The History of the Life Reign and Death of Queen Elizabeth, History (1 of 2)
THE HISTORY OF THE Life, and Glorious Reign OF Queen ELIZABETH.
ELizabeth, the youngest Daughter of King Henry the Eighth, was born at Greenwich on the 7th day of September 1533. Her Mother being Queen Anne Bollen, the Eldest Daughter of Thomas Bollen Earl of Wiltshire, and of Elizabeth his Wife, one of the Daughters of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk, and Earl Marshal of England. Now Anne Bollen, in her tender years, attending on Mary the French Queen, to the Court of France, was, after that Queens return, placed in the Retinue of the Dutchess of Alanzon, where she got, in perfection, both the French Language and Air. She so abounded in all the Gifts of Nature, that she became the most celebrated Beauty of that Court; and returned to her own Countrey, with all those Advantages that the French Breeding can add to an English Beauty. Whereupon, being admitted amongst the Queen's Maids of Honour, at the Age of two and twenty years, King Henry being thirty eight years old, and overcome with the Excellency of her Charms, and the gracefulness of her Behaviour, endeavoured to make her his Wife, in hopes of Issue Male.
Now some time before this Ladie's return from France, King Henry, being, after seventeen years Marriage, something disgusted with the Bigottry, Reservedness, and Spanish Gravity of Queen Katharine, he became very susceptible of the Doubts and Scruples that were insinuated by the Ministers of the French King, concerning the lawfulness of his Marriage with Queen Katharine, his Brother Arthur's Wife. The like being started by those of the Emperour, concerning the Legitimation of the Lady Mary, and all these fomented by Cardinal Wolsey; who being disappointed of the Popedom, and the Archbishoprick of Toledo, both which the Emperour had flattered his hopes with; He resolved to promote a Divorce, for the better effecting his Revenge on the Emperour; and the Measures he had taken with France, by proposing a Match between Henry and that King's Sister, and concluding a League with the French, when they were at the lowest Ebb of Fortune. In consideration of which, the English remitted unto them a Debt of 500000 Crowns, partly accruing by some former Contracts, and partly for the payment of the Forfeiture incurred by Charles the Emperour, with which the French King had charged himself by the Capitulations.
Hereupon, the King maketh it his Request to the Pope, that he would send Delegates into England, to hear and examine this Business: To which end, the Pope appointed the Cardinals, Campeius and Wolsey: But the Pope did privily deliver a Bull to Campeius, wherein, seeming to be favourable to the King's Request, he granted all things, in case it should happen that the Marriage contracted with Queen Katharine were declared Null, and no Marriage. But this Bull was either to be concealed or published, according to the Success of the Emperour's Affairs in Italy. Now were Questions every where started and handled, Whether it were allowed of by God's Law for the Brother to take to Wife the Brother's Widow? and if this were forbidden by the Law of God, whether it might not be made Lawful by the Pope's Dispensation? But when several of the Universities of Christendom, as likewise many of the Learned men of that Age, had asserted such a Marriage to be repugnant to the Sacred Laws of both Testaments, notwithstanding the Pope's Dispensation, the King became daily more charmed with Anne Bollen; which being discovered by Wolsey, it not only cooled his Zeal in promoting the Divorce, but made him endeavour, and procure of the Bishop of Rome, not to confirm the Judgments of the Universities; by reason that Anne Bollen, being extremely addicted to the Doctrine of the Protestants, had conceived a great Aversion against him for his Pride and Ambition. Whereupon the Pope, notwithstanding the Supplications of the Prelates, Nobility, and Clergy of England, for the confirming, by his Apostolical Authority, what the two Universities of this Land, that of Paris, and several others, as well as divers Just and Learned men, had affirmed to be true, and were ready to maintain and defend, as well by Word as Writing; I say, notwithstanding such manifold Assertions, the Cause being prolonged and delayed, both at Rome and in England, without Consideration had to the King's having defended the Apostolick See by his Sword, Pen, Word and Authority, the King grows exasperated at the Court of Rome, and resolves to make way through all Obstacles which might stand betwixt Him and the accomplishment of his Desires; wherefore he first sends back Campeius, an Alien born, then caused Wolsey to be Indicted and Attainted in a … nire; and not long after, by the counsel of Thomas Cromwel, (who …d formerly sollicited the Cardinal's Business i… the Legantine Court) involves the whole Body of the Clergy in the same Crime with him. By the Instigations and … swasions of this man, he requires the Clergy to acknowledge Him for Supreme Head, on Earth, of the Church of England; nor that any new Canons or Constitutions could be made or executed, otherwise than by his Consent and Allowance. Thus, the King, being grown more confident in the Equity and Justice of his Cause, by the Determinations of most of the Universities abroad, and his own Clergy at home, and wanting no Encouragement from the French King, for the promoting of his business; he advanced Anne Bollen to the Honour of Marchioness of Pembroke, took her to Wife, and gave Order for her being inaugurated Queen.
