“The fact is, that the move has been made in order no longer to keep the people of England in suspense about this delivery, by the constant and public processions which were made, and by the Queen’s remaining so many days in retirement, seriously to the prejudice of her subjects; as not only did she transact no business, but would scarcely allow herself to be seen by any one but the ladies, who in expectation of this childbirth, especially the gentlewomen and the chief female nobility, had flocked to the court, from all parts of the kingdom, in such very great numbers, all living at the cost of her Majesty, that with great difficulty could Hampton Court, although one of the largest palaces that can be seen here or elsewhere, contain them. At present, by this change of residence, an opportunity is afforded for dispensing with the processions, without any scandal, and for the Queen to free herself from expense, by giving permission to the greater part of these ladies to return to their homes, under pretence of very limited accommodation; and by degrees her Majesty has resumed the audiences, and replaced other matters in their former ancient state, the usual officials (I am told) resuming their service about her person, and the females being removed.” In the same despatch he says: “The reported insurrections in the provinces, and which caused so much apprehension some days ago, their origin having been subsequently ascertained authentically, were found to be slight and unimportant, part having arisen from a great concourse of men at a grand periodical fair held in Warwickshire, when on account of the price of wheat, which had been raised extraordinarily by certain persons, who having a great supply, wished to sell it in their own fashion, by reason of the backward season, and the small hope of the present harvest, the summer being so rainy and cold, that the like is not remembered in the memory of man for the last fifty years, so that no sort of grain or corn ripens, and still less can it be reaped, a prognostic of scarcity yet greater than that of last year; so that in part from this, owing to the murmurs and complaints of the multitude, which were construed into rebellion, and partly from a report circulated in Cornwall and Devonshire that the most Serene Queen was dead, and that to deceive the people, as they said was done in the time of King Edward, they exhibited her effigy at the casement and not her real face; so having half rebelled, they said they would come towards the court to ascertain the fact. These disturbances were also caused in part by a gentleman, who being on bad terms with his tenants, who had risen against him, and not knowing in what other way to suppress the outbreak, sent word to the court, that they were in arms against the Queen, and the falsehood being discovered, he together with eight others, who originated the reports of the other unreal insurrections, were deservedly imprisoned, everything, thank God, remaining quiet and peaceable.”[581]
In the midst of her bitter grief and disappointments; fed with insults by the London Puritans, with revolt and rumours of revolt at her door, Mary had at least one abiding consolation in the love of the poor and afflicted, who looked upon her as their true mother. Machyn, in chronicling her removal,[582] says that on “the 3. day of August the Queen and King’s grace removed from Hampton Court unto Oatlands, a palace four miles off: as her grace went through the park for to take her barge, there met her grace by the way, a poor man with two crutches, and when that he saw her grace, for joy he threw his staffs away and ran after her grace, and she commanded that one should give him a reward”.
The court remained at Oatlands but just long enough to purify the larger palace after its overcrowded and filthy condition, and on the 19th Michiel writes:—
“Last week, their Majesties returned to Hampton Court, the Lady Elizabeth remaining at the seat to which she went; and now the Queen shows herself, and converses with everybody as usual, her health being so good, as perhaps never to have been better, to the universal surprise of all who see her, but of delivery or pregnancy small signs are visible externally, and no one talks or thinks of them any longer. As to the King’s departure, he yesterday sent the Signor Carlo da Sanguino, gentleman of the mouth, to Brussels (they say), to fix his going, having already adroitly broached the topic to the Queen, who will acquiesce; so it is said he will leave in eight or ten days, postwise, leaving the greater part of his household, for the sake of convincing the Queen by as many signs as he can, that he purposes returning speedily; though on the contrary, it is said more than ever, that he will go to Spain, and remove hence his household, and all the others by degrees.”[583]
On the 27th, he wrote from London:—
“Their Majesties came hither from Hampton Court yesterday morning, remaining merely to dine, and then went to Greenwich, where the Queen will remain during the whole time of the King’s stay beyond sea. On departing hence, his Majesty had determined, when passing through London, to show himself in public to the people on horseback, leaving the Queen to follow him at leisure, by water as usual, but her Majesty chose to give the City the satisfaction of seeing her likewise in his company, she having made the determination when in the very act of embarking; so having herself carried in an open litter, she went accompanied, not only by the English and Spanish nobility now at the court, but also by the Cardinal Legate and the ambassadors, the Lord Mayor and all the aldermen, having met her at Temple Bar, coming with the royal insignia, and all the other solemnities, as customary when the Queen appears in public. It is not to be told what a vast crowd of people there was all along the road, which is a very long one, nor yet the joy they demonstrated at seeing their Majesties, which was really great, and the more as the London populace were firmly convinced that the Queen was dead; so when they knew of her appearance, they all ran from one place to another, as to an unexpected sight, and one which was well-nigh new, as if they were crazy, to ascertain thoroughly if it was she, and on recognising and seeing her in better plight than ever, they by shouts and salutations, and every other demonstration then gave yet greater signs of their joy, inasmuch as to their great comfort and that of her Majesty, they saw her come with the King on one side of her and Cardinal Pole on the other, both of whom are universally popular, by reason of the reported kindness of their nature, and of which daily proof is afforded by facts, so that the determination to make this display, most especially at the present moment, has been very useful. The King will leave Greenwich, as soon as he hears that the fleet with which he is to cross, and which until yesterday was here in the Thames to complete its outfit, shall be off Dover. It consists of twelve ships and a galleon for his Majesty’s person, armed and provided in the best fashion possible, and in addition to this force, they are expecting some Flemish ships, to render the passage-track yet more secure, as it is daily infested by Frenchmen, who without any scruple, attack every vessel, in order to take out of them all property and subjects belonging to the enemy....
“In the meanwhile, as may be imagined with regard to a person extraordinarily in love, the Queen remains disconsolate, though she conceals it as much as she can, and from what I hear, mourns the more when alone, and supposing herself invisible to any of her attendants. During this absence, Cardinal Pole will reside with her, lodgings having been assigned to him in the palace, that he may comfort and keep her company, her Majesty delighting greatly in the sight and presence of him.”
In a despatch dated 3rd September he describes Philip’s departure:—
“Much to my pleasure, I accompanied Cardinal Pole and the other noblemen, on the day when they went with the King to his barge, to see him take leave of the Queen, who on that occasion really expressed very well the sorrow becoming a wife, and a wife such as she is, invested with the regal habit and dignity, for without displaying much extrinsic disquietude, though evidently deeply grieved internally, she chose to come with him through all the chambers and galleries to the head of the stairs, constraining herself the whole way, to avoid in sight of such a crowd, any demonstration unbecoming her gravity, though she could not but be moved when the Spanish noblemen kissed her hand, and yet more, when she saw the ladies in tears take leave of the King, who, according to the custom of the country, kissed them one by one.