THE KING'S LAST LETTER TO THE POPE (1532).
Source.—Burnet's History of the Reformation, Part I.; Collection of Records, Book II. xlii.
"After most humble commendations, and most devout kissing of your blessed feet. Albeit that we have hitherto deferred to make answer to those letters dated at Bonony, the 7th day of October; which letters of late were delivered unto us by Paul of Casali. Yet when they appear to be written for this cause, that we deeply considering the contents of the same, should provide for the tranquillity of our own conscience, and should purge such scruples and doubts conceived of our cause of Matrimony. We could neither neglect those letters sent for such a purpose, nor after that we had diligently examined and perpended the effects of the same, which we did very diligently, noting, conferring and revolving every thing in them contained, with deep study of mind, pretermit nor leave to answer unto them. For since that your Holiness seemeth to go about that thing chiefly, which is to vanquish those doubts, and to take away inquietations which daily do prick our conscience: and insomuch as it doth appear at the first sight to be done of zeal, love and piety, we therefore do thank you of your good will. Howbeit since it is not performed in deed, that you pretend, we have thought it expedient to require your Holiness to provide us other remedies: wherefore forasmuch as your Holiness would vouchsafe to write unto us concerning this matter, we heartily thank you greatly lamenting also both the chance of your Holiness and also ours, unto whom both twain it hath chanced in so high a matter of so great moment to be frustrated and deceived: that is to say, that your Holiness not being instructed, nor having knowledge of the matter, of your self should be compelled to hang upon the judgement of others, and so put forth and make answers, gathered of other men, being variable and repugnant among themselves. And that we being so long sick and exagitate with this same sore, should so long time in vain look for remedy: which when we have augmented our aegritude and distress, by delay and protracting of time, you do so cruciate the patient and afflicted as who seeth it should much avail to protract the cause, and thorough vain hope of the end of our desire to lead us whither you will. But to speak plainly to your Holiness; forasmuch as we have suffered many injuries, which with great difficulty we do sustain and digest; albeit that among all things passed by your Holiness, some cannot be laid, alleged, nor objected against your Holiness, yet in many of them some default appeareth to be in you, which I would to God we could so diminish as it might appear no default; but it cannot be hid, which is so manifest and though we could say nothing, the thing itself speaketh. But as to that that is affirmed in your letters, both of God's law, and man's, otherwise than is necessary and truth, let that be ascribed to the temerity and ignorance of your Counsellors, and your Holiness to be without all default save only for that you do not admit more discreet and learned men to be your Counsellors, and stop the mouths of them which liberally would speak the truth. This truly is your default, and verily a great fault, worthy to be alienated and abhorred of Christ's Vicar, in that you have dealt so variably, yea, rather so inconstantly and deceivably. Be ye not angry with my words and let it be lawful for me to speak the truth without displeasure; if your Holiness shall be displeased with that we do rehearse, impute no default in us, but in your own deeds, which deeds have so molested and troubled us wrongfully that we speak now unwillingly, and as enforced thereunto. Never was there any prince so handled by a Pope, as your Holiness hath intreated us. First when our cause was proponed to your Holiness, when it was explicated and declared afore the same; when certain doubts in it were resolved by your Counsellors, and all things discussed, it was required that answer might be made thereunto by the order of the Law. There was offered a commission, with a promise also that the same commission should not be revoked; and whatsoever sentence should be given, should straight without delay be confirmed. The judges were sent unto us, the promise was delivered to us, subscribed with your Holiness' hand; which avouched to confirm the sentence and not to revoke the Commission, nor grant anything else that might let the same; and finally to bring us in a greater hope, a certain Commission Decretal, defining the cause, was delivered to the Judges' hands. If your Holiness did grant us all these things justly, you did injustly revoke them; and if by good and truth the same was granted, they were not made frustrate or annihilate without fraud; so as if there were no deceit nor fraud in the revocation, then how wrongfully and subtly have been done those things that have been done! Whether will your Holiness say, that you might do those things that you have done, or that you might not do them? If you will say that you might do them, where then is the faith which becometh a friend, yea, and much more a Pope to have those things not being performed, which lawfully were promised? And if you will say that you might not do them, have we not then very just cause to mistrust those medicines and remedies with which in your letters you go about to heal our conscience, especially in that we may perceive and see those remedies to be prepared for us, not to relieve the sickness and disease of our mind, but for other