said, they would do the work themselves. They reminded him
of Warwick, who dethroned the King's grandfather, and Henry VII., who
dethroned Richard. Some even said the Emperor's right to the throne was
better than the present King's; for Edward's children were illegitimate,
and the Emperor was descended from the House of Lancaster. If the Emperor
would not move, at least he might stop the Flanders trade, and rebellion
would then be certain. There was not the least hope that the King would
submit. The accursed Anne had so bewitched him that he dared not oppose
her. The longer the Emperor delayed, the worse things would grow from the
rapid spread of Lutheranism.[264]

Wise sovereigns, under the strongest provocation, are slow to encourage
mutiny in neighbouring kingdoms. Charles had to check the overzeal of his
Ambassador, and to tell him that "the present was no time for vigorous
action or movement of any kind." Chapuys promised for the future "to
persuade the Queen to patience, and to do nothing which might lead to the
inconvenience" which the Emperor pointed out.[265] His impatient English
friends whom he called "the people" were still obliged to submit in
patience, while the King went on upon his way in the great business of the
realm, amidst the "impress of shipwrights," the "daily cast of cannon,"
and foreign mart of implements for war. An embassy was sent to Germany to
treat for an alliance with the Smalcaldic League. A book was issued, with
the authority of the Privy Council, on the authority of kings and priests,
showing that bishops and priests were equal, and that princes must rule
them both. The Scotch Ambassador told Chapuys that if such a book had been
published in his country the author of it would have been burnt.[266]
Parliament met to pass the Bill, of which Henry had introduced a draft in
the previous session, to restrict the Bishops' powers of punishing
heretics. Dr. Nixe, the old bishop of Norwich, had lately burnt Thomas
Bilney on his own authority, without waiting for the King's writ. Henry
had the Bishop arrested, tried him before a lay judge, confiscated his
property, and imprisoned him in the Tower. Parliament made such exploits
as that of Dr. Nixe impossible for the future.

Act followed Act on the same lines. The Pope's Bulls were dispensed with
on appointments to vacant sees. The King's nomination was to suffice. The
tributes to Rome, which had been levied hitherto in infinite variety of
form,