The danger which he feared was not merely a danger to his temporal domain in Italy.

It was a danger to the Papacy itself.

It was in vain that new embassies threatened Clement with the loss of his spiritual power over England.

To break with the Emperor was to risk the loss of his spiritual power over a far larger world.

Charles had already consented to the suspension of the judgement of his diet at Worms, a consent which gave security to the new Protestantism in North Germany.