's defence--Campeggio to be sent to England--The King's
  account of the Pope's conduct--The Pope's distress and alarm--The
  secret decretal--Instructions to Campeggio                            62


  CHAPTER IV.

  Anne Boleyn--Letters to her from the King--The Convent at
  Wilton--The Divorce--The Pope's promises--Arrival of Campeggio
  in England--Reception at the Bridewell Palace--Proposal to
  Catherine to take the veil--Her refusal--Uncertainty of the
  succession--A singular expedient--Alarms of Wolsey--The true
  issue--Speech of the King in the City--Threats of the Emperor--
  Defects in the Bull of Pope Julius--Alleged discovery of a brief
  supplying them--Distress of Clement                                   70


  CHAPTER V.

  Demands of the Imperial Agent at Rome--The alleged Brief--Illness
  of the Pope--Aspirations of Wolsey--The Pope recovers--Imperial
  menaces--Clement between the anvil and the hammer--Appeal of
  Henry to Francis--The trial of the cause to proceed--Instructions
  to Campeggio--Opinion at Rome--Recall of Mendoza--Final interview
  between Mendoza and the King                                          86


  CHAPTER VI.

  The Court at Blackfriars--The point at issue--The Pope's
  competency as judge--Catherine appeals to Rome--Imperial pressure
  upon Clement--The Emperor insists on the Pope's admission of the
  appeal--Henry demands sentence--Interference of Bishop Fisher--
  The Legates refuse to give judgment--The Court broken up--Peace
  of Cambray                                                            99


  CHAPTER VII.

  Call of Parliament--Wolsey to be called to account--Anxiety of
  the Emperor to prevent a quarrel--Mission of Eustace Chapuys--
  Long interview with the King--Alarm of Catherine--Growth of
  Lutheranism--The English clergy--Lord Darcy's Articles against
  Wolsey--Wolsey's fall--Departure of Campeggio--Letter of Henry to
  the Pope--Action of Parliament--Intended reform of the Church--
  Alienation of English feeling from the Papacy                        110


  CHAPTER VIII.

  Hope of Wolsey to return to power--Anger of Anne Boleyn and the
  Duke of Norfolk--Charles V. at Bologna--Issue of a prohibitory
  brief--The Pope secretly on Henry's side--Collection of
  opinions--Norfolk warns Chapuys--State of feeling in England--
  Intrigues of Wolsey--His illness and death                           131


  CHAPTER IX.

  Danger of challenging the Papal dispensing power--The Royal
  family of Spain--Address of the English Peers to the Pope--
  Compromise proposed by the Duke of Norfolk--The English Agents at
  Rome--Arrival of a new Nuncio in England--His interview with the
  King--Chapuys advises the King's excommunication--Position of the
  English clergy--Statute of Provisors--The clergy in a Praemunire--
  Remonstrances of the Nuncio--Despair of Catherine--Her letter to
  the Pope--Henry prepares for war--The introduction of briefs from
  Rome forbidden--Warnings given to the Spanish Ambassador and the
  Nuncio                                                               141


  CHAPTER X.

  State of feeling in England--Clergy and laity--The Clergy in a
  Praemunire--The Royal Supremacy--Hesitation at Rome--Submission of
  the Clergy--The meaning of the new title--More and Fisher--Alarm
  of the Emperor--Appeal of Catherine to him--Unpopularity of Anne
  Boleyn--Threats of excommunication--Determination of Henry--
  Deputation of Peers to Catherine--Catherine's reply--Intolerable
  pretensions of the Emperor--Removal of Catherine from the Court      157


  CHAPTER XI.

  Proposals for the reunion of Christendom--Warning addressed to
  the Pope--Address of the English nobles to Queen Catherine--
  Advances of Clement to Henry--Embarrassments of the Pope and the
  Emperor--Unwillingness of the Pope to decide against the King--
  Business in Parliament--Reform of the English Church--Death of
  Archbishop Warham--Bishop Fisher and Chapuys--Question of
  annates--Papal Briefs--The Pope urged to excommunicate Henry--The
  Pope refuses--Anger of Queen Catherine's Agent                       175


  CHAPTER XII.

  Henry advised to marry without waiting for sentence--Meeting of
  Henry and Francis--Anne Boleyn present at the interview--Value of
  Anne to the French Court--Pressure on the Pope by the Agents of
  the Emperor--Complaints of Catherine--Engagements of Francis--
  Action of Clement--The King conditionally excommunicated--Demand
  for final sentence--Cranmer appointed Archbishop of Canterbury--
  Marriage of Henry and Anne Boleyn--Supposed connivance of the
  Pope--The Nuncio attends Parliament--The Act of Appeals--The
  Emperor entreated to intervene--Chapuys and the King                 192


  CHAPTER XIII.

