Part 2, The 'Great Matter': Chapter 9 Summary and Analysis

Chapter nine begins with a description of how difficult things between Anne and Henry became as the wait for the dispensation from Rome extended from weeks to months to years. The author describes the pattern of their relationship—Anne's frustration would reach a breaking point, she would quarrel viciously with Henry, he would apologize abjectly and send her rich clothes or jewelry or both, and everything would be fine . . . until it happened again. Anne's frustration was fueled by the fact that religious academics (suggested by Cranmer as a source of a solution to "The Great Matter") were not unanimous in their opinion of the situation—several had to be bribed to have the right opinion and many had to be ignored. Meanwhile, Wolsey's health and influence continued to deteriorate, and he...