Page:Divorce of Catherine of Aragon.djvu/110

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The Divorce of Catherine of Aragon

been made by Churchmen themselves, and now the laity must interfere. He said also that Churchmen were said to be leading wicked lives, especially about the Court of Rome.[1]

Growled at on both sides, in terror for himself, in terror for the Church, the Pope drifted on, hoping for some accident to save him which never came, and wishing perhaps that his illness had made an end of him.

The Emperor complained of Campeggio as partial to the King because he held an English bishopric. "If the Pope leaves the succession undetermined," insisted Wolsey, on the other side, "no Prince would tolerate such an injury." "Nothing was done," wrote the Pope's secretary to Campeggio, "and nothing would be done. The Pope was in great trouble between the English and Imperial Ambassadors. He wished to please the King, but the King and Cardinal must not expect him to move till they had forced the Venetians to restore the Papal territories." Stephen Gardiner, who knew Clement well and watched him from day to day, said: "He was a man who never resolved anything unless compelled by some violent affection. He was in great perplexity, and seemed willing to gratify the King if he could, but when it came to the point did nothing. He would be glad if the King's cause could be determined in England by the Legates; and if the Emperor made any suit against what should be done there, they would serve him as they now served the King, and put off the time." So matters would go on, "unless Campeggio would frankly promise to give sentence in the King's favour; other-

  1. Campeggio to Sanga, April 3, 1529.—Calendar, Foreign and Domestic, vol. iv. p. 2379.