CARDINAL CAMPEGGIO'S JUDGMENT ON THE DIVORCE OF QUEEN KATHARINE (1529).
Source.—Cavendish's Life of Wolsey, p. 229.
"I will give no judgement herein until I have made relation unto the Pope of all our proceedings, whose counsel and commandment in this high case I will observe. The case is too high and notable known throughout the world, for us to give any hasty judgement, considering the highness of the persons and the doubtful allegations; and also whose commissioners we be, and under whose authority we sit here. It was therefore reason, that we should make our chief head of counsel in the same, before we proceed to judgement definitive. I come not so far to please any man, for fear, meed, or favour, be he king or any other potentate. I have no such respect to the persons that I will offend my conscience. I will not for favour or displeasure of any high estate or mighty prince do that thing that should be against the law of God. I am an old man, both sick and impotent, looking daily for death. What should it then avail me to put my soul in the danger of God's displeasure, to my utter damnation, for the favour of any prince or high estate in this world? My coming and being here is only to see justice ministered according to my conscience, as I thought thereby the matter either good or bad. And for as much as I do understand, and having perceivance by the allegations and negations in this matter laid for both the parties, that the truth in this case is very doubtful to be known, and also that the party defendant will make no answer thereunto, but doth rather appeal from us, supposing that we be not indifferent, considering the king's high dignity and authority within his own realm which he hath over his own subjects; and we being his subjects, and having our livings and dignities in the same, she thinketh that we cannot minister true and indifferent justice for fear of his displeasure. Therefore to avoid all these ambiguities and obscure doubts, I intend not to damn my soul for no prince nor potentate alive. I will therefore, God willing, wade no farther in this matter, unless I have the just opinion and judgement, with the assent of the pope, and such other of his counsel as hath more experience and learning in such doubtful laws than I have. Wherefore I will adjourn this court for this time, according to the order of the court in Rome, from whence this court and jurisdiction is derived. And if we should go further than our commission doth warrant us, it were folly and vain, and much to our slander and blame; and we might be accounted the same breakers of this order of the higher court from whence we have (as I said) our original authorities."