The Wives of Henry the Eighth and the Parts They Played in History
David Hume · en
How completely Wolsey had at this time surrendered himself to the Emperor,
is evident from Katharine's new attitude towards him. During his period of
French sympathy she had been, as we have seen, practically alienated from
state affairs, but now in Henry's letters to Wolsey her name is
frequently mentioned and her advice was evidently welcome.[31] During his
absence in Flanders, for instance, Wolsey received a letter from Henry, in
which the King says: "The Queen, my wife, hath desired me to make her most
hearty recommendation unto you, as to him that she loveth very well; and
both she and I would fain know when you would repair unto us." Great news
came that the Emperor and his allies were brilliantly successful in the
war, but in the midst of victory the great Medici, Pope Leo X., though
still a man in his prime, died. There is no doubt that a secret promise
had been made by Charles to Wolsey of his support in case a vacancy in the
Papacy arose, but no one had dreamed of its occurring so quickly,[32] and
Charles found his hand forced. He needed for his purpose a far more
pliable instrument in the pontifical chair than the haughty Cardinal of
York. So, whilst pretending to work strenuously to promote Wolsey's
elevation, and thus to gain the goodwill of Henry and his minister, he
took care secretly that some humbler candidate, such as the one
ultimately chosen by the Conclave, his old schoolmaster, Cardinal Adrian,
should be the new Pope. Wolsey was somewhat sulky at the result of the
election, and thenceforward looked with more distrust on the imperial
connection; but, withal, he put as good a face on the matter as possible;
and when, at the end of May 1522, he again welcomed the Emperor in Henry's
name as he set foot on English soil at Dover, the Cardinal, though
watchful, was still favourable to the alliance. This visit of the young
Emperor was the most splendid royal sojourn ever made in England; and
Henry revelled in the ceremonies wherein he was the host of the greatest
monarch upon earth.