“A few days ago, his Majesty received news from England that the Queen was grievously ill, and her life in danger, which intelligence, most especially at the present moment being of very great importance, so disquieted his Majesty, and all these lords, that it was immediately determined to send the Count de Feria to visit the Queen, in the name of her consort, and to treat another affair which I will narrate hereunder; but as when the Count was about to depart, a fresh advice arrived, that her Majesty’s health had improved, he therefore delayed his departure for three or four days longer, and in the meanwhile, his household at Brussels is preparing to cross over with him to England, a sign that he will not return hither so speedily.
“Now the matter to be treated by him is the marriage of Miladi Elizabeth, to keep that kingdom in any event in the hands of a person in his Majesty’s confidence. Last year King Philip gave an order to this effect to his confessor, who is very dear to the Queen, he laying before her all the considerations both of religion and piety, and of the safety of the realms, and to prevent the evils which might occur, were the Lady Elizabeth, seeing herself slighted, to choose after her Majesty’s death, or perhaps even during her lifetime, to take for her husband, some individual who might convulse the whole kingdom into confusion. For many days, during which the confessor treated this business, he found the Queen utterly averse to give Lady Elizabeth any hope of the succession, obstinately maintaining that she was neither her sister, nor the daughter of the Queen’s father, King Henry, nor would she hear of favouring her, as she was born of an infamous woman, who had so outraged the Queen, her mother and herself. Notwithstanding this, the confessor assiduously and adroitly persevering in this design, effected so much, that her Majesty consented to do what the King wished, he expressing great satisfaction at this; but two days later, the Queen changed her mind, and the confessor lays the blame on Cardinal Pole, who, as the project had not been communicated to him, may have performed some contrary office, ignoring that such was the will of the King. Now that things have been in such danger, owing to the Queen’s malady, they are sending the Count de Feria, that he may try and revive this project, and realize it, but I do not yet know whether with the Duke of Savoy or others, nor can it be known for certain, until this peace is concluded or excluded; but the Count’s instructions purport that he is to try and dispose the Queen to consent to Lady Elizabeth being married as her sister, and with the hope of succeeding to the crown, this negotiation having to be treated with the greatest possible secrecy, because these lords suspect, that were the French to come to know it, they would easily find means to thwart the project, as the greater part of England is opposed to the Queen, and most hostile to King Philip and his dependants, and much inclined towards Miladi Elizabeth, who has always shown greater liking for the French faction, than for this other, being thus habituated in the time of her brother, King Edward, when at the summit of her grandeur.”[688]
The King of Sweden had, during the preceding summer, sent a proposal for Elizabeth’s hand, and Mary had shown some displeasure which was shared by Philip, at the fact that his Majesty had not presented his demand in the ordinary way, through the Queen. But Elizabeth had refused him, and while the subject of her sister’s religion mainly preoccupied Mary during the illness which she felt would end in death, that of his sister-in-law’s marriage concerned Philip still more deeply.
In The Life of Jane Dormer, Duchess of Feria it is recorded,[689] that “Queen Mary in her last sickness sent Commissioners to examine her [Elizabeth] about religion; to whom she answered, ‘Is it not possible that the queen will be persuaded I am a Catholic, having so often protested it?’ and thereupon did swear and vow that she was a Catholic. This is answerable to what Mr. Camden saith, and is likewise confirmed by the Duke of Feria’s letter to the king, who in this sickness of the queen, visited the Lady Elizabeth. He certified him that she did profess the Catholic religion, and believed the Real Presence, and was not like to make any alteration for the principal points of religion.”
The same writer gives a pathetic account of Mary’s end, and of her constant solicitude for others, which being obtained from Jane Dormer herself, must be regarded as authentic. It is necessary to dwell at some length on every known detail of this period, as some writers have given a highly coloured, grotesque, and altogether imaginative account of the Queen’s declining days. Clifford relates that “When it chanced that Jane was not well, as that she could not well attend upon the Queen, it is strange, the care and regard her Majesty had of her, more like a mother or sister, than her queen and mistress. As in the last days of this blessed queen, she being at Hampton Court, and to remove to London, Jane having some indisposition, her Majesty would not suffer her to go in the barge by water, but sent her by land, in her own litter, and her physician to attend her. And being come to London, the first that she asked for was Jane Dormer, who met her at the stairfoot, told her that she was reasonably well. The queen answered, ‘So am not I,’ being about the end of August 1558. So took her chamber and never came abroad again.
“At that time the king was in Flanders about his wars, made upon the frontiers of France, who understanding the Queen’s sickness, being then with his army before Dourlens, sent away the Duke of Feria, to serve and assist her in all that should be requisite. It pleased Almighty God, that this sickness was her last, increasing daily, until it brought her to a better life. Jane was continually about the Queen, not yet married, for the Queen would not have her marry, until the king was returned from Flanders; which occasioned the want of great gifts and rich endowments, wherewith the Queen had determined, and promised to honour the marriage, whereof did her Majesty complain. She finding herself languishing to death, told Jane, she would have been glad to have seen her marriage had been effected in her days; but God Almighty would otherwise dispose, and being sick and the king absent, she was not in case to do what she would. Her sickness was such as made the whole realm to mourn, yet passed by her with most Christian patience. She comforted those of them that grieved about her; she told them what good dreams she had, seeing many little children, like angels play before her, singing pleasing notes, giving her more than earthly comfort; and thus persuaded all, ever to have the holy fear of God before their eyes, which would free them from all evil, and be a curb to all temptations. She asked them to think that whatsoever came to them was by God’s permission; and ever to have confidence, that He would in mercy turn all to the best.”[690]
On the 12th November, Surian wrote the following despatch in cipher to his Government:—
“There are also advices from England, that the Queen is not well, and the ambassador from Florence has said to me and many others, that she is at the point of death, as known throughout the court, much to the regret of these lords, who for their own reasons would not wish it to be known that she was even indisposed, but the truth is, that her malady is evidently incurable, and will end with her life sooner or later, according to the increase or decrease of her mental anxieties, which harass her more than the disease, however dangerous it may be. The King has therefore sent to England the Count de Feria, who being a most perfect gentleman and agreeable to his Majesty, is also in great favour with the Queen, he likewise fancying himself popular there; but may God grant (in case of her Majesty’s death) that he do not experience to his detriment the perverse nature of those people, and their most inveterate detestation of foreigners, and above all of Spaniards. He took with him a Portuguese physician, who has a very great name in these parts, so as not to fail in whatever could conduce to the Queen’s health. He will at any rate attempt to carry into effect the design about which I wrote on the 29th ult. for marrying Miladi Elizabeth, to some personage in the King’s confidence, in which he hopes to succeed, but I have not yet been able to hear who will be proposed. She herself inclines towards a Scottish lord, her kinsman, a handsome and noble youth, son of a sister of Henry VIII., who was married in Scotland; he being of the same mind as this lady in the matter of religion; so were the crown to pass into her hands with that husband, it might be well-nigh surely prognosticated that the country will relapse into its former state and worse, unless the Lord God of His mercy interpose His hand.”[691]
In the meanwhile, Mary, having received Elizabeth’s protestation, sent two members of the Privy Council to the Princess, announcing that she would leave her the Crown on two conditions, the first being her promise to maintain the Catholic faith and worship in England, the second that she would undertake to pay the Queen’s debts. Both these conditions Elizabeth accepted.[692]