  The King's claim--The obstinacy of Catherine--The Court at
  Dunstable--Judgment given by Cranmer--Debate in the Spanish
  Council of State--Objections to armed interference--The English
  opposition--Warning given to Chapuys--Chapuys and the Privy
  Council--Conversation with Cromwell--Coronation of Anne Boleyn--
  Discussions at Rome--Bull supra Attentatis--Confusion of the
  Catholic Powers--Libels against Henry--Personal history of
  Cromwell--Birth of Elizabeth--The King's disappointment--Bishop
  Fisher desires the introduction of a Spanish army into England--
  Growth of Lutheranism                                                218


  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 at Rome--Final
  sentence delivered by the Pope--The Pope's authority abolished in
  England                                                              243


  CHAPTER XV.

  The Papal curse--Determined attitude of the Princess Mary--
  Chapuys desires to be heard in Parliament--Interview with the
  King--Permission refused--The Act of Succession--Catherine loses
  the title of Queen--More and Fisher refuse to swear to the
  statute--Prospects of rebellion in Ireland--The Emperor unwilling
  to interfere--Perplexity of the Catholic party--Chapuys before
  the Privy Council--Insists on Catherine's rights--Singular
  defence of the Pope's action--Chapuys's intrigues--Defiant
  attitude of Catherine--Fears for her life--Condition of Europe--
  Prospect of war between France and the Empire--Unwillingness of
  the Emperor to interfere in England--Disappointment of
  Catherine--Visit of Chapuys to Kimbolton                             260


  CHAPTER XVI.

  Prosecution of Lord Dacre--Failure of the Crown--Rebellion in
  Ireland--Lord Thomas Fitzgerald--Delight of the Catholic party--
  Preparations for a rising in England--The Princess Mary--Lord
  Hussey and Lord Darcy--Schemes for insurrection submitted to
  Chapuys--General disaffection among the English Peers--Death of
  Clement VII.--Election of Paul III.--Expectation at Rome that
  Henry would now submit--The expectation disappointed--The Act of
  Supremacy--The Italian conjuror--Reginald Pole--Violence and
  insolence of Anne Boleyn--Spread of Lutheranism--Intended escape
  of the Princess Mary out of England                                  283


  CHAPTER XVII.

  Prospects of civil war--England and Spain--Illness of the
  Princess Mary--Plans for her escape--Spirit of Queen Catherine--
  The Emperor unwilling to interfere--Negotiations for a new treaty
  between Henry and Charles--Debate in the Spanish Council of
  State--The rival alliances--Disappointment of the confederate
  Peers--Advance of Lutheranism in England--Cromwell and Chapuys--
  Catherine and Mary the obstacles to peace--Supposed designs on
  Mary's life                                                          301


  CHAPTER XVIII.

  Negotiations for a treaty--Appeal of Catherine to the Emperor--
  Fresh plans for the escape of Mary--Forbidden by the Emperor--
  The King and his daughter--Suggestion of Dr. Butts--The clergy
  and the Reformation--The Charterhouse monks--More and Fisher in
  the Tower--The Emperor in Africa--The treaty--Rebellion in
  Ireland--Absolution of Lord Thomas Fitzgerald for the murder of
  the Archbishop of Dublin--Treason of Lord Hussey--Fresh debates
  in the Spanish Council--Fisher created cardinal--Trial and
  execution of Fisher and More--Effect in Europe                       318


  CHAPTER XIX.

  Campaign of the Emperor in Africa--Uncertainties at Rome--Policy
  of Francis--English preparations for war--Fresh appeals to the
  Emperor--Delay in the issue of the censures--The Princess Mary--
  Letter of Catherine to the Pope--Disaffection of the English
  Catholics--Libels against Henry--Cromwell and Chapuys--Lord
  Thomas Fitzgerald--Dangerous position of Henry--Death of the Duke
  of Milan--Effect on European policy--Intended Bull of Paul III.--
  Indecision of Charles--Prospect of war with France--Advice of
  Charles to Catherine--Distrust of the Emperor at the Papal
  Court--Warlike resolution of the Pope restrained by the Cardinals    347


  CHAPTER XX.

  Illness of Queen Catherine--Her physicians' report of her
  health---Her last letter to the Emperor--She sends for Chapuys--
  Interview between Chapuys and Henry--Chapuys at Kimbolton--Death
  of Catherine--Examination of the body--Suspicion of poison--
  Chapuys's opinion--Reception of the news at the Court--Message of
  Anne Boleyn to the Princess Mary--Advice of Chapuys--Unpopularity
  of Anne--Court rumours                                               371


  CHAPTER XXI.

