that "she was now as sure that she should be married
to the King, as she was of her own death"; and the Earl of Wiltshire told
the aged kinsman of Henry, the Earl of Rutland, a staunch adherent of
Katharine, that "the King was determined not to be so considerate as he
had been, but would marry the Marchioness of Pembroke at once, by the
authority of Parliament."[91] Anne's condition, indeed, could not continue
to be concealed, and whispers of it reached the Queen at Ampthill. By
March the rumour was rife at Court that the marriage had taken place--a
rumour which it is plain that Anne's friends took no pains to deny, and
Cranmer positively encouraged.[92]

Cromwell, in the meanwhile, grew in power and boldness with the success
of his machinations. The Chancellorship, vacant by More's resignation, was
filled by Cromwell's friend Audley, and every post that fell vacant or
could be vacated was occupied by known opponents of the clergy. The
country and Parliament were even yet not ready to go so far as Cromwell in
his policy of emancipation from Rome in spiritual affairs; and only by the
most illegal pressure both in the two Houses and in Convocation was the
declaration condemning the validity of the King's marriage with Katharine
at last obtained. Armed with these declarations and the Bulls from Rome
confirming Cranmer's appointment, Henry was ready in April to cast away
the mask, and the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk were sent to tell Katharine
at Ampthill "that she need not trouble any more about the King, for he had
taken another wife, and that in future she must abandon the title of
Queen, and be called Duchess; though she should be left in possession of
her property."[93] Chapuys was indignant, and urged the Emperor to make
war upon England in revenge for the insult to his house. "The moment this
accursed Anne gets her foot firmly in the stirrup she will do the Queen
all the harm she can, and the Princess also, which is what the Queen fears
most.... She (Anne) has lately boasted that she will make the Princess
one of her maids, which will not give her too much to eat; or will marry
her to some varlet." But the Emperor had cares and dangers that his
ambassador in England knew not of, and he dared not avenge his aunt by the
invasion of England.

A long and fruitless war of words was waged between Henry and Chapuys when
the news of the secret marriage became known; the talk turning upon the
eternal question of the consumma