Page:Divorce of Catherine of Aragon.djvu/195

 those who might have been her friends were disarmed of their power to help her. Unfortunately for herself, perhaps fortunately for the English race which was yet to be born, she remained still inflexible. "The King's plea of conscience," she said, "was not honest. He was acting on passion, pure and simple; and English judges would say black was white." Sussex and Fitzwilliam knelt to entreat her to reconsider her answer. She too knelt and prayed them for God's honour and glory to persuade the King to return to her, as she was his lawful wife. All present were in tears, but there was no remedy. Chapuys said that the coldness and indifference with which the affair was treated at Rome was paralysing her defenders. The question could not stand in debate for ever, and, unless the Pope acted promptly and resolutely, he feared that some strong act was not far distant.

She was destroying her own chance. She persisted in relying on a defence which was itself fatal to her.

"God knows what I suffer from these people," she wrote to the Emperor, "enough to kill ten men, much more a shattered woman who has done no harm. I can do nothing but appeal to God and your Majesty, on whom alone my remedy depends. For the love of God procure a final sentence from his Holiness as soon as possible. The utmost diligence is required. May God forgive him for the many delays which he has granted and which alone are the cause of my extremity. I am the King's lawful wife, and while I live I will say no other. The Pope's tardiness makes many on my side waver, and those who would say the truth dare not. Speak out yourself, that