104 THE WAR ILL-CONDUCTED. [1558. of one groat, to bring the same forthwith, and lay it down upon the high altars of the said churches, upon pain of death; bearing them in hand also that they should be searched. By reason of which proclamation, there was made a great and sorrowful offertory. And while they were at this offertory within the churches, the Frenchmen entered into their houses, and rifled the same, where was found inestimable riches and treasures; but especially of ordnance, armour, and other munitions. Thus dealt the French with the English, in lieu and recompence of the like usage to the French when the forces of king Philip prevailed at St. Quentin; where, not content with the honour of victory, the English in sacking the town sought nothing more than the satisfying of their greedy vein of covetousness, with an extreme neglect of all moderation." Within the marches of Calais the English held the two small fortresses of Guisnes and Hammes. Guisnes was defended with obstinate courage by lord Grey, and did not surrender till the 20th of January. His loss amounted to eight hundred men. From Hammes the English garrison made their escape by night. In the midst of the national irritation at this great discomfiture, the parliament assembled on the 20th of January. The chief business was that of granting a subsidy to carry on the war against the French king and the Scots, who "daily do practise by all dishonourable ways and means, with the aid and power of all their confederates and allies, to annoy their majesties and this their realm, and other the dominions of the same; and by all likelihood, if opportunity of time and place so permit, do mind to make some invasion into sundry parts of this realm, as well upon the sea-coast as elsewhere." The forces of the country were probably never in a less efficient state. The greater portion of the reign of Mary had been spent in persecution, and in the detection and punishment of conspirators. The nation was out of heart, thoroughly hating the Spanish alliance, and almost ready to welcome a French or Scottish invasion, if it were to drive out a weak and cruel government. If the administration of Scotland had been less divided in opinion, an army might have crossed the border with little chance of effectual resistance. The want of the material means of warfare appear perfectly ludicrous. There is a letter to the earl of Shrewsbury, the president of the Council of the North, dated October, 1557, in which the writer earnestly begs that ships laden with corn may be sent from Newcastle to Berwick, instead of carrying the corn by land," which is impossible to do, for all the carriages between York and Newcastle, and all the sacks within twenty miles of Newcastle will not serve that turn." The subsidy granted by the clergy and laity was employed in fitting out a fleet, to co-operate with a squadron of king Philip in laying waste the French coast. The English ships were under the command of the high admiral, lord Clinton. Their success, if success it could be called, was of the most paltry nature. The combined English and Flemish landed near the town of Conquet, having been destined for an attack upon Brest. After pillaging and burning small towns and villages they retreated to their ships, without attempting any exploit that would have influenced the fortune of the war. An English squadron, by a successful co-operation with the Spanish infantry at Gravelines, contributed to an important victory. But in * 4 & 5 Philip & Mary. c. 11 + Lodge, "Illustrations," vol. i. p. 284. 1558.] PHILIP'S AMBASSADOR AND ELIZABETH. 105 this short period of hostilities during the reign of Mary, there was nothing accomplished which could be held to redeem the disgrace of Calais. England had fallen. The time was near at hand when the world should see 66 a noble and puissant nation, rousing herself like a strong man after sleep, and shaking his invincible locks." * In October 1558, the queen once more entertained the delusion that she should present her subjects with a successor to the throne. An ambassador arrived from Philip to offer his congratulations "on the best piece of news which he had received since his grief for the loss of Calais." When this ambassador, the count de Feria, saw Mary, he found her dying of the dropsy, with which she had been long afflicted. She was so ill, that it became necessary to discuss the question of the succession; and Mary showed no displeasure, but the contrary, when it was proposed that Elizabeth should be declared her successor. The count de Feria, on the 10th of November, had an interview with Elizabeth. He brought a kind message from Philip; and he endeavoured to impress the princess with the belief that the declaration of her right to the crown was to be attributed to the good offices of the king, and not to Mary or her council. Elizabeth desired to acknowledge the kindness which she had received from Philip when she was in prison; but she declared that she owed her present position to the people. De Feria says, in his despatch, "It appears to me, that she is a woman of extreme vanity, but acute. I would say that she must have great admiration for the king her father's mode of carrying on matters. I fear much that in religion she will not go right, as I perceive her inclined to govern by men who are held to be heretics; and they tell me that the ladies who are most about her are all so. Besides this, she shows herself highly indignant at the things done against her in the lifetime of the queen. She is much attached to the people, and is very confident that they are all on her side (which is indeed true); indeed she gave me to understand that the people had placed her where she now is. On this point she will acknowledge no obligations either to your majesty or to her nobles, although she says they have one and all of them sent her their promise to remain faithful. Indeed there is not a heretic or traitor in all the country who has not started as if from the grave to seek her with expressions of the greatest pleasure." The ambassador adds some remarks upon those who were likely to be the favourites of Elizabeth: "I am told for certain that Cecil, who was secretary to king Edward, will be her secretary also. He has the character of a prudent and virtuous man, although a heretic." ‡ On the 7th of November queen Mary had sent for the speaker of the House of Commons, the parliament having assembled on the 5th, and informed him that conferences for peace between England, Spain, and France had been opened at Cambray. On the 17th the queen was no more. She is stated to have said, "When I die, Calais will be found written on my heart." The more terrible events of her reign-the persecutions which will ever be associated with her memory-were most probably not regarded by her either Milton, "Areopagitica." +Letter from a counsellor of Philip, in Gonzales' "Transactions of the Royal Historical Academy of Madrid." Tytler, vol. ii. p. 497. Ibid., p. 498. 