On the 24th, the officers of Mary’s household appeared duly before the Lords, and in the words of the minutes of the Privy Council, “declared unto their Lordships that upon Saturday the 15th of this present, they arrived at Copped-hall somewhat before night, by reason whereof they did not the same night execute their charge committed to them at Hampton Court, the 14th of this present. The Sunday following, being the 16th of this present, because they understood that her Grace received the Sacrament, for so they termed it, they did abstain to deliver their letters before noon, considering that the same would trouble and disquiet her so as after dinner, taking commodity to deliver their letters, after that her Grace had read them, they made offer to her to declare what charge they had received of the Lords to execute, praying her Grace to be contented to hear the same. Whereunto her Grace made answer, that she knew right well that their commission was agreeing with such matter as was contained in her letters, and that therefore they need not to rehearse the same, howbeit they pressing her Grace, she was finally content to hear them. And when they had said, she seemed to be marvellously offended with them, and charged them that they should not declare that same they had in charge to say, neither to her chaplains nor family, which if they did, besides that they should not take her hereafter for their mistress, she would immediately depart out of the house. Upon this, the said Rochester, Inglesfeld (sic) and Walgrave said to the Lords that forasmuch as she oftentimes altered her colour, and seemed to be passioned and unquiet, they forbare to trouble her any further, fearing that the troubling of her might perchance bring her to her old disease, and besought her to consider the matter with herself, and pause thereupon against Wednesday next, when they would wait on her Grace, and know her further pleasure; which they said they did, hoping to have found her then, upon more ripe deliberation, and debating of the matter with herself, more conformable. And in the meantime, they forbare also to declare to her chaplains and household the charge they had received. But replying to her Grace, the Wednesday, being the xxth of this present, they did not only not find her conformable, but in further choler than she was before, utterly forbidding them to make declaration of their said charge and commission to her chaplains and household; adding that where she and her household were in quiet, if they would by any means disturb her and them, if any inconvenience did ensue thereof to her or them she would erect it to the said Rochester, Inglefeld and Walgrave, which thing considered, they thought it better to return without doing their commission, and declare thus much to their Lordships, without meddling any further, than to proceed in the execution of their charge before they had advertised their Lordships of the premisses.”[280]
They brought with them Mary’s letters of the 19th, addressed to the King, and the next day were again summoned to receive a sharp rebuke for having “troubled her Grace” with delivering their message to her, contrary to the directions given to them, and for doing nothing in regard to the prohibition to her chaplains and household. They were then each commanded separately, to return and do the business required of them. But this they one and all refused to do, Rochester and Waldegrave saying that they would rather endure any punishment, and Sir Francis Inglefield declaring that he could find it neither in his heart nor his conscience to do so. They were therefore dismissed, with orders to be in readiness to appear, whenever their Lordships should summon them, until such time as they should know their further pleasure. Meanwhile, the Lord Chancellor Rich, Sir William Petre, one of the secretaries, and Sir Anthony Wingfield, Comptroller of his Majesty’s Household, repaired to Copt Hall, taking with them “a trusty skylfull man” who, it was intended, should for the time being replace Rochester in the management of Mary’s household. The following is their own account of their proceedings:—
“Windsor, 29th August 1551. First having received commandment and instructions from the King’s Majesty, we repaired to the said Lady Mary’s house at Copthall in Essex, on Friday last, being the 28th of this instant, in the morning, where, shortly after our coming, I, the Lord Chancellor delivered his Majesty’s letters unto her, which she received upon her knees, saying that for the honour of the King’s Majesty’s hand, wherewith the said letters were signed, she would kiss the letters, and not for the matter contained in them, for the matter (said she) I take to proceed not from his Majesty, but from you of the Council. In the reading of the letter, which she did read secretly to herself, she said these words in our hearing—’Ah! good Mr. Cecil took much pain here’. When she had read the letters, we began to open the matter of our instructions unto her. And as I, the Lord Chancellor began, she prayed me to be short, for (said she) I am not well at ease; and I will make you a short answer, notwithstanding that I have already declared and written my mind to his Majesty plainly, with my own hand.
