MARY'S SPEECH TO THE CITIZENS (1553).
The project of the marriage between Mary and Philip of Spain caused profound uneasiness throughout England, and the fear of persecution and the anxiety of the nobles for their possessions brought about a formidable conspiracy. The standard of revolt was raised in many parts of the country, but only Sir Thomas Wyatt achieved any success. He was soon at the head of fifteen hundred Kentish men, and his avowed object was to save England from Spain. A force of soldiers sent against him deserted to his side, and he marched upon London. The situation was saved by Mary's coolness and courage; she showed no signs of fear, refused to take refuge in flight, and addressed the citizens of London assembled in the Guildhall. Her resolute bearing and discreet promises aroused enthusiasm among her hearers, who had heard of Jack Cade, and did not wish to see their city in the hands of an armed mob. Men were hastily enrolled, the drawbridge on London Bridge was raised, and Wyatt was unable to enter the City. He crossed the river at Kingston, but his men began to drop away, and he surrendered at Temple Bar. He was executed shortly afterwards.
This incident, like many others, illustrates the immense importance of London in connection with political affairs; over and over again the destinies of the kingdom have been settled by the attitude of the citizens of London.
Source.—Speed's History, book ix., chap. xxiii.
In my own person I am come unto you, to tell you that which yourselves already do see and know; I mean, the traitorous and seditious number of the Kentish Rebels, that are assembled against us and you. Their pretence, as they say, is to resist a marriage between us and the Prince of Spain. Of all their plots, pretended quarrels and evil-contrived articles, you have been made privy; since which time our Council have resorted to the rebels, demanding the cause of their continued enterprise; by whose answers the marriage is found to be the reason of their quarrel; or rather, a cloak to cover their pretended purposes against our religion; for swerving from their former articles, they now manifestly betray the inward treason of their hearts, most arrogantly demanding the possession of our person, the keeping of our Tower, and not only the placing and displacing of our Counsellors, but also to use them and us at their pleasures: what I am, loving Subjects, you right well know—your Queen, to whom at my Coronation, when I was wedded to the Realm, and to the laws of the same, (the spousal ring whereof I have on my finger, which never hitherto was, nor hereafter shall be left off) ye promised your allegiance and obedience unto me; and that I am the right and true inheritor to the English Crown, I not only take all Christendom to witness, but also your Acts of Parliament confirming the same.
My Father, as you all know, possessed the Regal estate by right of inheritance, which now by the same right, is descended unto me: to him you always shewed yourselves both faithful and loving subjects, as to your liege Lord and King, and therefore I doubt not, but you will shew yourselves so to me his Daughter which if you do, then may you not suffer any rebel to usurp the government of our person, or interpose our estate, especially so presumptuous a traitor as this Wyat hath shewed himself to be; who most certainly, as he hath abused our ignorant subjects to be adherents to his traitorous quarrel, so doth he intend by the colour of the same to subdue the laws to his will, and to give scope to the rascal and forlorn persons, to make general havoc and spoil of your goods.
And this I say further unto you in the word of a Prince, I cannot tell how naturally a mother loveth her children, for I was never the mother of any; but certainly, if a Prince and Governour may as naturally love their subjects, as the mother doth her child, then assure yourselves, that I, being your Sovereign Lady and Queen, do as earnestly and tenderly love and favour you; and I, thus loving you, cannot but think, that you as heartily and faithfully love me again; and so, this love bound together in the knot of concord, we shall be able, I doubt not, to give these rebels a short and speedy overthrow.
Now, as concerning my intended marriage, you shall understand, that I entered not into the Treaty thereof without the advice of our Privy Council, yea, and by the assent of those to whom my Father committed his trust, who have so considered the great commodities that may thereof ensue, as they not only have thought it very honourable, but also expedient both for the wealth of our realm, and also to our loving subjects.
But as touching myself, I assure you, I am not so desirous of wedding, neither am I so precisely wedded to my will, that either for mine own pleasure I will choose where I list, or else so amorous, as needs I must have one; for I thank God, to whom be the praise, I have hitherto lived a Virgin, and doubt not but, with God's grace to be able to live so still.
But if, as my progenitors have done before, it might please God that I might leave some fruit of my body to be your governour, I trust, you would not only rejoice thereat, but also I know, it would be to your great comfort; and certainly, if I either did know or think, that this marriage should either turn to the danger or loss of any of you, my loving subjects, or to the detriment of any part of the Royal estate of the English realm, I would never consent thereunto, neither would I ever marry, whilst I lived; and in the word of a Queen, I promise and assure you, if it shall not probably appear before the nobility and commons in the High Court of Parliament, that this marriage shall be for the singular benefit and commodity of the whole realm, that then I will abstain, not only from this marriage, but also from any other.