1553. 160 treated to an action of such fame and merit as that which they AN. DOM. presented to him. And, signifying his assent with a feigned unwillingness, he told them that "he would make ready his own power on the morrow after, not doubting but they would send theirs with him, or speed them after him; that he must recommend the Queen unto their fidelity, of whose sacred person he desired them to be very tender." All which they promised him to do. And, having thus settled the affairs, they made the Queen acquainted, in Northumberlad's presence, with how great readiness he had took the danger of that action upon himself, to give her the contentment of enjoying her father's company till the present storm was over-blown; who humbly thanked the Duke for so great a favour, and cheerfully desired him not to be wanting to the public and his personal safety. That evening and the greatest part of the next day being spent in raising men and making other necessary preparations for the expedition, he repairs again to the court, and, once more putting them in mind of hastening their forces, and appointing Newmarket for the place of their rendezvous, he took his leave of them in these words, or to this effect: My Lords," said he, "I, and these other noble personages, with the whole army that now goes forth, as well for the behalf of you and yours as for the establishing of the Queen's Highness, shall not only adventure our bodies and lives amongst the bloody strokes and cruel assaults of our adversaries in the open field; but also we do leave the conservation of ourselves, children, and families, at home here with you, as altogether committed to your trust and fidelity. Whom if we thought you would, through malice, conspiracy, or dissension, leave us, your friends, in the briers, and betray us; we could as well sundry ways foresee and provide for our own safeguards, as any of you, by betraying us, can do for yours. But now, upon the only trust and faithfulness of your honours, whereof we think ourselves most assured, we do hazard our lives: which trust and promise if you shall violate, hoping thereby of life and promotion, yet shall not God count you innocent of our bloods, neither acquit you of the sacred holy oath of allegiance, made freely by you to this virtuous lady, the Queen's Highness, who by your and our enticement is rather of force placed therein, than by her own seeking and 66 1553. AN. DOM. request1. Consider also, that God's cause, which is the preferment of his word, and the fear of the return of Popery2, hath been (as ye have hitherto always said) the original cause whereupon ye (even at the first motion) granted your good wills and consents thereunto, as by your hand-writing appeareth. And think not otherwise but that, if you mean deceit, though not forthwith, yet hereafter, God will revenge the same. I can say no more, but in this troublesome time wish you to use constant hearts; abandoning all malice, envy, and private affections.” 24. Which said, and having paused a little, he shut up his address in these following words: "I have not spoken to you, my Lords, in this sort, upon any mistrust I have of your fidelities; of which always I have ever hitherto conceived a trusty confidence: but I have only put you in remembrance thereof, what chance of variance soever might grow amongst you in my absence. And this I pray you, that you would not wish me less good speed in this journey than you would have yourselves." To which last words, one of them is reported to have thus replied:" My Lord, if you mistrust any of us in this matter, your Grace is much mistaken in us. For which of us can wash his hands clean of the present business? For if we should shrink from you as one that is culpable, which of us can excuse himself as being guiltless 3?" Little the more assured by this quick return, he went to take his leave of the Queen, where he found his commission ready sealed, together with certain instructions, subscribed by all the Lords of the Council, in which his marches were laid out and limited from one day to another—conditions not to be imposed on any who commands in chief, nor to have been accepted by him, but that it was a matter of his own desiring. And he desired it for these reasons, (so strongly was he caught in a snare of his own devising)—partly because he would be thought to have acted 161 nothing but by authority of the Council, which he supposed might serve for his indemnity if the tide should turn; and partly that the blame of all miscarriages might be laid on them, if he were foiled in the adventure. But so instructed he takes 1 These words are marked as emphatic, by a difference of type in all the old editions, and by a sign in the margin of 1 and 3. 266 "Papists' entrance," Stow. 4 See Mary, i. 3. 3 Stow, 610-11. 1553. leave, embraced by all the Lords with great demonstrations of AN. DOM. affection, according to the wonted dissimulation in Princes' Courts; by none more passionately than by those who most abhorred his pride and falsehood. Amongst which it is said of the Earl of Arundel (upon whom he had put more disgraces and affronts than on all the rest1), that he seemed to express much sorrow at the Duke's departure, in regard he was not ordered to be one of his company-in whose presence he could find in his heart to spend his blood, and to lay his life down at his feet. Accompanied with the Marquess of Northampton, the Lord Gray, and others, he passeth by water in his barge to Durham-place, and from thence to Whitehall, where they mustered their men. And the next morning, being Friday, the 14th of the month, he sets forward with a body of six hundred horse, their arms and ammunition being sent before; and Sir John Gates (of whose fidelity and adhesion he was well assured) following not far behind with the rest of his company. Passing through Shoreditch, he found the