Lord Clinton arrived from France about the same time that Paget returned from Brussels, bringing many declarations of friendship from Henry; but far from offering to surrender the traitors who had fled to his court, the French King said openly that he would rather suffer in his own person, than fail to receive and treat kindly any Englishmen of however low degree, who might take refuge in his realm. “To-day,” adds Michiel, “the French ambassador was a long while at the palace, I believe about this business, concerning which should I hear anything has passed worthy your Serenity’s notice, I will not omit to give you notice of it by the first opportunity.”
Mary’s Government, now thoroughly on the alert, made fresh discoveries and arrests daily. Carew, one of the chief conspirators in Wyatt’s rebellion, and Dr. Cheke, formerly tutor to Edward VI., were taken together in Flanders, and sent to England. Strict watch was kept about the court, and in Elizabeth’s household, and the Queen still refused to appear in public, even on the solemn feast of the Ascension. It was said that recognising the uselessness of her former clemency, and the ingratitude of those who had before been so freely pardoned, she had determined that all should suffer the just punishment of their misdeeds.
But in fact, nothing was done without Philip’s advice, and the courier Francesco Piamontese was continually on the road between London and Brussels, bearing letters from the Queen to the King, and vice versâ. On the day on which Paget returned, Mary had two interviews with him, lasting upwards of two hours. The next day, to the surprise of all, Piamontese was on his way back to Flanders. “Many persons believe,” wrote Michiel, “that this frequent despatch of couriers, during the last few months, relates not only to the affair of the prisoners, it being credible that the Queen acquaints her consort with what takes place from day to day, and with the discoveries made, and that this last mission of Francesco in great part concerns Carew and Cheke—but also another more momentous matter, and perhaps the one communicated to me heretofore [and written to the Doge in a despatch now lost] relating to the Lady Elizabeth, which proceeds with very great secrecy.”[609] Again he says that the arrest of Carew and Cheke has been followed by that of Lord Thomas Howard (second son of the third Duke of Norfolk) who has been suspected for some time, on account of his intimacy with three of the conspirators, and he then communicates the following important fact: “The French ambassador, M. de Noailles, took leave of the Queen yesterday, as for many months; subsequent however to the discovery of the conspiracy, he has most earnestly requested his king to recall him hence, for the removal simultaneously of the suspicions and accusations to which he will be hourly subjected, through the examinations of the conspirators, and to avoid any dishonour, from which he has indeed had a very narrow escape, for from what I hear, there was a debate and decision in the Privy Council, as to whether, by proceeding against him individually, as a plotter and contriver against the state and person of the Sovereign with whom he resides, the ‘jus gentium’ would thus be violated; but to avoid coming to open hostilities at the present moment, and under existing circumstances, it seems that the ministry has not chosen to proceed further, dissembling their indignation, and consigning the affair to silence for the present, perhaps in conformity with the will and command of the most Serene King. There will remain here in his stead as agent, a brother of his, a Councillor of the Parliament of Bordeaux, who was sent lately from France, until the arrival of the other brother, the Protonotary, destined a long while ago for the embassy in ordinary.”[610]
The arrest of Lord Thomas Howard was followed by that of Lord de la Warre, described by Michiel as “factious and scandalous, having been deprived of his seat in Parliament as baron, for an attempt to poison one of his uncles, for the sake of inheriting from him so much the sooner, wherefore no one is surprised at his having been guilty as an associate in the plot”.[611] About the same time were sent to the Tower the notorious Katharine Ashley, governess of Elizabeth’s household at Hatfield, and three other inmates of it. They all confessed to having had knowledge of the conspiracy, this alone being sufficient to imperil their lives, while in Katharine Ashley’s possession were found a number of “those writings and scandalous books against the King and Queen, which were scattered about some months ago, and published all over the kingdom”.
It was probably owing to Philip’s prudent policy that Elizabeth’s household and not the Princess herself was accused. Experience had proved, that to push matters to a crisis with Elizabeth was wholly unprofitable, and that by giving her an opportunity of placing herself in the light of a victim, the enemy’s hands were strengthened. Philip, far more diplomatic than the Queen, had on the few occasions on which he had come into personal contact with her, affected to regard her as a friend. And he had seen the futility of any other attitude towards her. Moreover, he was still hoping that Parliament would grant him the crown matrimonial, and he was mindful of those members of the opposition, of whom the Queen had told him that they were in so great force, all devoted to Elizabeth, and who might yet turn the balance in his favour. Thus it was no doubt Philip’s influence that prompted the curious proceedings towards her, related in Michiel’s letter of the 9th June:—
“The arrest of the governess, and of Miladi Elizabeth’s three domestics having subsequently been added to by that of two other gentlemen resident here, who although her dependants, and receiving salaries from her are in less constant attendance on her than the aforesaid, the Queen was induced to send to her in the country (at Hatfield) yesterday, Sir Edward Hastings, Master of the Horse, and Sir Henry[612] Englefield, one of the lords of the royal Council, to console and comfort her on behalf of her Majesty, knowing, as may well be supposed, that this circumstance had distressed and dejected her; and to present her as a token of loving salutation, and of a message of good-will, according to the custom here, with a ring worth 400 ducats, and also to give her minute accounts of the cause of their arrest, to acquaint her with what they had hitherto deposed and confessed, and to persuade her not to take amiss the removal from about her person of similar folks, who subjected her to the danger of some evil suspicion; assuring her of the Queen’s good-will and disposition, provided she continue to live becomingly, to her Majesty’s liking; together with some other particulars which cannot now be ascertained; using in short, loving and gracious expressions, to show her that she is neither neglected nor hated, but loved and esteemed by her Majesty. This message is considered most gracious by the whole kingdom, everybody in general wishing her all ease and honour, and very greatly regretting any trouble she may incur; the proceedings having been not only necessary, but profitable to warn her of the licentious life led, especially in matters of religion, by her household, independently of the certain knowledge had by those members of it who have been arrested, of these conspiracies; she being thus clandestinely exposed to the manifest risk of infamy and ruin.
“The Queen has thus moreover an opportunity for remodelling her (Elizabeth’s) household in another form, and with a different sort of persons to those now in her service, replacing them by such as are entirely dependent on her Majesty; so that as her own proceedings, and those of all such persons as enter or quit her abode will be most narrowly scanned, she may have reason to keep so much the more to her duty, and together with her attendants behave the more cautiously; but on the return of the gentlemen aforesaid, the effect produced by them will be still better ascertained.”
On the 16th Michiel continues:—
“The office performed with Miladi Elizabeth by the two personages sent to her in the Queen’s name, agreed with what I wrote on the 9th, as heard on their return. According to the chief commission given them; before leaving her, they placed in her house a certain Sir Thomas Pope, a rich and grave gentleman of good name, both for conduct and religion; the Queen having appointed him Miladi’s governor, and she having accepted him willingly, although he himself did his utmost to decline such a charge. I am told that besides this person, they also assigned her a widow gentlewoman as governess, in lieu of her own, who is a prisoner, so that at present, having none but the Queen’s dependents about her person, she herself likewise may be also said to be in ward and custody, though in such decorous and honourable form as becoming.”[613]
Elizabeth shortly afterwards wrote the following letter to Mary, exceeding in obscurity of phrase and circumlocution any of her former effusions.