“During their illness they confessed themselves repeatedly, and communicated most devoutly, and two days before their end, they each received extreme unction, after which it seemed as if they rallied, and were much comforted, according to the fruit of that holy medicine. Although two days previously it had been intimated to his right reverend Lordship, that there was scarcely any hope of the Queen’s recovering from her infirmity, this being done, in order that the news of her demise, coming less suddenly, might prove less grievous to him, nevertheless, after the event, it was thought well to delay its announcement, until his Lordship should become more composed, though it could not have been long deferred, yet in contradiction to this understanding, one of our countrymen forgetfully told it him. On hearing it, after remaining silent for a short while, he then said to his intimate friend, the Bishop of St. Asaph, and to me, that in the whole course of his life, nothing had ever yielded him greater pleasure and contentment than the contemplation of God’s providence, as displayed in his own person and in that of others, and that in the course of the Queen’s life, and of his own, he had ever remarked a great conformity, as she like himself had been harassed during many years, for one and the same cause, and afterwards, when it pleased God to raise her to the throne, he had greatly participated in all her other troubles entailed by that elevation. He also alluded to their relationship, and to the great similarity of their dispositions, and to the great confidence which her Majesty demonstrated in him, saying that besides the immense mischief which might result from her death, he could not but feel deep grief thereat, yet by God’s grace, that same faith and reliance which had ever comforted him in all his adversities, greatly consoled him likewise, in this so grievous a catastrophe. He uttered these words with such earnestness that it was evident they came from his very heart, and they even moved him to tears of consolation, at perceiving how our Lord God, for such a wound received at such a moment had granted a balm so valid and efficacious, and which might soothe not only himself, but also all who loved him. His right reverend Lordship then remained quiet and silent for about a quarter of an hour, but though his spirit was great, the blow nevertheless having entered into his flesh, brought on the paroxysm earlier, and with more intense cold than he had hitherto experienced, so that he said he felt this would be his last. He therefore desired, that there might be kept near him the book containing those prayers which are said for the dying. He then had Vespers repeated as usual, and the Compline, which part of the office yet remained for him to hear; and this was about two hours before sunset, he having on the very same morning heard Mass also, as was his daily custom. In fine it was evident, that as in health that sainted soul was ever turned to God, so likewise in this long and troublesome infirmity, did it continue thus until his end, which he made so placidly, that he seemed to sleep rather than to die, as did the Queen likewise, so that had not a physician perceived the act, her Majesty would have died without any one’s witnessing it. My affection has moved me thus minutely to detail the end of this truly holy prelate and of this sainted Queen.”[698]
It is scarcely matter for surprise that Mary’s time-serving Council should have made no long lingering over their mistress’s yet warm ashes. The scene was quickly changed from St. James’s to Hatfield, where Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was the first to acquaint Elizabeth with the news of her accession.
After being embalmed, Mary’s body lay in state in the chapel of St. James’s Palace, till the 12th December, when it was removed to Westminster Abbey. Strype thus quaintly describes the funeral procession:—
“When the day was come, after this manner were her funerals performed. Her corpse was brought from St. James’s where she died, in a chariot, with a picture or image resembling her person, adorned with crimson velvet, her crown on her head, and her sceptre in her hand, and many good rings on her fingers.[699] And so up the highway went the foremost standard, with the falcon and the hart. Then came great company of mourners. And after, another goodly standard of the lion and the falcon, followed by King Philip her husband’s servants, two and two together, in black gowns; heralds riding to and fro to see all go in order. After, came the third standard with the white greyhound and the falcon. Then came gentlemen in gowns, mourners. Then came riding esquires, bearing banners of arms. Next came the lord Marquis of Winchester, on horseback, bearing the banner of the arms of England, embroidered with gold. Then Mr. Chester, the herald, bearing the helm and the crest and mantles. Then Mr. Norroy bearing the target, with the garter and the crown. Then Mr. Clarencieux, bearing the sword. And after, Mr. Garter bearing her coat armour: all on horseback. Banners were borne about her by lords and knights, with four heralds on horseback, bearing four white banners of saints, wrought with fine