“After this, we told her at good length, how the King’s Majesty, having used all the gentle means and exhortations that he might, to have reduced her to the rights of religion and order of Divine Service set forth by the laws of the realm, and finding her nothing conformable, but still remaining in her former error, had resolved, by the whole estate of his Majesty’s Privy Council, and with the consent of divers others of the nobility, that she should no longer use the private Mass, nor any other Divine Service than is set forth by the laws of the realm; and here we offered to show her the names of all those that were present at this consultation and resolution; but she said she cared not for any rehearsal of their names, for (said she) I know you be all of one sort therein. We told her further, that the King’s Majesty’s pleasure was, that we should also give strait charge to her chaplains and servants, that none of them should presume to say any Mass or other Divine Service than is set forth by the laws of the realm, and like charge to all her servants that none of them should presume to hear any Mass or other Divine Service than is aforesaid. Hereunto her answer was this: First, she protested that to the King’s Majesty she was, is, and ever will be, his most humble and most obedient subject and poor sister, and would most willingly obey all his commandments in anything (her conscience saved)—yea and would willingly and gladly suffer death, to do his Majesty good; but rather than she will agree to use any other service than was used at the death of the late King, her father, she would lay her head on a block and suffer death; but (said she) I am unworthy to suffer death in so good a quarrel. When the King’s Majesty (said she) shall come to such years that he may be able to judge these things himself, his Majesty shall find me ready to obey his orders in religion; but now in these years, although he, good, sweet King, have more knowledge than any other of his years, yet is it not possible that he can be a judge in these things. For if ships were to be sent to the seas, or any other thing to be done, touching the policy of the government of the realm, I am sure you would not think his Highness yet able to consider what were to be done, and much less (said she) can he in these days discern what is fittest in matters of divinity. And if my chaplains do say no Mass, I can hear none, no more can my poor servants, but as for my servants, I know it shall be against their wills, as it shall be against mine, for if they could come where it were said, they would hear it with good-will. And as for my priests, they know what they have to do. The pain of your laws is but imprisonment for a short time, and if they will refuse to say Mass for fear of that imprisonment, they may do therein as they will, but none of your new service (said she) shall be used in my house, and if any be said in it, I will not tarry in the house.”
They then went on to blame Rochester and the others for not executing the orders of the Council, upon which Mary replied that “it was not the wisest counsel to appoint her servants to control her in her own house, and if they refused to do the message unto her and her chaplains and servants as aforesaid, they be (said she) the honester men, for they should have spoken against their own consciences”.
The promise to the Emperor was then discussed.
“I have (quoth she) the Emperor’s hand, testifying that this promise was made, which I believe better than you all of the Council; and though you esteem little the Emperor, yet should you show more favour to me for my father’s sake, who made the more part of you, almost of nothing. But as for the Emperor (said she), if he were dead I would say as I do, and if he would give me now other advice, I would not follow it, notwithstanding (quoth she) to be plain with you, his ambassador shall know how I am used at your hands. After this we opened the King’s Majesty’s pleasure, for one to attend on her Grace for the supply of Rochester’s place during his absence. To this her answer was that she would appoint her own officers, and that she had years sufficient for that purpose, and if we left any such man she would go out of her gates, for they two would not dwell in one house. And (quoth she) I am sickly, and yet I would not die willingly, but will do the best I can to preserve my life; but if I shall chance to die, I will protest openly that you of the Council be the causes of my death; you give me fair words, but your deeds be always ill towards me. And having said this, she departed from us into her bedchamber, and delivered to me, the Lord Chancellor a ring, upon her knees, most humbly, with very humble recommendations, saying that she would die his true subject and sister, and obey his commandments in all things, except in this matter of religion, touching the Mass and the new Service, but yet said she this shall never be told to the King’s Majesty. After her departing, we called the chaplains, and the rest of the household before us, giving them strait commandment upon pain of their allegiance, that neither the priests should from henceforth say any Mass or other Divine Service than that which is set forth by the laws of the realm, nor that they the residue of the servants should presume to hear any. The chaplains after some talk, promised all to obey the King’s Majesty’s commandment signified by us.”
Each one was ordered on his allegiance, to inform the Council if this command were disobeyed, and when after some time, the commissioners were waiting outside the house for one of the chaplains who had not been present when the charge was given, they go on to say that, “the Lady Mary’s Grace sent to us to speak with her one word at a window. When we were come into the court, notwithstanding that we offered to come up to her chamber, she would needs speak out of the window, and prayed us to speak to the Lords of the Council, that her comptroller might shortly return, for said she sythens his departing I take the account myself of my expenses, and learn how many loaves of bread be made of a bushel of wheat, and ye wis my father and my mother never brought me up with baking and brewing, and to be plain with you, I am weary of mine office, and therefore, if my Lords will send my officer home, they shall do me pleasure, otherwise if they will send him to prison, I beshrew him if he go not to it merrily, and with a good-will. And I pray God to send you to do well in your souls and bodies too, for some of you have but weak bodies.”[281]
Instead of granting this last request, the Council committed the three officers, Rochester, Waldegrave and Inglefield to the Tower, where they remained till the 18th March 1552, and a month later, the same Lords addressed letters to the Lady Mary’s Grace, that her servants be sent unto her according to her desire. By that time, another wave had swept over Mary’s destiny. For some reason that has never been apparent, the King’s counsellors changed their tactics, and the Princess was henceforth allowed to practise her religion in peace. Edward’s health was rapidly declining, and the bold design of the Duke of Northumberland to set aside her rights, and annul her father’s will, had not yet been framed. It might, therefore, have been judged prudent, somewhat to conciliate one who stood so near the throne, and who might soon be called upon to mount it. Moreover, in 1550, Sir John Masone informed the Council that the Emperor had serious thoughts of carrying her off, and in 1551 we find that certain pinnaces were prepared for her secret transport over sea.[282]