“You may live to forethink (regret) the setting of her up, if it were so,” was all he said.
“I may live to be sorry she was ever born,” answered Mr Underhill. “I know that, Father Rose! But right is right, and wrong is wrong; and I say this is a wrong, and I stand forth for the right.”
“God’s will is the right,” gently answered Mr Rose. “Let us not fight against God.”
“And be you ware you do not!” cried Mr Underhill in his ringing voice. “How look you to know what His will is herein?”
“We shall all know that ere it be long,” said Mr Rose, sadly.
On the 13th of July (exact date unrecorded) was born Guilford Underhill, Mr Underhill’s eldest son. He had already five daughters. The 19th was appointed for christening the child, and the sponsors were the Queen (that is to say, Lady Jane), her father the Duke of Suffolk, and the Earl of Pembroke. John Avery was greatly amused that Mr Underhill should believe the Lady Jane had no right to be Queen, and yet, because she was Queen, would have her his child’s sponsor. It was an instance of the consistent inconsistency inherent in human nature.
The 14th of July was a day of contrary rumours, and great trouble, and running to and fro in the streets of the city. From all sides news poured in that the Lady Mary was proclaimed Queen—at Kenninghall, and Framlingham, and Norwich, and in all the eastern parts. The Council would have sent the Duke of Suffolk against her; but Lady Jane his daughter entreated with tears that he might remain with her; and they then sent the Duke of Northumberland. He and Lord Grey de Wilton (who went unwillingly, being of Mr Underhill’s way of thinking) set forth on the 14th, with six hundred men. That evening came news that Mary was proclaimed in Buckinghamshire.
On the 16th, at seven o’clock at night, the gates of the Tower were suddenly locked, and the keys carried to Lady Jane. This was to secure the Lord Treasurer, (the Marquis of Winchester), who was considered of doubtful faith, and proved to be as he was considered.
As the party reached Saint Katherine’s on their way to the christening, the Lords of the Council were just riding out of the western gate of the Tower. These were the Earls of Pembroke, Shrewsbury, and Arundel, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the Lord Mayor, and sundry knights. The Duke of Suffolk was left behind. The truth was, that he would have been in the way. The Council said that it was going to give audience to the French Ambassador; but it was really bound on a very different errand. Lady Throgmorton was the Queen’s deputy at the christening, and named the child Guilford.
“Named for a Dudley!” whispered the irrepressible Dr Thorpe to Isoult. “He will not thrive, take my word for it—unless he turn out a rascal.”