HENRY VII (iv), 1485-1509--ASPECTS OF THE REIGN 1485; Henry's Position --Studied Legality--Policy of Lenity--Repression of the Nobles--The Star-Chamber--Henry's Use of Parliament--Financial Exactions--Sources of Revenue--Henry's Economics--Trade Theories--Commercial Policy--The Netherlands Trade--The Hansa--The Navigation Acts--Voyages of Discovery-- The Rural Revolution--The Church--Henry and Rome--Learning and Letters-- Appreciation. CHAPTER V HENRY VIII (i), 1509-1527--EGO ET REX MEUS Europe in 1509--England's Position--The New King--Inauguration of the reign--Henry and the Powers-- 1512. Dorset's Expedition--Rise of Wolsey--1513. The French War--Scotland (1499-1513)--The Flodden Campaign--The Battle--Its Effect--Recovery of English Prestige--1514. Foreign Intrigues--The French Alliance and Marriage --1515. Francis I.--Marignano--1516-7. European changes--1518-9. Wolsey's Success--1519. Charles V.--The Imperial Election--1520. Wolsey's Triumph-- Rival Policies--Field of the Cloth of Gold--Wolsey's Aims--Charles V. and Francis I.--Scotland: 1513-1520--1520-1. Affairs Abroad--1521. Buckingham --Wolsey's Diplomacy--1522. A Papal Election--War with France--Scotland-- 1523. Progress of the War--Election of Clement VII.--1524. Wolsey's difficulties--Intrigues in Scotland--1525. Pavia--The Amicable Loan--A Diplomatic struggle--1526-7. Wolsey's success--A new Factor. CHAPTER VI HENRY VIII (ii), 1509-1532--BIRTH OF THE REFORMATION _The Reformation in England_--Its true Character--Religious Decadence--The Scholar- Reformers--Ecclesiastical Demoralisation--Monastic Corruption--The Proofs--Corruption of Doctrine--Evidence from Colet and More--Later Evidence--Dean Colet--His Sermon: 1512--Erasmus--The _Utopia_: 1516-- Exaggerated attacks--Clerical Privileges--Tentative Reforms--The Educational Movement--Wolsey and the Reformation--_The Lutheran Revolt_: 1517--Luther's Defiance--The Diet of Worms; 1521--The German Peasants' Revolt; 1524--Its Effect in England--1525. The Empire and the Papacy--The Sack of Rome, 1527--Diet of Augsburg, 1530-The Swiss Reformers; 1520-1530--English Heretics Abroad--Contrasted Aims. CHAPTER VII HENRY VIII (iii), 1527-1529--THE FALL OF WOLSEY "The King's Affair"--Story of the Marriage--Anne Boleyn--1527. The King Prepares--Theoretical Excuses--The Need of an Heir--The Plea of Invalidity--Conjunction of Incentives--The Orleans Betrothal--Conclusions--The first Plan--The second Plan--Knight's Mission--Its Failure--The Pope and the Cardinal--1528. Gardiner's Mission--Wolsey's Critical Position--Campeggio and Wolsey-- Henry's Attitude--1529. The Trial--The Storm Gathers--The Storm Breaks-- Wolsey's fall--1530. Wolsey's Death--His Achievement--Appreciation of Wolsey. CHAPTER VIII