streets to be thronged with people, but could hear nothing of their prayers for their prosperous journey, insomuch that, turning to the Lord Gray, he could not choose but say unto him, "The people press to see us, but not one bids God speed us3." On Saturday night he comes to Cambridge, where he assured himself of all obedience and conformity which either the university or that town could give him, as being Chancellor of the one, and Seneschal or High Steward of the other;-two offices incompatible in themselves, and never united in one person before or since1. At night he sends for Doctor Edwin Sandys, Master of Katharine Hall and Vice-Chancellor of the University, to supper with him; whom he enjoins to preach before him the next day— a service not to be performed, and much less declined, without manifest danger. But the good man, submitting to the present necessity, betakes himself to his study and his prayers, falls on a text exceeding proper to the present exigent (being that of Joshua, chap. i. v. 16), but handled it so warily and with such discretion, that he much satisfied the one, without 1553. AN. DOM. giving any just advantage against him to the other party'. On Monday morning the Duke with his whole power goes forward to St Edmond's-Bury, where he lodged that night. But, instead of hearing news of those supplies which were to attend him at Newmarket, he receives letters from some Lords of the Council, so full of trouble and discomfort that he marched back again to Cambridge on the morrow after. And there we will leave him for a time betwixt hope and fear-less confident and worse attended than he was at his first coming thither; as being not only deserted by a great part of his company, but in a manner by himself. Mary gathers strength. 25. In the meantime the Princess Mary was not idle, but served herself of all advantages which were offered to her. Comforted and encouraged by so many persons of quality as she had about her, she sends unto the Mayor of Norwich on the 12th of July, requiring him and the rest of the magistrates of that city to proclaim her Queen. Which though they at that time refused to do, because they had no certain knowledge of the death of the King, yet on the next day, having received good assurance of it, they did not only proclaim her Queen (as she had desired) but sent her men and ammunition to advance the service. Not finding Norfolk men so forward as she had expected, she removes with her small party into Suffolk, and puts herself into Framlingham Castle, a castle situate near the sea, from whence she might conveniently escape into Flanders, if her affairs succeeded not to her hopes and prayers. Here she first takes upon her the name of Queen, and by that name dispatcheth letters to the peers of the realm, requiring them and all other her faithful subjects to repair unto her succour. And, for the first handsel of good fortune, it happened that the six ships which were appointed to hover on the coast of Norfolk, were driven by foul weather into the haven of Yar- 16 mouth, where Jerningham, above mentioned, was busy in raising men to maintain her quarrel. By whom the captains and the mariners were so cunningly dealt with, that they put them 1 Fuller, Hist. of Cambridge, 186. Sandys was, however, imprisoned for almost a year, and, being then discharged, took refuge in Germany. His Sermon before the Duke of Northumberland is believed not to be in existence. He had prepared it for the press, but was obliged to fly before it was printed.-Fox, viii. 590-598. 1553. selves under his command, drew all their ordnance on shore, AN. Doм. and left their ships to be disposed of at his pleasure1. About which time Sir Edward Hastings, the brother of Francis Earl of Huntington, being commissionated by the Duke of Northumberland to raise four thousand men for the present service, passed over with his men to the other side, and joined himself to her party also2. The news whereof, being brought unto the Lords which remained in London, hastened the execution of that design which had been formerly contrived by some amongst them. 26. For no sooner had the great Duke put himself on his march toward Cambridge, but some began to shew themselves in favour of the Princess Mary, and to devise how they might extricate themselves out of those perplexities into which they had been brought by his ambition. Amongst which none more forward than the Earl of Pembroke, in whom he had placed more confidence than in all the others. Who, together with Sir Thomas Cheyny, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, with divers others, endeavoured to get out of the Tower, that they might hold some secret consultation with their friends in London; but were so narrowly watched that they could not do it. On Sunday, the 16th of the month, Doctor Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, is ordered by the Lords of the Council to preach at St Paul's Cross, and in his sermon to advance the title of Queen Jane, and shew the invalidity of the claim of the Lady Mary. Which he performed according to such grounds of law and polity as had been laid together in the letters patents of King Edward, by the authority and consent of all the Lords of the Council, the greatest judges in the land, and almost all the peers of the kingdom. But then, withal, he pressed the incommodities and inconveniences which might arise by receiving Mary for their Queen ;-prophesying that which after came to pass, namely, that she would bring in a foreign power to reign over this nation, and that she would subvert the true religion then established by the laws of this realm. He also shewed that, at such time as she lived in his diocese, he had travailed much with her to reduce her to the true religions; but that (though otherwise she used him with great civility) 1 Stow, 611. 2 Godwin, 158. 3 See Mary, Introd. 24. |