The Wives of Henry the Eighth and the Parts They Played in History
David Hume · en
There was infinite haggling with Chapuys with regard to the style to be
given to Henry in the secret treaty, even after the heads of the treaty
itself had been agreed upon. He must be called sovereign head of the
English Church, said Gardiner, or there would be no alliance with the
Emperor at all, and the difficulty was only overcome by varying the style
in the two copies of the document, that signed by Chapuys bearing the
style of; "King of England, France, and Ireland, etc.," and that signed by
the English ministers adding the King's ecclesiastical claims. If the
territories of either monarch were invaded the other was bound to come to
his aid. The French King was to be summoned to forbear intelligence with
the Turk, to satisfy the demands of the Emperor and the King of England in
the many old claims they had against him, and no peace was to be made with
France by either ally, unless the other's claims were satisfied. The
claims of Henry included the town and county of Boulogne, with Montreuil
and Therouenne, his arrears of pension, and assurance of future payment:
and the two allies agreed within two years to invade France together, each
with 20,000 foot and 5000 horse.[232] This secret compact was signed on
the 11th February 1543; and the diplomatic relations with France were at
once broken off. At last the repudiation of Katharine of Aragon was
condoned, and Henry was once more the Emperor's "good brother";--a fit
ally for the Catholic king, the champion of orthodox Christianity. As if
to put the finishing touch upon Henry's victory, Charles held an interview
with the Pope in June 1543 on his way through Italy, and succeeded in
persuading him that the inclusion of the King who defied the Church in the
league of militant Catholics was a fit complement to the alliance of
France and enemies of all Christianity; and would secure the triumph of
the Papacy and the return of England into the fold.