monarch

May 1547, 5, was the day when Parliament convened.

There is a haze in the sky, and the fog in the midair makes everything look monotonous and bleak, it doesn't look like a spring day at all.

Members of the upper and lower houses have gathered in London for the coronation two days ago.Since 1258, Parliament has played an important role in the politics of the Kingdom of England.Unlike continental countries bound by feudal contracts, the Kingdom of England was built on compromises between the king and nobles, squires and merchants, and Parliament was the most direct manifestation of this compromise.

At ten o'clock in the morning, MPs had gathered in the Great Hall of the Palace of Westminster.Priests wore cassocks, nobles in their velvet gowns, and merchants and squires in black, looking like a flock of crows perched on a branch.

Generally speaking, the atmosphere of the opening ceremony of the parliament is quite relaxed.Before waiting for the ceremony to begin, members of parliament usually gather in groups of three or four, chatting and laughing with their familiar colleagues.The new MPs, who had the honor of attending the ceremony for the first time, looked around curiously like farmers going to the town market on Sunday, with their mouths agape and amused.And those old MPs who have attended the parliament many times took the time to yawn. For them, the agenda of the parliament is far less colorful than the social life at night.

Today, however, there is an air of uneasiness hanging over the Palace of Westminster.Those members of parliament who usually talk eloquently are shockingly quiet today.This unusual tranquility, like the rapidly receding tide before a tsunami, hinted that a storm was coming.

Last night, the doors of many members of Parliament were knocked by the bailiffs of Parliament.The bleary-eyed MPs in their pajamas were told the shocking news: By order of the speaker, the parliamentary agenda had been changed.The reason is that more than 100 MPs co-signed a bill, so the priority level of this bill was adjusted to the highest level.

For many MPs, the previous night had been a sleepless one.Those congressmen who knew nothing about the content of this bill in advance, when they saw this document delivered by the bailiff in the middle of the night, felt as if they were hit on the temple with a sledgehammer , They all stared at gold stars.

Many MPs who have just arrived in Westminster are looking forward to the first day of the meeting. If they can be a hit in the debate on the first day, they will undoubtedly become famous in the following meetings. The spotlight, and then the favor of the king or someone in the cabinet, has been on the rise ever since.Just like a celebrity who has just entered the social world, if she makes a stunning appearance at the first ball, suitors will follow.Yet the bill being debated today looks more like a poisoned candy. For 20 years, the question of religion has been a sensitive and deadly issue in England.Because of the importance of religion in one's life, this question is completely unavoidable, and if one goes wrong on this issue, it may cost life and blood.A speech on this kind of issue may be a ladder leading to the Great Hall of the Privy Council, or a reminder to the execution ground of Tyburn.

When the great clock of the nearby church struck ten, messengers from the royal palace came to the chamber of the House of Lords to announce the king's imminent arrival.The opening of Parliament is usually held in the larger House of Lords, when MPs from both Houses are already assembled.Unlike the House of Commons in later generations, today's members of the House of Commons do not need the monarch's special envoy to knock on the door of the House of Commons to summon them, but come to the lobby of the House of Lords early to wait, even though the members of the House of Lords can sit in a wrapped On the purple velvet satin seat, and the members of the House of Commons as guests can only stand outside the fence.

At ten o'clock in the morning the king's carriage pulled into the portico of the Palace of Westminster.His Majesty walked out of the carriage with a polite smile on his face, but his cold eyes clearly told everyone that His Majesty was in a bad mood.Viscount Robert Dudley, who followed closely behind His Majesty, put his hand on the hilt of his sword, as if His Majesty was not coming to his loyal parliament, but was in the middle of the battlefield.

With the sound of the horn, the king's flag was hoisted on the tower of the Palace of Westminster.The flag fluttered feebly in the wind a few times, and soon curled up again, hanging pitifully on the flagpole, looking like a crumpled banner at the door of a country tavern.

Without a word, His Majesty entered the palace through the royal entrance and walked through the galleries.Under the gloomy light, the characters on those paintings turned into blurred shadows, hidden in the shadows, spying on the dignitaries and dignitaries passing by below.

Pass through the gallery and the entrance to the House of Lords is just around the corner.

The king stood still at the entrance of the hall of the House of Lords. He heard the announcement of "Your Majesty is coming" from inside the door, followed by the voices of members of the House of Lords sitting on chairs standing up one after another.

He raised his head and stepped into the room.

Members of Parliament bowed to the king who passed by, like a strong wind blowing through the forest, making the tall oaks bow down.

The king took his seat on the throne at the far end of the room, and he glanced indifferently around the crowd.

"Just sit like that," Edward said.

There was another uproar, and the members of the House of Lords resumed their seats.

The justice stepped forward, held a piece of parchment in front of His Majesty, and unfolded it respectfully.

"Members of the upper and lower houses, I welcome you." The king unfolded the parchment and began to read.

"In the long history of our country, Parliament has always played a glorious and important role. She has built a channel of communication between the monarch and the people. Like the kings before me, I hope to get your opinions and support."

"There are many important bills before you. They were proposed by people of insight in the kingdom," the king frowned slightly, and continued, "They cover all aspects of national policy."

"I look to your wisdom to guide you to the right judgment on these proposals, and I hope you will be able to make the right advice for me."

"May God bless you all." His Majesty finished the last sentence, and stuffed the parchment into the hands of the attendant standing beside him.

His Excellency the Duke Protector stepped forward, saluted the king, and then turned to look at the crowd in the hall. "The following parliamentary debate is underway. The bill being reviewed today is the Clarendon Act, proposed by..." He looked at the figure in the purple robe opposite him, his eyes mixed with anxiety, uneasiness, and hatred, "Winches Eminence Archbishop Gardiner."

