king’s reasons for seeking a divorce from his aunt, Catherine of Arragon (ib. iv. 6111, 6154-5, 6163). The pope and the emperor at that time had met together at Bologna, and the ambassadors were further commissioned to treat with both of them, and with other potentates, fora general peace. But, of course, the main object was to counteract, as far as possible, the iniiuence which the emperor would bring to bear upon the (pope in favour of Catherine. The ambassadors, however, failed to impress the former with the justice of the king’s cause; and the latter very naturally kept his sentiments to himself. It was on this occasion that—according to that most untrustworthy authority, Foxe—although sent ambassador from the king of England, he declined to pay the popethe accustomed reverence of kissing his toe. The story may be true, for to one who stood so high in the favour of a powerful sovereign the discourtesy involved no very serious consequences. But the graphic addition that a spaniel, brought by the earl from England, at once gave his holiness’s foot the salutation refused by his muster, seems rather to show the spirit in which the tale is told than to invite our confidence in its veracity. The incident is arowedly related ‘as a prognosticate of our separation from the see of Rome.'

From Bologna Wiltshire took his departure into France, where he remained for some time trying to get the doctors of the university of Paris to give an opinion in the king's favour on the divorce