Agnes Strickland's Queens of England Read Free Page B

the second message, she was highly gratified, and said, " It was not the wisest of councils that sent her own servants to control her in her own house, for she was least likely to obey those who had always been used to obey her," Then she added, " If they refused to do your message, they are the honestest men I know."
    These officers were kept in prison as long as Edward VI. reigned, but Mary remembered and rewarded their fidelity afterwards.
    After some more useless urging on the part of the king's councillors, Mary gave them a ring to carry to her brother, kneeling as she did so, and saying, " that she would die his true subject and sister, and obey him in all things except matters of religion;" then she departed into her bedchamber.
    But the messengers were not satisfied, so they summoned the chaplains of Mary's household and threatened them with condign punishment if they performed any service but that contained in the Common Prayer Book.
    The chaplains objected at first, but afterwards promised to obey. Mary was not baffled yet, for she had hidden away one of them and he could not be found. While search was made for him high and low, the king's messengers waited in the courtyard ; and the princess threw open her window, and laughingly called out to them, " I pray you ask the lords of the castle that Rochester may shortly return ; for since his departing I keep the accounts myself, and lo, I have learned how many loaves of bread be made of a bushel of wheat! My father and mother never brought me up to brewing and baking! and to be plain with you, I am a-weary of mine office. If my lords will send my officer home again, they will do me a pleasure; otherwise, if they will send him to prison, beshrew me, if he go not to it mer-

    rily and with a good will! And I pray God to send you well in your souls, and in your bodies too, for some of you have but weak ones."
    The deputation did not care to hear anything more that Mar}' had to say, but departed without finding the missing chaplain, who, not having made any promise, performed the forbidden service as usual.
    [A.D. 1552.] In 1552 King Edward had both the measles and small-pox, which left him in such a low state of health that he died the following year.
    His true condition was kept secret, and while he was dangerously ill a splendid bridal festival was held at Durham House, on the occasion of a double marriage between Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley, and between Katherine Grey, sister to Jane, and the heir of the Earl of Pembroke.
    Rather more than a month after this ceremony King Edward expired. He left a will that disinherited his Catholic sister, Mary, and his Protestant sister, Elizabeth, and bestowed the crown on Lady Jane Grey. Then the guard was doubled around the royal apartments, and the late king's council sent a message to Mary that her brother was very ill and desired to see her. She was highly pleased that his affection should have prompted him to send for her, and set out immediately. Before reaching the palace, however, she was met by a mysterious messenger in disguise, who informed her that the king was dead, and that if she fell into the hands of his council she would be imprisoned in the Tower.
    Mary was sorely perplexed, for she asked herself : " Might not this messenger have been sent by an enemy, to draw her into a snare, and induce her to proclaim herself queen while her brother was still alive ?" Such an act would have been treason, and would, of course, have led

    to her ruin. However, after mature reflection, she resolved not to despise the warning, but turned from the London road towards Suffolk. She spent that night at Sawston Hall, in the neighborhood of Cambridge. Mr. Huddleston, who was living there, was a zealous Roman Catholic, and received the princess and her train cheerfully, though he was well aware that he was taking a risk, for all his neighbors were opposed to Mary, and would not hesitate to attack him for extending hospitality