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Protestantism in England From the Times of Henry VIII - James Aitken Wylie

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<strong>the</strong> ambassadors <strong>of</strong> foreign States, <strong>the</strong> crown was<br />

put upon her head by <strong>the</strong> hand <strong>of</strong> Archbishop<br />

Cranmer.<br />

Hardly had <strong>the</strong> acclamations that hailed Anne's<br />

coronation died away, when <strong>the</strong> distant murmurs <strong>of</strong><br />

a com<strong>in</strong>g tempest were heard. The affronted<br />

emperor, Charles V, called on <strong>the</strong> Pope to<br />

unshea<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> spiritual sword, and smite <strong>the</strong><br />

monarch who had added <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> an adulterous<br />

union to <strong>the</strong> crime <strong>of</strong> rebellion aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> Papal<br />

chair. The weak Clement dared not refuse. The<br />

conclave met, and after a month's deliberation, on<br />

<strong>the</strong> 12th <strong>of</strong> July, <strong>the</strong> Pope pronounced<br />

excommunication upon <strong>the</strong> K<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>England</strong>, but<br />

suspended <strong>the</strong> effect <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sentence till <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong><br />

September. He hoped that <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g's repentance<br />

would avert execution. <strong>Henry</strong> had crossed <strong>the</strong><br />

Rubicon. He could not put away Anne Boleyn, he<br />

could not take back Ca<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>e, he could not blot<br />

from <strong>the</strong> statute-book <strong>the</strong> laws aga<strong>in</strong>st Papal<br />

usurpations recently placed upon it, and restore <strong>in</strong><br />

former glory <strong>the</strong> Pontifical dom<strong>in</strong>ion <strong>in</strong> his realm,<br />

so he appealed to a General Council, and posted up<br />

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