made to surrender Winchester and St. Albans. He
had not "deserved to lose them," he said, "and had
not expected to lose them on his submission. His long
services deserved at least a pension." ¹ The King
agreed, or seemed to agree; for a further grant of
3,000 crowns was allowed him, charged on the See of
Winchester. Anne Boleyn was furious. The Duke
of Norfolk swore that "sooner than suffer Wolsey's
return to office he would eat him up alive." ² Though
he had never seen his diocese, the Cardinal was mak-
ing no haste to go thither. He lingered on at Esher,
expecting to be sent for, and it is evident from the
alarm of his rivals that there was real likelihood of it.
The Lady Anne so hated him that she quarrelled with
her uncle Norfolk for not having pressed his attainder.
Catherine liked him equally ill, for she regarded him
as the cause of her sufferings. He had been "dis-
evangelised," as Norfolk called it; but Henry missed
at every turn his dexterity and readiness of hand. He
had monopolised the whole business of the realm; the
subordinate officials everywhere were his creatures,
and the threads of every branch of administration had
centred in his cabinet; without him there was univer-
sal confusion. The French Court was strongly in his
favour. He had himself made the Anglo-French
alliance; and the Anglo-French alliance was still a
necessity to Henry, if he meant to defy the Emperor
and retain an influence at Rome. The King wished,
if he could, to keep on terms with the Pope, and Wol-
sey, if any one, could keep the Papal Court within
limits of moderation.

The situation was thus more critical than ever.

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