  Funeral of Catherine--Miscarriage of Anne--The Princess Mary and
  the Act of Supremacy--Her continued desire to escape--Effect of
  Catherine's death on Spanish policy--Desire of the Emperor to
  recover the English alliance--Chapuys and Cromwell--Conditions of
  the treaty--Efforts of the Emperor to recover Henry to the
  Church--Matrimonial schemes--Likelihood of a separation of the
  King from Anne--Jane Seymour--Anne's conduct--The Imperial
  treaty--Easter at Greenwich--Debate in Council--The French
  Alliance or the Imperial--The alternative advantages--Letter of
  the King to his Ambassador in Spain                                  389


  CHAPTER XXII.

  Easter at Greenwich--French and Imperial factions at the English
  court--Influence of Anne Boleyn--Reports of Anne's conduct
  submitted to the King--Flying rumours--Secret Commission of
  Enquiry--Arrests of various persons--Sir Henry Norris and the
  King--Anne before the Privy Council--Sent to the Tower--Her
  behaviour and admissions--Evidence taken before the Commission--
  Trials of Norris, Weston, Brereton, and Smeton--Letter of
  Weston--Trial of Anne and her brother--Executions--Speech of
  Rochford on the scaffold--Anne sentenced to die--Makes a
  confession to Cranmer--Declared to have not been the King's
  lawful wife--Nature of the confession not known--Execution           412


  CHAPTER XXIII.

  Competition for Henry's hand--Solicitations from France and from
  the Emperor--Overtures from the Pope--Jane Seymour--General
  eagerness for the King's marriage--Conduct of Henry in the
  interval before Anne's execution--Marriage with Jane Seymour--
  Universal satisfaction--The Princess Mary--Proposal for a General
  Council--Neutrality of England in the war between France and the
  Empire                                                               436


  CHAPTER XXIV.

  Expectation that Henry would return to the Roman Communion--Henry
  persists in carrying out the Reformation--The Crown and the
  clergy--Meeting of a new Parliament--Fresh repudiation of the
  Pope's authority--Complications of the succession--Attitude of
  the Princess Mary--Her reluctant submission--The King empowered
  to name his successor by will--Indication of his policy--The
  Pilgrimage of Grace--Cost of the Reformation--The martyrs,
  Catholic and Protestant                                              450


  INDEX                                                                465




THE DIVORCE OF CATHERINE OF ARAGON.




INTRODUCTION.


The mythic element cannot be eliminated out of history. Men who play
leading parts on the world's stage gather about them the admiration of
friends and the animosity of disappointed rivals or political enemies. The
atmosphere becomes charged with legends of what they have said or
done--some inventions, some distortions of facts, but rarely or never
accurate. Their outward acts, being public, cannot be absolutely
misstated; their motives, being known only to themselves, are an open
field for imagination; and as the disposition is to believe evil rather
than good, the portraits drawn may vary indefinitely, according to the
sympathies of the describer, but are seldom too favourable. The more
distinguished a man is the more he is talked about. Stories are current
about him in his own lifetime, guaranteed apparently by the highest
authorities; related, insisted upon; time, place, and circumstance
accurately given--most of them mere malicious lies; yet, if written down,
to reappear in memoirs a hundred years hence, they are likely to pass for
authentic, or at least probable. Even where there is no malice,
imagination will still be active. People believe or disbelieve, repeat or
suppress, according to their own inclinations; and death, which ends the
feuds of unimportant persons, lets loose the tongues over the characters
of the great. Kings are especially sufferers; when alive they hear only
flattery; when they are gone men revenge themselves by drawing hideous
portraits of them, and the more distinguished they may have been the more
minutely their weaknesses are dwelt upon. "C'est un plaisir indicible,"
says Voltaire, "de donner des decrets contre des souverains morts quand on
ne peut en lancer contre eux de leur vivant de peur de perdre ses
oreilles." The dead sovereigns go their way. Their real work for good or
evil lives after them; but they themselves are where the opinions
expressed about their character affect them no more. To Caesar or Napoleon
it matters nothing what judgment the world passes upon their conduct. It
is of more importance for the ethical value of history that acts which as
they are related appear wicked should be duly condemned, that acts which
are represented as having advanced the welfare of mankind should be duly
honoured, than that the real character of individuals should be correctly
appreciated. To appreciate any single man with complete accuracy is
impossible