During this time, Mary was living, for the most part, in great retirement, at her favourite residence, Beaulieu (New Hall) in Essex, rarely appearing at court, and hoping that by attracting little attention she might be able to practise her religion unmolested. The Mass, although abolished by Act of Parliament, and celebrated only at the risk of pains and penalties, was still said openly in her house. The Statute of Uniformity by which heavy penalties were inflicted on all priests saying Mass, and on every individual who should be found present at Mass, was a formidable weapon in Somerset’s hands. The Protector summoned Mary, in his capacity as head of the Council, to embrace the new form of worship. Her answer was a spirited protest:—
“It is no small grief to me to perceive that they whom the King’s Majesty my father (whose soul God pardon) made in this world of nothing, in respect of that they be come to now, and at this last end, put in trust to see his will performed, whereunto they were all sworn upon a book (it grieveth me I say) for that love I bear to them, to see both how they break his will, what usurped power they take upon them, in making (as they call it) laws, clean contrary to his proceedings and will, and also against the custom of all Christendom, and in my conscience, against the law of God and his Church, which passeth all the rest. But though you among you have forgotten the King my father, yet both God’s commandment and nature will not suffer me to do so, wherefore with God’s help, I will remain an obedient child to his laws as he left them, till such time as the King’s Majesty, my brother shall have perfect years of discretion, to order the power that God hath sent him, to be a judge in these matters himself, and I doubt not, he shall then accept my so doing better than theirs, who have taken a piece of his power upon them in his minority.”[267]
On the 22nd June 1549, she was admonished to send her chaplain and comptroller of her household before the Council, but she replied haughtily that she could not spare her comptroller, and that her chaplain had been sick, that the law made by Parliament was not worth the name of a law, that King Henry’s executors were sworn to his statutes, that her house was her flock, and that she deferred in obedience to King Edward’s laws, till his Majesty were of sufficient years, all of which of course gave great offence. Nevertheless, Edward, in a letter dated August 1549, merely marvelled at his sister’s refusal to conform to the order of Common Prayer lately set forth, and gave a dispensation to the Princess and her household to have private service in her own chamber.[268]
The secret of this forbearance lay in the fact that Mary had appealed to the Emperor, who had threatened war if she were molested, and as the country was already entangled in hostilities with France, Edward’s Council thought it prudent to allow her temporarily to practise the old religion. But as soon as peace was signed, and friendship with the Emperor was less important, messengers were again sent to her, and letters from the King, offering to supply her with teachers, who would instruct her ignorance and refute her errors. The permission to have Mass, granted at the point of the sword, was declared to have been limited to a few months only, and to have included none of her servants. She was again warned “to be conformable and obedient to the observation of his Majesty’s laws, to give order that the Mass should be no more used in her house, and that she would embrace and cause to be celebrated in her said house, the communion and other divine services set forth by his Majesty”.[269]
On the 3rd February 1551, Mary thus wrote to the King:—
“My duty most humbly remembered to your Majesty, please it the same to understand, that I have received your letters by Master Throckmorton this bearer; the contents whereof do more trouble me than any bodily sickness, though it were even to the death; and the rather for that your highness doth charge me to be both a breaker of your laws, and also an encourager of others to do the like. I most humbly beseech your Majesty to think that I never intended towards you otherwise than my duty compelleth me unto; that is to wish your highness all honour and prosperity, for the which I do and daily shall pray. And where as it pleaseth your Majesty to write, that I make a challenge of a promise made otherwise than it was meant, the truth is, the promise could not be denied before your Majesty’s presence, at my last waiting upon the same. And although I confess the ground of faith (whereunto I take reason to be but an handmaid) and my conscience also hath and do agree with the same, yet touching that promise, for so much as it hath pleased your Majesty (God knoweth by whose persuasion) to write ‘it was not so meant’; I shall most humbly desire your Highness to examine the truth thereof indifferently, and either will your Majesty’s ambassador now being with the Emperor, to inquire of the same, if it be your pleasure to have him move it, or else to cause it to be demanded of the Emperor’s ambassador here, although he were not within this realm at that time....
“And albeit your Majesty (God be praised) hath at these years as much understanding and more, than is commonly seen in that age, yet considering you do hear but one part (your Highness not offended) I would be a suitor to the same, that till you were grown to more perfect years, it might stand with your pleasure to stay, in matters touching the soul: so undoubtedly should your Majesty know more, and hear others, and nevertheless be at your liberty, and do your will and pleasure. And whatsoever your Majesty hath conceived of me, either by letters to your council or by their report, I trust in the end to prove myself as true to you as any subject within your realm, and will by no means stand in argument with your Majesty, but in most humble wise beseech you even for God’s sake, to suffer me as your Highness hath done hitherto. It is for no worldly respect I desire it, God is my judge: but rather than to offend my conscience I would desire of God to lose all that I have, and also my life, and nevertheless live and die your humble sister and true subject. Thus, after pardon craved of your Majesty, for my rude and bold writing, I beseech Almighty God to preserve the same in honour, with as long continuance of health and life as ever had noble king. From Beaulieu the third of Feb.
“Your Majesty’s most humble and unworthy sister,
“Marye.”[270]