The Council would have despatched Lady Jane’s father, the Duke of
Suffolk, as the general of the army against this force; but, as Lady
Jane implored that her father might remain with her, and as he was
known to be but a weak man, they told the Duke of Northumberland that
he must take the command himself. He was not very ready to do so, as he
mistrusted the Council much; but there was no help for it, and he set
forth with a heavy heart, observing to a lord who rode beside him
through Shoreditch at the head of the troops, that, although the people
pressed in great numbers to look at them, they were terribly silent.
And his fears for himself turned out to be well founded. While he was
waiting at Cambridge for further help from the Council, the Council
took it into their heads to turn their backs on Lady Jane’s cause, and
to take up the Princess Mary’s. This was chiefly owing to the
before-mentioned Earl of Arundel, who represented to the Lord Mayor and
aldermen, in a second interview with those sagacious persons, that, as
for himself, he did not perceive the Reformed religion to be in much
danger—which Lord Pembroke backed by flourishing his sword as another
kind of persuasion. The Lord Mayor and aldermen, thus enlightened, said
there could be no doubt that the Princess Mary ought to be Queen. So,
she was proclaimed at the Cross by St. Paul’s, and barrels of wine were
given to the people, and they got very drunk, and danced round blazing
bonfires—little thinking, poor wretches, what other bonfires would soon
be blazing in Queen Mary’s name.
After a ten days’ dream of royalty, Lady Jane Grey resigned the Crown
with great willingness, saying that she had only accepted it in
obedience to her father and mother; and went gladly back to her
pleasant house by the river, and her books. Mary then came on towards
London; and at Wanstead in Essex, was joined by her half-sister, the
Princess Elizabeth. They passed through the streets of London to the
Tower, and there the new Queen met some eminent prisoners then confined
in it, kissed them, and gave them their liberty. Among these was that
Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who had been imprisoned in the last
reign for holding to the unreformed religion. Him she soon made
chancellor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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