Part 2, The 'Great Matter': Chapter 8, continued Summary and Analysis

For a long time, the author writes, Henry's efforts to annul his marriage involved a great deal of communication with the Pope in Rome, the sole individual who had the spiritual authority to pronounce on the issue one way or the other. Ambassadors traveled back and forth with messages, requests, and commentary, making Henry's wait for a resolution even more frustrating (messages in that day and age took weeks, sometimes months, to reach their destination). Fueled by Anne's manipulations, Henry's frustration took the form of increasing resentment of Wolsey, whom he blamed for the course of events being so slow. Wolsey, sensing his influence was deteriorating, worked with increasing desperation to move "The Great Matter" along more speedily. Eventually, as the result of Wolsey's efforts, the Pope sent a special emissary...