Luther had foreseen it, was working for it, and the leaven of his teaching was permeating this and other lands; but it had taken no great hold as yet.

The church was revered and venerated of her children, and here in England the abuses rampant in so many lands were far less flagrant.
England had been kept from much evil by her inherent distrust of papal supremacy.

The nation had more or less combated it in all centuries.

Rome's headship only received a qualified assent.
Sovereigns and people had alike resented the too great exercise of the papal prerogative; and this had done much for the church in England.

It seemed as though a very little would be enough to serve the purpose of these early reformers, and in the main they held the doctrines taught, and were willing and ready to obey most of the church's injunctions.
A man like Anthony Dalaber, versatile and eager, easily roused to enthusiasm and passionate revolt, but as easily soothed by gentleness and kindly argument of a truly Catholic kind, was not a little perplexed in such a situation as he now found himself.