[251] Cranmer was born in 1489, and was thus forty years old when he first emerged into eminence.

[252] State Papers, vol. vii. p. 226.

[253] Je croy qu’il ne feist en sa vie ceremonie qui luy touchast si pres du coeur, ne dont je pense qu’il luy doive advenir moins du bien.  Car aucunes fois qu’il pensoit qu’on ne le regardast, il faisoit de si grands soupirs que pour pesante que fust sa chappe, il la faisoit bransler a bon escient.—­Lettre de M. de Gramont, Eveque de Tarbes. LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 386.

[254] ELLIS, Third Series, vol. ii. p. 98.  “In the letters showed us by M. de Buclans from the emperor, of the which mention was made in ciphers, it was written in terms that the French king would offer unto your Grace the papalite of France vel Patriarchate, for the French men would no more obey the Church of Rome.”—­Lee to Wolsey.

[255] A ce qu’il m’en a declare des fois plus de trois en secret, il seroit content que le dit mariage fust ja faict, ou par dispense du Legat d’Angleterre ou autrement; mais que ce ne fust par son autorite, in aussi diminuant sa puissance, quant aux dispenses, et limitation de droict divin.—­Dechiffrement de Lettres de M. de Tarbes.—­LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 408.

[256] LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 408.

[257] State Papers, vol. vii. p. 230.

[258] The Bishop of Tarbes to the King of France.  LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 401.

[259] State Papers, vol. vii. p. 234.

[260] Ibid. p. 235.

[261] We demand a service of you which it is your duty to concede; and your first thought is lest you should offend the emperor.  We do not blame him.  That in such a matter he should be influenced by natural affection is intelligible and laudable.  But for that very reason we decline to submit to so partial a judgment.—­Henry VIII. to the Pope:  BURNET’S Collectanea, p. 431.

[262] LEGRAND, vol. iii. p. 394.

[263] State Papers, vol. vii. p. 317.

[264] For Croke’s Mission, see BURNET, vol. i. p. 144 e.

[265] State Papers, vol. vii. p. 241.

[266] Friar Pallavicino to the Bishop of Bath. Rolls House MS.

[267] Croke and Omnibow to the King. Rolls House MS.

[268] Generalis magister nostri ordinis mandavit omnibus suae religionis professoribus, ut nullus audeat de auctoritate Pontificis quicquam loqui.  Denique Orator Caesareus in talia verba prorupit, quibus facile cognovi ut me a Pontifice vocari studeat et tunc timendum esset saluti meae.  Father Omnibow to Henry VIII. Rolls House MS.

[269] BURNET’S Collect. p. 50.  Burnet labours to prove that on Henry’s side there was no bribery, and that the emperor was the only offender; an examination of many MS. letters from Croke and other agents in Italy leads me to believe that, although the emperor only had recourse to intimidation, because he alone was able to practise it, the bribery was equally shared between both parties.