Sir Thomas Boleyn, being at that time but only a bachelor knight, the king fantasied so much his daughter Anne, that almost all things began to grow out of frame and good order.

CHAPTER II.

THE DIVORCE CASE.

To tell you how the king's love began to take place, I will declare unto you. This gentlewoman, Mistress Anne Boleyn, being very young was sent into the realm of France, and there made one of the French queen's women, continuing there until the French queen died. And 10 then was she sent for home again; and her father made such means that she was admitted to be one of Queen Katharine's maids, among whom, for her excellent gesture and behaviour, she did excel all other; in so much, as the king began to kindle the brand of amours.

The king waxed so far in amours with this gentlewoman that he knew not how much he might advance her. This perceiving, the great lords of the council, bearing a secret grudge 20 against the cardinal, who kept them low, fantasying in their heads that she should be for them an apt instrument to bring their malicious purpose to pass, with her they often consulted in this

matter. And she both having a very good wit, and also an inward desire to be revenged of the cardinal, was as agreeable to their requests as they were themselves. And yet the cardinal, espying the great zeal that the king had conceived in this gentlewoman, ordered himself to please as well the king as her, and prepared great banquets and solemn feasts to entertain them both at his own house.

The long hid and secret love between the king and Mistress Anne Boleyn began to break out into every man's ears. The matter was then by the king disclosed to my Lord Cardinal; whose persuasion to the contrary, made to the king upon his knees, could not effect: the king was SO amorously affectionate, that will bare place, and high discretion banished for the time. My lord, provoked by the king to declare his wise opinion, who thought it not meet for him alone to give his 20 hasty judgment or advice in so weighty a matter, desired of the king license to ask counsel of men of famous learning. That obtained, he by his legatine authority sent out his commission unto all the bishops of this realm, and for other that were either exactly learned, or else had in any estimation for their prudent counsel in princely affairs of long experience.

Then assembled these prelates before my Lord Cardinal at his place in Westminster, with many 30 other famous and notable clerks of both the

Universities (Oxford and Cambridge), and also

divers out of colleges and cathedral churches of this realm. Then was the matter of the king's case debated, reasoned and argued. I heard the opinion of some of the most famous persons report, that the king's case was so obscure and doubtful; that it was very hard to have any true understanding or intelligence. And therefore they departed without any judgment. Then in this assembly of bishops it was thought most expedient that the king should first send out his com- 10 missioners into all the Universities of Christendom, as well here in England as in foreign countries and regions, to have among them his Grace's case argued, and to bring with them from thence the definition of their opinions, under the seals of every several University.

It was then thought good and concluded, by the advice of them all, that the king should send unto the pope a legation with the instruments, declaring the opinions of the Universities under 20 their seals; to the which it was thought good that all these prelates in this assembly should join with the king in this legation, making intercession and suit to the pope for advice and judgment in this great and weighty matter; and if the pope would not directly consent that then the ambassadors should farther require of him a commission to be directed (under lead), to establish a court judicial in England, directed to my Lord Cardinal, and unto the Cardinal Campeggio (who was then 30 Bishop of Bath), to hear and determine according

to the just judgment of their conscience. The which after long and great suit, they obtained of the pope his commission.

Long was the desire, and greater was the hope on all sides, expecting the coming of the legation and commission from Rome, yet at length it came. And after the arrival of the Legate Campeggio with his solemn commission in England, he suddenly came by water in a wherry to his own Io house without Temple Bar, called then Bath Place, which was furnished for him with all manner of stuff of my lord's provision; where he continued and lodged during his abode here in England.

Then after some deliberation, it was by the council determined, that the king, and the queen. his wife, should be lodged at Bridewell. And that in the Black Friars a certain place should be appointed where as the king and the queen might most conveniently repair to the court, there to be 20 erected for the disputation of the king's case, where as these two legates sat in judgment as notable judges; before whom the king and the queen were duly cited and summoned to appear. Which was the strangest and newest sight and device that ever was read or heard in any history or chronicle in any region; that a king and a queen should be constrained by process compellatory to appear in any court as common persons, within their own realm or dominion, to abide the 30 judgment and decrees of their own subjects, having the royal diadem and prerogative thereof.

Ye shall understand, as I said before, that there was a court erected in the Black Friars in London, where these two cardinals sat for judges. Now will I set you out the manner and order of the court there. First, there was a court placed with tables, benches, and bars. There was also a cloth of estate under the which sat the king; and the queen sat some distance beneath the king: under the judges' feet sat the officers of the court. The chief scribe there was Dr. Stephens (who was after 10 Bishop of Winchester). Then sat there within the said court, directly before the king and the judges, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Doctor Warham, and all the other bishops. Then at both the ends, with a bar made for them, the counsellors on both sides. The doctors for the king were Doctor Sampson, that was after Bishop of Chichester, and Doctor Bell, who after was Bishop of Worcester, with divers other. The proctors on the king's part were Doctor Peter, 20 who was after made the king's chief secretary, and Doctor Tregonell, and divers other.

Now on the other side stood the counsel for the queen, Doctor Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and Doctor Standish, Bishop of St. Asaph in Wales, two notable clerks in divinity, and in especial the Bishop of Rochester, a very godly man and a devout person, who after suffered death at Tower Hill; the which was greatly lamented through all the foreign Universities of Christendom. There 30 was also another ancient doctor, called, as I