in her rooms for a week, and never once saw the queen. At length, late
one night, she was bidden to Mary's room, and there they had a long
talk. Elizabeth was most careful to do and say nothing to vex her
sister, and seems to have succeeded, for she stayed as a welcome guest
in the palace for some months, taking part in all the amusements, and
receiving, not at all unwillingly, the attentions of prince Philibert of
Savoy, though she never meant to marry him. With Philip she appears to
have been on the most friendly terms, and at a great tournament held
just after Christmas she occupied a place next him and the queen.
Altogether, as the fears for her own safety gradually melted away, she
greatly enjoyed herself, and pleased Mary by sometimes attending the
services in her own private chapel, decked out, we are told on one
occasion, in white satin and pearls. Early in the spring Elizabeth
returned to Woodstock, bearing with her a splendid diamond, worth four
thousand ducats, the gift of her brother-in-law.
But no sooner had she gone back to Woodstock than rumours of another
plot spread abroad, and as usual Elizabeth was supposed to be concerned
in it. It does not seem at all likely that the accusation was true, but
Mary thought it safer to have her under her own eye, and sent for her a
second time to the palace. Elizabeth must have satisfied her to some
extent that she was guiltless in the matter, for Mary gave her a
beautiful ring, worth seven hundred crowns, and allowed her to go to
Hatfield, though she placed with her, as some check on her actions, one
sir Thomas Pope, with whom Elizabeth lived very pleasantly.
---------------------
The story of the next three years is much the same: repeatedly plots
were discovered, and in all of them Elizabeth was accused of taking
part—probably quite falsely. Still, it was natural that the queen
should be rather suspicious of her, though she often invited her to
court, and Elizabeth did her best to set her mind at ease by frequently
attending Mass in her company. Indeed, she was the less likely to be
engaged in any schemes against her sister as it was quite plain that
Mary's life was fast drawing to an end. When free to follow her own way
the princess buried herself in books, reading Demosthenes at Hatfield
with Roger Ascham, besides studying Italian under Castiglione. They all
write enthusiastically of her cleverness, but when Castiglione remarks
that she had not only 'a singular wit,' but a 'marvellous meek stomach,'
we feel either how great was Elizabeth's power of deceiving—or how bad
was her judgment.
During these three years also suitors were frequent, and among them her
old lover, Philibert of Savoy, was the most pressing. Courtenay, to whom
she had for political reasons once betrothed herself, had died in exile
at Pavia, so, as far as she herself went, Elizabeth was free to marry
whom she chose; but though all her life she liked the excitement and
attentions which went hand in hand with a marriage, when it came to the
point she could not make up her mind to forfeit her liberty. It was also
clear to her that if, during Mary's lifetime, she took a foreign
husband, and went to live abroad, her chance of sitting on the throne of
England was gone for ever.
At this period Elizabeth made up for the 'Seven Lean Years' of her
Puritanical garments by clothing herself and her suite in the most
splendid of raiment, for which she constantly ran into debt. During the
last year of Mary's reign she was constantly in and about London, and
once we have notice of a visit of the queen herself to Hatfield, when
the choir boys of St. Paul's sang and Elizabeth played on the virginals.
Soon, however, the queen was too weak for any such journeys. Philip was
away, engaged in the war between France and Spain, and Mary remained at
home, to struggle with her difficulties as best she might. She knew
quite well she had not long to live, and declared Elizabeth her
successor, entrusting to her maid of honour, Jane Dormer, the crown
jewels, which were to be delivered to the princess. To these she added
three petitions: that Elizabeth would be kind to her servants; that she
would pay her sister's private debts, and that she would support the old
faith, now established by law; which, of course, Elizabeth could not do,
or her throne would have been instantly forfeit. Then Mary died, knowing
that she had failed in all she had attempted; and, amidst the welcoming
shouts of the English people, the Elizabeth whom you all know was
proclaimed queen.
FINIS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transcriber's Notes:
Punctuation errors repaired. Varied accents were retained except as
noted. For example, Schönbrunn castle is spelled this way in "His
Majesty the King of Rome" and as Schönbrünn in "Une Reine Malheureuse."
Page x, "Naploeon" changed to "Napoleon" (Even Napoleon himself)
Page 55, "directy" changed to "directly" (and directly after he added)
Page 99, "chateâu" changed to "château" (the château of Fontainebleau)
Page 112, "perect" changed to "perfect" (she had perfect freedom)
Page 137, "familar" changed to "familiar" (as familiar to her)
Page 146, "enbroidered" changed to "embroidered" (scarlet liveries
embroidered)
Page 188, "deliever" changed to "deliver" (I deliver it to you)
Page 194, "Stanelys" changed to "Stanleys" (The Stanleys all agreed)
Page 204, "litttle" changed to "little" (when the little duke)
Page 211, "Normany" changed to "Normandy" (of Normandy as a bribe)
Page 250, "Antionette" changed to "Antoinette" (Marie Antoinette
remarked one)
Page 259, "fetes" changed to "fêtes" (series of _fêtes_)
Page 307, repeated word "was was" changed to "who was" (who was waiting
with)
Page 345, "wadrobes" changed to "wardrobes" (discovered in her
wardrobes)