which threatened the
country. He discussed freely the position of the different parties, the
probabilities of a disputed succession, and the various claimants who would
present themselves, if the king died without an heir of undisputed
legitimacy.[135] Gardiner writes to Wolsey,[136] "We did even more
inculcate what speed and celerity the thing required, and what danger it
was to the realm to have this matter hang in suspense. His Holiness
confessed the same, and thereupon began to reckon what divers titles might
be pretended by the King of Scots and others, and granted that, without an
heir male, with provision to be made by consent of the state for his
succession, and unless that what shall be done herein be established in
such fashion as nothing may hereafter be objected thereto, the realm was
like to come to dissolution."

In stronger language the Cardinal-Governor of Bologna declared that "he
knew the gyze of England as well as few men did, and if the king should die
without heirs male, he was sure it would cost two hundred thousand men's
lives. Wherefore he thought, supposing his Grace should have no more
children by the queen, and that by taking of another wife he might have
heirs male, the bringing to pass that matter, and by that to avoid the
mischiefs afore written, he thought would deserve Heaven."[137] Whatever
doubt their might be, therefore, whether the original marriage with
Catherine was legal, it was universally admitted that there was none about
the national desirableness of the dissolution of it; and if the pope had
been free to judge only by the merits of the case, it is impossible to
doubt that he would have cut the knot, either by granting a dispensation to
Henry to marry a second wife--his first being formally, though not
judicially, separated from him--or in some other way.[138] But the emperor
was "a lion in his path;" the question of strength between the French and
the Spaniards remained undecided, and Clement would come to no decision
until he was assured of the power of the allies to protect him from the
consequences. Accordingly he said and unsaid, sighed, sobbed, beat his
breast, shuffled, implored, threatened;[139] in all ways he endeavoured to
escape from his dilemma, to say yes and to say no, to do nothing, to offend
no one, and above all to gain time, with the weak man's hope that
"something might happen" to extricate him. Embassy followed embassy from
England, each using language more t