g, was persuaded to send him a token and a kind message; but when,
later, she learnt that an interview between the King and him was in
contemplation, she took fright; and Norfolk, who at least was at one with
her in her jealousy of the fallen minister, ordered the latter to go to
his diocese of York, and not to approach within five miles of the King.

Anne's position in the King's household was now a most extraordinary one.
She had visited the fine palace, York Place, which Wolsey had conveyed to
the King at Westminster; and with the glee of a child enjoying a new toy,
had inspected and appraised the splendours it contained. In future it was
to be the royal residence, and she was its mistress. She sat at table in
Katharine's place, and even took precedence of the Duchess of Norfolk and
ladies of the highest rank. This was all very well in its way, but it did
not satisfy Anne. To be Queen in name as well as in fact was the object
for which she was striving, and anything less galled her. The Pope was now
hand in glove with the Emperor, and could not afford to waver on Henry's
side, whilst Charles was more determined than ever to prevent the close
alliance between England and France that the marriage and a Boleyn
predominance seemed to forebode. The natural effect of this was, of
course, to drive Henry more than ever into the arms of France, and though
Wolsey had owed his unpopularity largely to his French sympathies, he had
never truckled so slavishly to Francis as Henry was now obliged to do, in
order to obtain his support for the divorce, which he despaired of
obtaining from the Pope without French pressure. The Papal Court was
divided, then and always, into French and Spanish factions, and in North
Italy French and Spanish agents perpetually tried to outwit each other.
Throughout the Continent, wherever the influence of France extended,
pressure was exerted to obtain legal opinions favourable to Henry's
contention. Bribes, as lavish as they were barefaced, were offered to
jurists for decisions confirming the view that marriage with a deceased
brother's widow was invalid in fact, and incapable of dispensation. The
French Universities were influenced until some sort of irregular dictum,
afterwards formally repudiated, was obtained in favour of Henry, and in
Italy French and Spanish intrigue were busy at work, the one extorting
from lawyers support to the English view, the other by threats and bribes
preventing its being gi