gold, viz., Mr. Somerset, Mr. Lancaster, Mr. Windsor and Mr. York. Then came the corpse with her picture lying over her, covered with cloth of gold, the cross silver. Then followed Mr. —— with the chief mourners. And then ladies riding, all in black trailed to the ground. In the chariot, wherein the Queen lay, rode the pages of honour with banners in their hands. Afore the corpse, her chapel, and after, all the monks, and after them the bishops in order. And all in this equipage passed by Charing Cross to Westminster Abbey, where at the great doors of the church, everybody alighted off their horses. Then were gentlemen ready to take the Queen out of her chariot: and so earls and lords went before her towards the hearse,[700] with her picture borne between men of worship. At the church door, met her four bishops and the abbot, mitred, in copes, censing the body; and so she lay all night under the hearse with watch. Item. There were an hundred poor men in good black gowns, bearing long torches, with hoods on their heads, and arms on them. And about her the guard, bearing staff-torches, in black coats. And all the way chandlers, having torches to supply them that had their torches burnt out.”[701]
The next day, being the 13th December, a Mass of Requiem was sung, and Dr. White, Bishop of Winchester, preached the funeral sermon. Mary had been dead nearly a month, and by this time it required some courage to speak of her in terms of praise, affection or gratitude. “For such offenses as he committed in his sermon at the funeralles of the late Queen,”[702] Dr. White was ordered to keep his house during the Queen’s pleasure. The sting lay in the eulogy contained in the following fragments of his discourse:—
“She was a King’s daughter, she was a King’s sister, she was a King’s wife. She was a Queen, and by the same title a King also: she was sister to her, that by the like title and right, is both King and Queen at this present of this realm. These be great gifts and benefactions of God; who in his gifts is ever to be glorified. What she suffered in each of these degrees before and since she came to the crown I will not chronicle; only this I say, howsoever it pleased God to will her patience to be exercised in the world, she had in all estates, the fear of God in her heart. I verily believe the poorest creature in all this city feared not God more than she did. She had the love, commendation and admiration of all the world.... She was never unmindful or uncareful of her promise to her realm. She used singular mercy towards offenders. She used much pity and compassion towards the poor and oppressed. She used clemency among her nobles. She restored more noble houses decayed than ever did prince of this realm, or I pray God ever shall have the like occasion to do hereafter. She restored to the Church such ornaments as in the time of schism were taken away and spoiled. She found the realm poisoned with heresy, and purged it, and remembering herself to be a member of Christ’s Church, refused to write herself head thereof.... Such was her knowledge as well as virtue; neither was there ever prince on earth that had more of both. But although she were such a one yet could she not be immortal. It pleased God, in whose hands the heart and breath, the life and death, the beginning and end of princes is, to call her from this mortal life, of the pleasures whereof (the pleasure that she took in the service of God only excepted) as no person than her, I suppose, took less, so of troubles and bitterness of the same none here for his estate taketh more.”
After giving an account of her preparation for death, and of her last moments, the preacher went on to say that, having received the blessing of the Church, “she bowed down her head and withal yielded a mild and gracious spirit into the hands of her Maker. All this I say,” he added, “if it were as pithily expressed, as she godly and devoutly did it, should be to you as it was to them that saw it, more than ten such sermons. If angels were mortal, I would rather liken this her departure to the death of an angel, than of a mortal creature. After this sort died this gracious Queen, of whom we may justly say, Laudavi mortuam magis quam viventem, and although we doubt not of her estate, yet because it is temerity to pronounce of God’s secret judgments, or to deny prayer, to deny to one which is due to all, let us again commend her soul to God, wishing to her as Tertullian teacheth refrigerium et in prima resurrectione consortium. Which prayer if it relieve not her, as one that with God’s grace and mercy hath the effect thereof already, yet shall it help us the rather before God, from whom the prayer of the faithful is never turned back or in vain.
“And as we for our parts have received worthily detriment and discomfort upon her departing, so let us comfort ourselves in the other sister, whom God hath left, wishing her a prosperous reign, in peace and tranquillity, with the blessing which the prophet speaketh of, if it be God’s will ut videat filios filiorum et pacem super Israel, ever confessing that, though God hath mercifully provided for them both, yet Mariam optimam partem elegit; because it is still a conclusion Laudavi mortuos magis quam viventes.”[703]