Cardinal Campeggio's long awaited papal legation has arrived at court to decide with colleague-cardinal Thomas Wolsey on the royal request for divorce, claiming Catherine's first marriage to Henry's late elder brother nullified his. When Campeggio learns the king won't yield, he suggests an alternative: the queen could retire to a monastery, but only voluntarily, which she refuses, swearing in confessional she came as a virgin to Henry. Thomas Tallis proposes to his late lover Joan's sister Jane. Under Anne Boleyn's love spell, Henry sends bishops to tells the queen she's suspected of hating and conspiring against him, and grows angry at Wolsey's failure to persuade or threaten Campeggio, even sends Charles Brandon to Paris to question the French king Francis I about the true intentions of the emperor, pope and cardinal. Brandon also confirms to father Thomas Boleyn's party the time may be ripe to bring Wolsey down. When the legatine court finally assembles, the king states his case personally as a matter of justice, allegedly after 'his conscience' finally stopped him from keeping silent out of love for the queen. Wolsey simply brushes aside the queen's objections to the competence and objectivity of the court. After imploring justice and appealing to Henry kneeling at his feet, Catherine walks out, to public acclaim, royal fury and Wolsey's despair.

The legatine court's divorce trial continues in the Queen's absence, hearing testimony suggesting prince Arthur carnally consummated his marriage to Catherine: embarrassing for the court, amusing for the populace. Catherine's council, bishop Fisher, dares claim even heaven can't dissolve the royal marriage, comparing to Herod Antipas' adultery shamed by Saint John the Baptist who was executed for that truth. Woolsey sends Thomas More to Cambria (Cambray) to check if France and the pope remain irreconcilable with the emperor. After Anne walks off, disbelieving Wolsey's promises to the king of a divorce by summer, Henry implies to cardinal Campeggio a negative verdict could turn him and England Lutheran, like half of Germany, yet after a papal message the legate prorogues the court till the end of the Roman Curia's recess, in October; imperial ambassador Mendoza, who is ceding his post to bishop Chapuys, tells Catherine it's the emperor's doing. Henry's sister Margaret dies from the consumption she contracted from Brandon, who recovered. When Thomas More reports the negotiations reconciled the emperor with France and pope Clement, Woolsey fears facing the royal wrath and ends up banned from court, ordered to relinquish all lucrative offices and accused of usurping royal authority. More is persuaded to succeed him as chancellor, under Henry's promise his conscience won't be abused by matters such as the divorce.

Forced to recant, Aske is hanged in Yorkshire, Cromwell coerces Brandon to execute more rebels as examples, and Jane suffers complications in childbirth.