In May the king's suit was brought before the Archbishop in his court at Dunstable; his judgement annulled the marriage with Catharine as void from the beginning, and pronounced the marriage with Anne Boleyn, which her pregnancy had forced Henry to reveal, a lawful marriage.

A week later the hand of Cranmer placed upon Anne's brow the crown which she had coveted so long.
[Sidenote: Act of Supremacy] "There was much murmuring" at measures such as these.

Many thought "that the Bishop of Rome would curse all Englishmen, and that the Emperor and he would destroy all the people." Fears of the overthrow of religion told on the clergy; the merchants dreaded an interruption of the trade with Flanders, Italy, and Spain.

But Charles, though still loyal to his aunt's cause, had no mind to incur risks for her; and Clement, though he annulled Cranmer's proceedings, hesitated as yet to take sterner action.

Henry on the other hand, conscious that the die was thrown, moved rapidly forward in the path that Cromwell had opened.