That conversation possibly decided the separation between England and France. The king showed that he was offended at a course of proceeding which he characterized as unbecoming; and Clement learnt, to his immense satisfaction, that the English had not spoken to Francis about the council. ‘If you will leave me and the emperor free to act against England,’ he said to the king, ‘I will ensure you possession of the duchy of Milan.’[357] The monarch promised the obedience of his people to the decrees of the papacy, and the pope in his joy exclaimed: ‘_Questo è per la bontà vostra!_’ Bonner, who had not lost sight of the two speakers, remarked that at this moment the king and the pope ‘laughed merrily together,’ and appeared to be the best friends in the world. The king having withdrawn, Bonner, again approached the pope, and the datary finished the reading. The Englishman had not been softened by the mysterious conversation and laughter of Clement and Francis: he was as rough and abrupt as the Frenchman had been smooth and amiable. It was long since the papacy had suffered such insults openly, and even the German Reformation had not put it to such torture. The Cardinal De Medicis, chief of the malcontents, who had come in, listened to Bonner, with head bent down and eyes fixed upon the floor: he was humiliated and indignant. ‘This is a matter of great importance,’ said Clement; ‘I will consult the consistory and let you know my answer.’ In the afternoon of Monday, 10th of November, Bonner returned to the palace to learn the pope’s pleasure: but there was a grand reception that day, the lords and ladies of the court of Francis I. were presented to Clement, who did nothing for two hours but bless chaplets, bless the spectators, and put out his foot for the nobles and dames to kiss.[358] [Sidenote: Clement’s Answer.] At last Bonner was introduced: ‘_Domine doctor, quid vultis?_ Sir doctor, what do you want?’ said the pope. ‘I desire the answer which your Holiness promised me.’ Clement, who had had time to recover himself, replied: ‘A constitution of Pope Pius, my predecessor, condemns all appeals to a general council. I therefore reject his Majesty’s appeal as unlawful.’ The pope had pronounced these words with calmness and dignity, but an incident occurred to put him out of temper. Bonner, hurt at the little respect paid to his sovereign, bluntly informed the pope that the Archbishop of Canterbury—that Cranmer—desired also to appeal to a council. This was going too far: Clement, restraining himself no longer, rose, and approaching Henry’s envoy, said to him: ‘If you do not leave the room instantly, I will have you thrown into a caldron of molten lead.’[359]—‘Truly,’ remarked Bonner, ‘if the pope is a shepherd, he is, as the king my master says, a violent and cruel shepherd.’[360] And not caring to take a leaden bath, he departed for Lyons.[361]