When the Pilgrims came into the presence of the council, Aske made three low obeisances. Then he and all his companions fell on their knees and humbly begged for the King’s free pardon and gracious favour, notwithstanding anything which they might have done contrary to the laws of the land. These respectful preliminaries might have satisfied Henry, but the subsequent proceedings did not follow the lines which he had laid down, for without any representation of the King’s grievances they passed immediately to the discussion of the articles. Here again Norfolk seems to have disregarded the King’s desire for repeated delays. He had obtained authority to grant a full and free pardon to all, and to promise that the King would hold a free parliament; he thought, very reasonably, that no good would result from disguising the fact, as the more the negotiations were prolonged the wilder and more suspicious the commons would become[60]. On this basis, therefore, the representatives of the King and of the Pilgrims argued the particulars of the petition. About the first article, for the suppression of heresy, no difficulty could be made[61]. The King was as anxious for this as his subjects, and the arrest of several heretics had already created a good impression[62]. Norfolk at this point could use with some effect a passage in the King’s answer to the men of Yorkshire in which he promised to punish any members of his council or others, who could be proved to be subverters of the law, and he would be free to suppress the King’s addition that nobody would be able to prove such a thing[63]. The King’s circular to the bishops was well received. In it the bishops were ordered “to commend all the honest ceremonies of the Church in such wise that they be not contemned,” and were forbidden to retain in their service any person who spoke of the ceremonies “contentiously or contemptuously.”[64] They were to watch the preachers vigilantly, and silence any who were indiscreet, even if they had the King’s licence, and they were to seek out and apprehend any priests “who have presumed to marry.” Darcy afterwards forwarded a copy of this letter to Lee, saying that in it “all true Catholics may joy.”[65] The rest of the articles dealing with religion might all be referred to the coming parliament. The royal supremacy, the tenths and first-fruits, and the rest had all been granted by act of parliament. It would be highly unconstitutional for the King to annul them merely on his own authority, but what one parliament had done another could undo. It seems that the Pilgrims assented to this, in all but one point. They insisted, however, that the suppressed abbeys must be allowed to stand until their case had been brought before parliament again. Norfolk had no power to grant this, but the Pilgrims firmly refused to give it up.