When the eighteen－year－old Henry Ⅷ（1491－1547） becameKing of England he was extremely popular，for he had all thequalities that his people admired.Foreigners reported that he wasthe best－dressed king in Europe and that his chief interest was“girls and hunting”，but this was only half the truth.He distrustedforeigners，as most Englishmen did at that time；but he spokethree foreign languages.He was a first－class horseman and mu－sician.He could discuss religion and ship－building with equalskill.He was a clever politician who trusted parliament and madefull use of it.Most important of all，he thoroughly understood thehearts and minds of his people.He ruled through the House ofCommons ，without an army，and his people remained loyal tohim through all the diffcult years of the Reformation .
当岁的亨利八世（1491－1547）成为英格兰国王的时候，他非常受欢迎，因为他具有他的臣民们赞美的一切品质。外国人报告说他是欧洲穿着最好的国王，而他的主要兴趣是“姑娘和打猎”，但这些只对了一半。就象他那个时代大多数英国人一样，他不信任外国人；但他能说三种外语。他是一流的骑手和音乐家。他能够同样熟练地讨论宗教和造船。他是一位聪明的政治家，他信任议会并且充分利用它。最重要的是，他完全理解他的民众的心和他们的思想。他通过下议院统治，没有军队，而他的臣民们在宗教改革运动的困难岁月里一直忠诚于他。