“No, your majesty cannot marry, the ecclesiastical authorities not having yet decided.…”
“What say you, Roland?” interrupted the king brusquely. “God alone has power to judge the conscience
of princes, and mine has decided that I should marry. Go on and do what I command you now.”
“Sire,” replied Roland, who feared that his days were numbered, “your majesty has all power over my poor body, and I am your very unworthy and very devoted subject; but I cannot solemnize your marriage without having proof that you are at liberty to contract it.”
Henry bit his lower lip.
“Roland!” he said.
“Sire,” replied the other, as if he thought the king had called him.
“The imbecile!” exclaimed Henry VIII. to himself; but he saw it would be better to dissimulate.
“Roland,” he replied, with an inflection of voice as different as his new intention, “do you think I would command you to do anything wrong? I have received from Rome the bulls of our Holy Father, who recognizes the nullity of my marriage with Catherine, the wife of my brother, and permits me to select for my spouse any other unmarried woman in my kingdom. However, in order to avoid scandal, he bound me to do it secretly.”
“Then I have nothing to say,” replied Roland Lee, relieved of an immense weight; “but your majesty will, of course, first show me the proofs.”