means, pleasures and worldly respects? And as it should seem profitable that we should ever continue in hope or despair, so always the remedy is attempted; so that we being always a-healing, and never healed, should be sick still. And this truly was the chief cause why we did consult and take the advice of every learned man, being free without all affection, that the truth (which now with our labour and study we seem partly to have attained) by their judgements more manifestly divulged, we might more at large perceive; whose judgements and opinions it is easy to see how much they differ from that, that those few men of yours do shew unto you, and by those your letters is signified. Those few men of yours do affirm the prohibition of our marriage to be inducted only by the law positive, as your Holiness has also written in your letters; but all others say the prohibition to be inducted, both by the law of God and Nature. Those men of yours do suggest, that it may be dispensed for avoiding all slanders. The others utterly do contend, that by no means it is lawful to dispense with that, that God and Nature have forbidden. We do separate from our cause the authority of the See Apostolic, which we do perceive to be destitute of that learning whereby it should be directed; and because your Holiness doth ever profess your ignorance and is wont to speak of other men's mouths, we do confer the sayings of those, with the sayings of them that be of the contrary opinion; for to confer the reasons it were too long. But now the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford in our realms; Paris, Orleans, Biturisen,[44] Andegavon[45] in France; and Bonony[46] in Italy, by one consent; and also divers other of the most famous and learned men, being freed from all affection, and only moved in respect of verity, partly in Italy, and partly in France, do affirm the Marriage of the brother with the brother's wife to be contrary both to the Law of God and Nature, and also do pronounce that no dispensation can be lawful or available to any Christian man in that behalf. But others think the contrary by whose counsels your Holiness hath done that, that since you have confessed you could not do, in promising to us as we have above rehearsed, and giving that Commission to the Cardinal Campeggio to be shewed unto us; and after, if it so should seem profitable to burn it, as afterwards it was done indeed as we have perceived. Furthermore, those which so do moderate the power of your Holiness, that they do affirm that the same cannot take away the Appellation which is used by man's law and yet is available to Divine matters everywhere without distinction. No princes heretofore have more highly esteemed, nor honoured the See Apostolic than we have, wherefore we be the more sorry to be provoked to this contention which to our usage and nature is most alienate and abhorred. Those things so cruel we write very heavily, and more glad would have been to have been silent if we might, and would have left your authority untouched with a good will and constrained to seek the verity, we fell, against our will into this contention, but the sincerity of the truth prohibited us to keep silence and what should we do in so great and many perplexities! For truly if we should obey the letters of your Holiness in that they do affirm that we know to be otherwise, we should offend God and our conscience and we should be a great slander to them that do the contrary, which be a great number, as we have before rehearsed. Also, if we should dissent from those things which your Holiness doth pronounce we would account it not lawful, if there were not a cause to defend the fact as we now do, being compelled by necessity, lest we should seem to contemn the Authority of the See Apostolic. Therefore, your Holiness ought to take it in good part though we do somewhat at large and more liberally speak in this cause which does so oppress us, especially forasmuch as we pretend none atrocity, nor use no rhetoric in the exaggerating and increasing the indignity of the matter; but if I speak of anything that toucheth the quick, it proceedeth of the mere verity, which we cannot nor ought not to hide in this cause, for it toucheth not worldly things but divine, not frail but eternal; in which things no feigned, false nor painted reasons, but only the truth shall obtain and take place; and God is the truth to whom we are bound to obey rather than to men; and nevertheless we cannot but obey unto men also, as we were wont to do, unless there be an express cause why we should not, which by those our letters we now do to your Holiness, and we do it with charity, not intending to spread it abroad nor yet further to impugn your authority, unless you do compel us; albeit also, that that we do, doth not impugn your authority, but confirmeth the same, which we revocate to its first foundations; and better it is in the middle way to return than always to run forth headlong and do ill. Wherefore if your Holiness do regard or esteem the tranquillity of our mind, let the same be established with verity which hath been brought to light by the consent of so many learned men; so shall your Holiness reduce and bring us to a certainty and quietness, and shall deliver us from all anxiety, and shall provide both for us and our realm and finally shall do your office and duty. The residue of our affairs we have committed to our Ambassadors to be propounded unto you, to whom we beseech your Holiness to give credence, etc."
[44] Bourges.
[45] Anjou.
[46] Bologna.