By this Marriage, as we have already said, was born the Lady Elizabeth. And shortly after, the said Marriage contracted with Queen Katharine, was, by the Authority of the Parliament, judged void and incestuous; and this with Queen Anne, lawful, and agreeeable to the Word of God, the Crown to be entayled on the Kings Heirs Males, to be begotten on her Body, and for default o… such Issue, on the Princess Elizabeth; and Queen Katharine's Daughter, the Lady Mary, was declared illegitimate: an Oath was likewise devised in defence of the said Succession, and some Persons executed for the refusal of that Oath. And Pope Paul the Third, designing to renew His Sentence against this Marriage, the States of the Realm, assembled in Parliament, confirmed what the Clergy had before declared, that is, That the King was Supream Head of the Church of England, with all manner of Authority to reform Errors, Heresies, and Abuses in the same. However, She had scarce been fully married three Years, than that, miscarrying of a Son, the King grew extreamly discontented, looking upon it as an Argument of Gods displeasure, as being as much offended at this second Marriage, as he was at the first; And though she used all lawful Arts of Love and Entertainment for the inflaming his Passion, he grew as weary of her gay and merry Humour, as he had been formerly at the Gravity and Reservedness of Katharine. So that falling in love with Jane Ser…, one of the Queens Maids of Honour, and a person of extraordinary Pe…y, He put in practice all the cruel Acts that His Jealousie and Aversion to the present Queen could inspire him with; and at length, to make way for his New Passion, he caused Queen Ann to be brought to her Tryal, as being accused of Adultery and Incest. And being condemned, though she made so good a defence as perswaded all the world of her Innocenee; she went to the Sca… fold with great Chearfulness, Praying most fervently for the King, and asserting her Innocence to the very last.
The King, the very next day after, marryeth Jane Seymour, and causeth a Solemn Instrument to pass under the Seal of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, by which the Marriage with Anne Bollen is declared null and void, and the Lady Elizabeth, the only Issue of this Marriage, to be illegitimate; which Sentence was pronounced at Lambeth on the 17th of May following, in the presence of several of the Principal Ministers, Nobility and Clergy, and was afterwards confirmed by Authority of Parliament.
Queen Jane fell in labour of Pri… Edward, and died presently after the Prince was brought into the World; who was cut out of her Womb, and succeeded his Father in his Kingdom. The King being little concerned at his Wives Death, looks out for New Amours both in France and Italy, that he might thereby procure Friends, and strengthen himself by Alliances. For that he was grown fearful of the Nobility, lest they, who had already influenced several Commotions and Rebellions at home, should likewise joyn with a foreign Enemy; for which reason, he caused several of them to be executed. He likewise put frequently to Death Religious Men, for their stiff and resolute Asserting the Pope's Authority, and causeth the great, as well as he had already done the small Abbeys, to be demolished, and confiscated their Wealth to his own use; which he did by reason of vicious Lives and dissolute Courses they led in those Religious Houses; and he likewise causeth the Protestants to be burned as Hereticks, by a Law called the six Articles, made against those who …mpugned the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, touching Transubstantiation, one …ind of the Eucharist, the unmarried life of Priests, Vows, private Mass, and Auricular Confession. By these means, being grown terrible to his own Subjects, and being looked upon as Tyrannical by Foreigners; he was both rejected by Mary of Lorrain, Daughter to the Duke of Guise, whom he demanded in marriage, and was Rival therein to James King of Sootland, and likewise by Christiana of Denmark, Dutchess of Millain, Neece to Charles the 5th, who declared, That she would willingly give an Arm, but was loth to purchase with her Head the Honour and Happiness of being Queen of England. At length, after much difficulty, he obtained Anne of Cleve to Wife, while he made it his business to acquire the friendship of the Protestants in Germany. But she, far from being charming, was accused of certain Female Weaknesses, and having likewise formerly been betrothed to the Duke of Lorraine's Son; he put her away and married Katharine Howard Daughter to Edmund Howard, and Neece to the Duke of Norfolk: Whom, within a year after, he caused to be beheaded as convicted of Incontinency before Marriage, and took to Wife Katharine Parr, the Daughter of a Knight, whom he left a second time a widow.
And now, finding that the intemperance of his Youth had much decayed his Body, and being inraged against the French, for that they had underhand given Aid to the Scots against the English, he made a League with the Emperour Charles, against the most Christian King, thereupon designing to invade France; and thought convenient to settle first the Succession; to which end, he proposed to the two Houses of Parliament, that if he and his Son Prince Edward should decease without Issue, first the Lady. Mary, and if she should fail of Issue, then the Lady Elizabeth should succeed to the Crown. But in case all these should die without issue, that then the Crown of England should be devolved upon those, whom he should assign it to, either by his Letters Patents, or by his last Will and Testament, which was unanimously agreed to and enacted, upon pain of high Treason. After his re… home from the taking of Bolloign, finding his Exchequer drained by that Expedition, and England distracted through the new Opinions that daily arose, and the People dissatisfied, to see the Wealth of the Land exhausted to so little Advantage; their Ancient Structures demolished, the Blood of the Nobility and others, both Papists and Protestants, promiscuously spilt, and the Countrey incumbred with a Scottish War; taking all these Circumstances to heart, and being grown extraordinary Corpulent, he died of a Virulent Inflammation in his Leg, in the beginning of the Year 1547.
He was succeeded by Prince Edward, his Son, though not fully ten years old, of whose Person the Earl of Hartford, his Unkle, was made Governour, and Protector of the Kingdom, until he should have attained the Age of Eighteen years▪ and as such was proclaimed in all Parts of London. It was under his happy Government, that the English gained a great Victory over the Scots, whilst they were demanding, with Sword in hand, the performance of a Treaty touching a Match between King Edward and Mary Queen of Scotland; the severe Law of the Si… Articles, and others, were repealed, that were made by Henry the Eighth against the Protestants; those for abolishing the Pope's Authority, are confirmed, the Mass is abrogated, Images are taken out of Churches, the Books of both Testaments printed in English, Divine Service celebrated in the same Tongue, and both kinds ministred in the Sacraments. At which, the Romanists being inraged, they put in practise all their Arts for the making a stop to such fair beginnings, caused Dissention to be sowed amongst the Nobility, and thereby the loss of several considerable Places both in France and Scotland, promoted Tumults, Factions, debasing of Money, and all other things that might stir up the People to Rebellion, procured the Protector to be accused, condemned, and beheaded, for Felony, and at length removed the King himself, by an untimely Death, whether by Poyson or otherwise is uncertain, apprehending and hating him for his extraordinary Virtues, which much surpassed what could have been expected from his tender years.
During these sad Occurrences, the Duke of Northumberland, being …ound by the Papists to be the fittest Instrument for the effecting their Designs, as being of their own Religion, under a Protestant Mask, they made Use of him for the bringing about their Ends, by sowing Distraction in the Nation, by setting the Protector and his Brother Thomas Seymour at variance, which he effected, through a Female Emulation between the Dutchess of Somerset, the Protector's Wife, and the Queen Dowager, the Wife of Thomas. And amongst other Articles of High Treason that were laid to Thomas his charge, was that of intending to seize the King, and of taking the Lady Elizabeth, the King's Sister, to Wife. But she, being wholly ignorant of this business, and freeing her self from all suspicion, and advancing towards a mature Age, she was not onelyonly extremely beloved by the King her Brother (who never call'd her by any other Name than his sweet Sister Temperance) but likewise by the Nobility, and the whole Nation in general.
King Edward, by the Practices of the Duke of Northumberland, having declared the Lady Jane Gray for his Successor, she was immediately after his Decease publickly proclaimed Queen of England: and for the maintaining her in that Degree, pretensions were put forward; as first, the Invalidity of the Lady Mary's and Elizabeth's Mother's Marriage; both being made void by Legal Sentences of Divorce, and those Divorces ratified by Acts of Parliament, which Acts of the Lady Mary's and Lady Elizabeth's Illegitimation, were never duely repealed: (Notwithstanding that the King their Father had by the same Act declared, that they should succeed in order after Edward the Sixth, in case he failed of Issue.) Secondly, It was pretended, that these two Sisters, being but of half Blood to the Deceased King, (admitting them to have been born in lawful Wedlock) were not in a capacity by the Common Law to be Heirs unto him, or to succeed in any part of that Inheritance, which came ununto him by his Father. Now the Lady Jane's Mother, being the Lady Frances, Daughter, and one of the Co-heirs of Charles Brandon, the late Duke of Suffolk, by Mary his Wife, Queen Dowager to Lewis the Twelfth of France, and youngest Daughter to King Henry the Seventh, Grand-father to King Edward, now deceased: Now, I say, the Lady Frances, her Mother, might seem both by the Law of Nature and the Right of Succession, to have precedency in Title before her; yet she received no injury, because she was willing to pass by all her personal Claims for the Preferment of her Daughter. It was also given out, that Henry the Eighth, by his last Will and Testament, conveyed the Title of the Crown to the Lady Jane Gray: and moreover, Politick Reasons and Pretexts were used, as that there was an unavoidable danger of reducing this Kingdom under the Vassalage and Servitude of the Bishop of Rome, in case either of the King's two Sisters should marry with a Foreign Prince of that Religion, or otherwise of themselves revoke the Bishop of Rome's Authority, and subject the English to a Popish Yoke.
But, through the extraordinary Affection the Nobility and Commons had for the Daughters of King Henry the 8th, this great Storm was dispersed within the space of twenty dayes, to the fatal End of the Duke of Northumberland, and the Lady Jane: and the Lady Mary was proclaimed Queen throughout all England. And at her coming to London with an Army, the Lady Elizabeth met her with five hundred Horse, (notwithstanding the offers that had been made her by the Duke, of a vast Sum of money, and certain Lands, if she would resign her Title to the Crown) lest she should fail her Sister's, and her own Cause, which was then in hand.
Queen Mary caused, in the first Parliament that she held, all those Acts to be repealed, that had been made against the Marriage of Queen Katharine, her Mother, and King Henry the 8th, and the Marriage was judged to be agreeable to the Laws of God, and to all intents valid and available. The same Form also of Religion, and Service of God, and Administration of the Sacraments, which had been in use at the Death of Henry the 8th, were re-established; however, without any acknowledgment or mention at all of the Pope's Authority; notwithstanding all the Efforts of the Queen and Cardinal Pool: for the Parliament were very unwilling to admit and acknowledge the Authority of the Bishop of Rome, which was now shaken off. Neither would they suffer that the Queen should lay down the Title of Supream Head of the Church of England, unto which most of the Nobility, Bishops, and Commons, had sworn to Henry the 8th, his Heirs and Successors. But the Queen was very desirous to lay down this Title, as believing that her Pretensions to the Crown had no better Foundation than the Authority of the Bishop of Rome; who had maintained her Cause, after that her father had procured her to be declared Illegitimate. And indeed, at this time, the apprehensions of the English were so great of Popery, and of being inslaved by it's means, and by the Match that was concluded with Phillip, to the Yoke of Spain, as that it caused some to break out into Rebellion, as Wyat and others.
But notwithstanding the Papists had got their will, by procuring, after much opposition, the Roman Religion to be established in the Kingdom, by authority of Parliament, and those Acts to be repealed that had been made against the See of Rome, in the time of Henry the 8th, and Edward the sixth; yet there being no Issue to be expected from the Queen, seeing she was fourty Years old, Weak and Infirm, they stood in fear of the Lady Elizabeth, who had gained the hearts of all the Nation, by her Loyal and Prudent Conduct, being the Admiration of her Age, both for her Beauty, and the Qualities of her Mind, and was so indefatigable in Study, that before she had attained to the Age of Seventeen Years, she had acquired, to Perfection, both Greek, Latin, and other ancient Languages, and French, Italian, and other Modern Tongues; and had likewise gained all other Accomplishments that are necessary to the composing a Perfect Princess. Thus, being looked upon as a Miracle of Learning and Prudence, as well by Foreigners as the English, the Papists were sensible, how much it was their Interest to remove out of the way, a Princess, who seemed threatning the Fall of their Superstitions here in England; they used all their Arts to dispose Queen Mary to take away her Life; which the Queen refused to do, notwithstanding they would have perswaded her, that she was obliged to do every thing, though never so unjust, that was requisite and necessary for the promoting and settling the Catholick Religion. And Sir Thomas Wyat, Sir Peter Carew, and others, having stirred up some Commotions, the Papists, most maliciously, set Rumours on Foot, that the Lady Elizabeth did countenance, and was privy to, those Tumults, and that she was to be marryed to the Earl of Devonshire. Hereupon, they caused her to be put into Prison, and notwithstanding, they would have forced several of the Tumultuaries, by Torture, to have declared her Accessory to their Rising; yet, the Rack was not able to make them wrong her Innocence; and, such as had seemingly accused her, in hopes of Advantage, cleared her at the time of their Execution.
But, the Papists having got that Princess into Prison, they were so far from putting an End to their Persecutions, notwithstanding her Innocence, that they used her with all the Barbarity imaginable: Insomuch, that the French and Danish Kings thought it convenient to comfort her, by making her great Offers, Promises of▪ doing all that lay in their Power, in her Behalf. But this did but the more inflame the Rage of her Popish Enemies, who were resolved to take away her Life, either by accusing her of High Treason, or of Heresie; Hereupon, they forced her to hear Divine Service, after their Superstitious manner, and to go likewise to Confession; yet, Cardinal Pool, Bonner, and others of the Bishops, were not satisfied with this severe and cruel Treatment, but declared, that it was requisite she should dye, for the Security of the Catholick Religion; insomuch, that this harsh Usage moved the Spamard himself to pitty, and King Philip, Queen Mary's Husband, interceeded in her Favour, and admiring her extraordinary Virtues, would have marryed her to his Son Charles, or, as others say, designed her for himself, maugre the different Principles of Religion. And, for this Reason, he broke off the Proposals that were made for the marrying her to Emanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy. However, he was not able to gain her for his Son, finding, that the People of England would never permit, that the next Heir of the Crown should be sent out of the Kingdom. In the mean time, Queen Mary's Hatred daily increasing against her Sister Elizabeth, this Lady's Ruine must have been certain, had not it pleased God to divert the thoughts of it, by the War that Queen Mary declared against France, in favour of her Husband Philip.
During this War, and the Scots Excursions into England, