18.03.2019 Views

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

  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

<strong>the</strong> document on <strong>the</strong> doors <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> parish<br />

churches <strong>of</strong> <strong>England</strong>.<br />

While <strong>the</strong> days <strong>of</strong> grace allotted to <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g<br />

were runn<strong>in</strong>g out, a pr<strong>in</strong>cess was born <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> royal<br />

palace <strong>of</strong> Greenwich. The <strong>in</strong>fant was named<br />

Elizabeth. The k<strong>in</strong>g was disappo<strong>in</strong>ted that a son<br />

had not been born to him; but <strong>the</strong> nation rejoiced,<br />

and <strong>Henry</strong> would have more heartily shared his<br />

people's joy, could he have foreseen <strong>the</strong> glory that<br />

was to surround <strong>the</strong> throne and name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> child<br />

that had just seen <strong>the</strong> light.<br />

On <strong>the</strong> 7th <strong>of</strong> April, news reached <strong>England</strong> that<br />

<strong>the</strong> Pope had pronounced <strong>the</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al sentence <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>terdict. Clement VII, "hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>voked <strong>the</strong> name<br />

<strong>of</strong> Christ, and sitt<strong>in</strong>g on <strong>the</strong> throne <strong>of</strong> justice,"<br />

declared <strong>the</strong> dispensation <strong>of</strong> Julius II valid, <strong>the</strong><br />

marriage with Anne Boleyn null, <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g<br />

excommunicate, his subjects released from <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

allegiance, and <strong>the</strong> Emperor Charles V was<br />

empowered, fail<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> submission <strong>of</strong> <strong>Henry</strong>, to<br />

<strong>in</strong>vade <strong>England</strong> and depose <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

189

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!