Bishop Gardiner stood up and bowed gracefully to the king, like a beautiful swan bending its neck and tapping the water.In the past few months, the bishop, who looked ten years younger, walked onto the podium with a smile on his face. His smug face made the corners of Duke Protector's mouth tremble, as if he was about to have a stroke.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellencies, Your Excellencies." The bishop's mellow voice, honed in his sermons on the debate stage and altar in Cambridge, echoed in the hall, "Decades have passed since the wave of the Reformation broke out in Germany. ...and it's been almost 20 years since that wave swept across our country and tore it apart."

"In these 20 years, England has been torn into two countries. Long-term friends have become strangers, neighbors have turned against each other, and family members have stared at each other. We have open heart to people who should be enemies abroad, but we have no respect for them. Our domestic friends who should have walked hand in hand greeted us with sharp swords."

"During the past 20 years, countless people have suffered catastrophe because they insisted on their beliefs. Their properties were plundered, their careers were destroyed, and their lives were even threatened."

"The past 20 years have been a bloodless civil war for our country!" This quip, which took the bishop a week to come up with, elicited echoes from many in low voices.

"I've had enough of this conflict. The time when half the country oppresses the other half should be over! We should give back to Catholics the rights they deserve. My lords, MPs, your fathers and grandparents are Catholics, their fathers and grandparents too. If you are as sick as I am of the country being torn in two, of the oppression and injustice that haunts this country like a tarsal gangrene, please support This bill! Let us join hands and heal the wounds of the past 20 years! Whether Catholic or Anglican, we are all English!"

Deafening cheers and applause erupted from Bishop Gardner's camp, while most of the other MPs showed hesitation on their faces.

The Lord Protector glared dissatisfiedly at the wavering henchmen beside him, and he didn't give up until they lowered their heads in embarrassment.He hesitated for a few seconds, stood up, and walked to Bishop Gardner.Their eyes met each other, like two knights who were about to have a life-and-death duel.

"The words of the bishop are indeed quite contagious." The Lord Protector said with a sneer, "However, when he talks about healing wounds here, our Lord Bishop seems to have forgotten that a large part of these wounds were caused by him himself. He made it with his own hands! If this country is really torn in two, then he is the sharpest knife!" The Duke Protector's words drew a burst of echo in low voices.

"So why did His Excellency start talking about détente?" The Lord Protector continued, "There is only one reason I can think of, and that is that this is just some kind of disguise. Under this veil of hypocrisy, the bishop's What is the real purpose?"

"Ah, no, please forgive my inappropriate words. Our Lord Bishop is just someone's marionette, and his intelligence level obviously cannot reach such a high level." There was a malicious smile on the face of the Protector , he watched Bishop Gardiner's face turn blue with satisfaction, "Instead of talking about the bishop's purpose, let's be more frank."

"This is Princess Mary's idea. And what does Princess Mary want? I think we all know that it is the restoration of Catholicism."

"This is slander!" Bishop Gardner stood up, and it seemed that he was angry because he was insulted, and it could also be explained that he was angry because the other party hit the nail on the head.

"Members, can you tolerate such a thing happening? Are you willing to kneel at the feet of the Pope's special envoy again and beg for mercy from Rome again? Can you tolerate these unearned monks reoccupying the best land in the entire kingdom? You Can the Pope be tolerated filling his treasury with our wealth?"

Edward sat on the throne, with a fleeting smile on his face, like a drop of dew hanging on a flower petal, which evaporated quickly when the sun rose.At last, he thought, these guys don't care about anything but the treasure they looted from the Catholic Church.

The Duke Protector's words really aroused a wave of approval.Nobles shuddered at the thought that their mansions were built on the foundations of monasteries.

"The Church of England was founded by the late king, and the will of the late king also reiterated that the monarch's dominance over the church is sacred and inviolable." The Lord Protector began to strike while the iron was hot, "Such a proposal is not only a blasphemy against the previous king, but also a violation of His Majesty's power. He looked at Edward and bowed again, "I have to doubt the loyalty of the proposer of this proposal to His Majesty!" He turned to Bishop Gardner again, "As long as I am alive, I cannot allow the Catholic Church to make a comeback! We don't need Rome, we don't need the Pope and his envoys, we don't need the Inquisition and the Jesuits! If they want to get back to this island, then they have to walk over the dead bodies of me and my friends!"

"Exactly!" The Lord Protector's party members began to clamor.

"Nonsense! Vicious slander!" was the response of Bishop Gardner's henchmen.

The crowd in the hall was divided into two groups according to their opinions, abusing each other.There were more people on the side of Duke Protector, but it was still not enough to form an overwhelming advantage, and the situation fell into a stalemate for a while.

"Silence! Silence!" the ceremonial officer shouted in vain, as if shouting at the sea, trying to calm the raging waves.

The king sitting on the throne shook his head wearily, "I had expected this outcome." He turned his head to look at Robert and said in a low voice.

"Will this matter come to fruition for a while?" Robert comforted, "You still have time to let this matter develop according to your thinking."

"I hope." The king was noncommittal, he looked at the attendants beside him, "I think we can leave?"

"The procedure that requires you has been completed." The attendant replied.

"Then let's go back, it's all unbearable."

"Your Majesty withdrew!" the ritual officer shouted again.

The crowd finally fell silent reluctantly, and when the king was gone, the drama would continue.

The king got up and walked across the sea of ​​bows towards the hall door.