rfidy and greed. The battle of
Pavia made Charles more nearly dictator of Europe than any ruler has
since been, except Napoleon Bonaparte. It led to the sack of Rome and
the imprisonment of Clement VII. by Charles's troops. The dependence
of the Pope on the Emperor made it impossible for Clement to grant
Henry's petition for divorce, and his failure to obtain the divorce
precipitated Wolsey's fall.

[Footnote 425: _L. and P._, iii., 1370.]

[Footnote 426: _Ven. Cal._, iii., 312.]

[Footnote 427: _L. and P._, iii., 1947.]

[Footnote 428: _Sp. Cal._, iii., pp. 510-11.]

[Footnote 429: _Ibid._, ii., p. 717.]

[Footnote 430: _L. and P._, ii., 3617.]

[Footnote 431: _Ibid._, iii., 1209, 1400.]

[Footnote 432: Creighton, _Papacy_, ed. 1901, vi.,
184 n. The edict was not issued till 25th May, but
there was an intimate connection between the two
events. It was in the same month that Luther's
books were solemnly burnt in England, the ally of
Pope and Emperor, and the extirpation of heresy was
the first motive alleged for the alliance.]

Leo, meanwhile, had gone to his account on the night of 1st-2nd
December, 1521, singing "Nunc dimittis" for the expulsion of the
French from Milan;[433] and amid the clangour of war the cardinals met
to choose his successor. Their spirit belied their holy profession.
"All here," wrote Manuel, Charles's representative, "is founded on
avarice and lies;"[434] and again "there cannot be so much hatred and
so many devils in hell as among these cardinals". "The Papacy is in
great decay" echoed the English envoy Clerk, "the cardinals brawl and
scold; their malicious, unfaithful and uncharitable demeanour against
each other increases every day."[435] Feeling between the French and
imperial factions ran high, and the only question was whether an
adherent of Francis or Charles would secure election. Francis had
promised Wolsey fourteen French votes; but after the conference of
Calais he would have been forgiving indeed had he wielded his influence
on behalf of the English candidate. Wolsey built more upon the (p. 155)
promise of Charles at Bruges;[436] but, if he really hoped for Charles's
assistance, his sagacity was greatly to see