Rather understand me to mean, what was indeed the consequence of that
event, THE TRANSLATION OF THE POPE’S SUPREMACY TO THE KING. This, as
I take it, was the circumstance of all others which most favoured
the sudden growth of the imperial power in this nation. And because
I do not remember to have seen it enlarged upon as it deserves,
give me leave to open to you, somewhat copiously, the nature of
this newly-acquired headship, and the numerous advantages which the
prerogative received from it.
The PAPAL SUPREMACY, as it had been claimed and exercised in this
kingdom, was a power of the highest nature. It controlled every rank
and order in the state, and, in effect, laid the prince and people
together at the mercy of the _Roman_ pontiff. There is no need to
recount the several branches of this usurped authority. It is enough to
say, that it was transcendant in all respects that could in any sense
be taken to concern religion. And who, that has looked into the papal
story, needs be told that, by a latitude of interpretation, every thing
was construed to be a religious concern, by which the pope’s power or
interest could be affected?
Under the acknowledgment then of this super-eminent dominion, no steps
could possibly be taken towards the reformation of religion, or even
the assertion of the just rights and privileges of the crown. But the
people were grown to have as great a zeal for the former of these
considerations, as the king for the latter. And in this juncture it
was, that HENRY, in a sudden heat, threw off the supremacy; which the
parliament, to prevent its return to the pope, very readily invested in
the king.
There was something so daring, and, according to the prejudices of that
time, so presumptuous and even prophane, in this attempt to transfer
the spiritual headship to a secular power, that the pope himself
little apprehended, and nothing but the king’s dauntless temper could
have assured, the success of it. The repugnancy which the parliament
themselves found in their own notions betwixt the exercise of the
spiritual and temporal power, was the reason perhaps for inserting in
the act of supremacy those qualifying clauses, we find in it[15].