106 DEATH OF QUEEN MARY. [1558. as calamities or crimes. Cardinal Pole only survived the queen twenty-four hours. Charles V. had, two months before, closed his career in a spirit of fanaticism which, although a cruel persecutor, he often kept under subjection to his policy. In a codicil to his will, the emperor conjures his son, most earnestly, by the obedience he owes him, to follow up aud bring to justice every heretic in his dominions; and this without exception, and without favour or mercy to any one. He implores Philip to cherish the Holy Inquisition, as the best instrument for accomplishing this good work. "So," he concludes, "shall you have my blessing, and the Lord shall prosper all your undertakings." . CHAPTER VIII. Elizabeth proclaimed queen-She refuses to attend Mass on Christmas-day-Philip proposes marriage to Elizabeth-The Commons request that she would marry-Her answer-The Coronation progress through the City-Cecil's plans for the restoration of ProtestantismOpening of Parliament-Statute for restoring the supremacy to the Crown-Statute for the Uniformity of Common Prayer-Deprivation of bishops-Peace with France-Pretensions of Mary Stuart-Elizabeth the head of the Protestant party of Europe-Scotland-Hostility of the queen-regent of Scotland to the Reformers-Their desire for an alliance with England-French troops sent to Scotland-England sends an army and fleet-Siege of Leith-Peace concluded at Edinburgh-Assembly of the parliament of Scotland-Acts establishing the reformed religion-Mary refuses to ratify the treaty of Edinburgh-Death of Francis II.-Mary determines to return to Scotland-Elizabeth refuses her a safe conduct-Mary embarks at Calais-Arrival in Scotland-Contrasts in the fortunes of Mary and Elizabeth. On the 17th of November, 1558, the day of her half-sister's death, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen by the Lords of the Council. It is a remarkable fact connected with the popularity of this reign, that the 17th of November was called "The Queen's Day," up to very recent times. Sir John Harrington has preserved the speech which she made to the council at her accession, in which she requires their assistance; "that I with my ruling, and you with your service, may make a good account to Almighty God, and leave some comfort to our posterity in earth." * Her speech to Cecil, from the same authority, is more characteristic:-"I give you this charge, that you shall be of my privy council, and content yourself to take pains for me and my realm. This judgment I have of you, that you will not be corrupted * "Nuga Antique," vol. i. p. 56. 108 ELIZABETH REFUSES TO ATTEND MASS. [1558. with any manner of gift, and that you will be faithful to the state, and that, without respect of my private will, you will give me that counsel that you think best: and if you shall know any thing necessary to be declared to me of secresy, you shall show it to myself only, and assure yourself I will not fail to keep taciturnity therein. And therefore, herewith I charge you." The unanimity with which the accession of Elizabeth was received, even by the servants of the late queen, may be ascribed to the caution with which she concealed her intentions on the subject of religion. The release of all prisoners confined for religious opinions, which took place upon her entry into London on the 24th of November, might have been considered only as a politic act of grace. Her exception of Bonner to the cordial reception which she gave to the bishops might have passed without any marked inference. But on the Christmas-day there was an occurrence which could not be mistaken, as far as regarded the queen's personal opinions. It is thus related, in a letter of sir William Fitzwilliam :-"This night I came home late from London; and for news you shall understand that yesterday, being Christmasday, the queen's majesty repaired to her great closet with her nobles and ladies as hath been accustomed in such high feasts; and she passing a bishop preparing himself to mass, all in the old form, she tarried there until the Gospel was done; and when all the people looked for her to have offered according to the old fashion, she with her nobles returned again from the closet and the mass unto her privy chamber, which was strange unto divers.”* The refusal to hear mass was followed, two days after, by a proclamation forbidding the elevation of the Host, and all unlicensed preaching. It was also ordered that the Gospels and Epistles, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Litany, should be used in English. According to the custom of sovereign princes Elizabeth despatched messengers to the various European courts announcing her accession. Amongst these the pope was included. There can be little doubt that the queen and her ministers desired to temporise, in some degree. The arrogant Paul IV. replied to Elizabeth's messenger, that it was great boldness in her to assume the crown without his consent, and that she must submit all her claims to his decision. Philip of Spain thought that the principles of Elizabeth were so unsettled, that she might consent to marry him, upon the condition that she should become Catholic. He proposed himself as her husband within a month after her accession. She received these proposals with great civility; and gave, at first, no decided refusal. Philip hoped to obtain a fairer bride than the wife he had lost. Elizabeth was thus described in 1557 by Micheli, the Venetian :-"The princess is as beautiful in mind. as she is in body; though her countenance is rather pleasing from its expression, than beautiful. She is large and well-made; her complexion clear, and of an olive tint; her eyes are fine, and her hands, on which she prides herself, small and delicate. She has an excellent genius, with much address and self-command, as was abundantly shown in the severe trials to which she was exposed in the earlier part of her life. In her temper she is haughty and imperious, qualities inherited from her father, king Henry VIII., |