H. C. Bailey

“ But she is contracted to marry Philip of Spain——”
“Marry, sir?” He peered at her face, but could not see it in the gloom. Her voice was changed. “She is something old to marry—and if she should marry, why, she is old.”
“I know she is contracted to marry him. She may rear a brood of Spanish snakes that will suck the life blood out of England. And though she die childless, if Philip once may get his teeth in England's flesh, will he let go? You know the Spaniard better. ”

“ God's body, are you to be lord of life and death in England? Get you gone! Get you gone, I say! Seek me not again till you have learnt that I am Queen.” She started up, shouting at him like a man. She would hear nothing from him or Gardiner. She drove them out.
Fate and their enemies served them better than they served themselves. While they were torturing their wits to find a fairer reason for Elizabeth's murder, Sir Francis Wyatt put the torch to his revolt. He raised his banner at Rochester, he seized the Queen's ships in the Medway and all Kent rose in arms. Gardiner was well content. ”

“ Wyatt's proclamations had no word of Elizabeth. He declared himself the champion of England against Spain and Rome, but he said nothing against Queen Mary, nor yet for any new Queen or King.
But Wyatt was adequately alarming. He marched upon London by Dartford and Greenwich with an army of thousands. Renard was in a panic for his skin. Mary was all that Gardiner desired. She bore herself boldly, and in private she swore that she would have a rich revenge on all traitors which should make England sleep quiet for a generation. ”

“ His master of ordnance, one Captain Coffin, had sent him some strange news of the fleet.
To the amazement of them both came the Earl of Sussex, with his scarred brow drawn and his soldierly bark: “Madam, you must to the Tower. The Queen's pleasure. A barge waits, and you must go with the tide, which tarries for no one.”
Elizabeth answered him haughtily. He must be blundering. She had but just seen her good sister, who was—— Sussex showed her the warrant in the Queen's hand. She lost her temper; she had been so sure that Mary was conquered. “Here are the practices of my enemies!” she cried. ”

“ She cried out: “God prevent us, God prevent us. You have too many meanings for me, my lord. As for you, madam, we shall commit you to the care of my Lord Admiral, where, as you shall find no subtleties, you shall need none.”
Elizabeth curtsied to the ground. “I humbly thank your Majesty. I desire no more than to be in the charge of an honest, faithful servant of your crown.”
Mary stared at her doubt and dislike, and Gardiner began to whisper: “If I might be private with you, madam——”
“Why, no!” ”

“ If she threatened fire against all who were not of her taste in religion England was like to breed many traitors to her rule, and wise folks must choose to be of the traitors' side. And if Wyatt, the earnest man, were right about the Spanish marriage, Elizabeth saw no chance for herself but in treason and revolt. Philip of Spain, once wedded to Mary, would not lightly loose his grip on the sceptre of England. Even if Mary bore him no children, even if she died soon, he would have no mind to give place to Elizabeth. ”

“ Courtenay looked incredulous a moment and then gave a silly, giggling laugh. “Why, then you are very welcome, reverend father.”
The chaplain shook his head and muttered something properly pious. “My son, it is not unknown to you that suspicion rests upon you because it is thought you have imagined treason in concert with the Lady Elizabeth. I come as your friend. Whether you have meditated folly with her I neither know nor desire to know. But as the servant of God I would not see you cut off in your youth. ”

“ Mary's pale eyes flashed. “How, my lord? What guard, then, do your knaves keep?”
“Good enough and wary enough. They watched Courtenay steal from his chamber and watched. whither he would go. When it was seen he would be at Madam Elizabeth they hurried to me as I to you, choosing to catch the traitors with their confederacy patent. Are you pleased to doubt? By my faith, madam, you will doubt yourself to death.”
“She dares!” Mary muttered in her deep man's voice.
“Dares!” Gardiner laughed. “What would the wench not dare with so pretty a man? Treason with such a paramour were a feast. ”

“ All this while the Admiral deserves the pity due to a virtuous man embarrassed with the necessity of doing something important. To save England from the dominion of Spain it was plainly his duty to keep Elizabeth alive. He had let news of her danger pass to the fleet. He had carefully reported the angry, mutinous murmurs of the fleet to the Queen. But the Queen made it not matter for fear or warning but rage.
To his perplexities was announced Captain Coffin, the master of ordnance. The Admiral was nervous. “What brings you, man? What news from Portsmouth?” ”

“ Captain Coffin began to look cunning. “She is slow on the helm is Madam Queen. Would you say now this Spanish marriage is a match?”
The Admiral gave a rueful laugh and fumbled amongst his papers. “Here is an order that we sail to Flanders to make a convoy for the Prince of Spain.”
Captain Coffin's face set like a plump mask. “And very pretty company for we, to be sure,” said he. “But, O Lord, O Lord, if we be to take a Prince of Spain we must have more ordnance. We be so light in our metal, the Frenchys o' Dunkirk could eat mun alive. But there's very pretty ordnance to the Tower, my lord. ”

“ Captain Coffin saluted again. “I be come having rid till I am as raw as beef, saving your Majesty's presence, forasmuch as the fleet is in a naughty temper. They do swear that while Madam Elizabeth is in prison they will not have e'er a Spaniard land. They'm making ready to sail to hold the narrow seas against mun, and do swear that if they do catch mun they will sell him to the Frenchys. For they do hold in their follies that 'tis by my lord of Spain's ill will King Harry's daughter is endangered.” ”

“ It is a fortunate life to know nothing.” He laughed. “You—know nothing, you remember. Madam, I give you good-night.” He turned away. The warders were at the gate. He stayed a moment bidding good-night to the flowers. ”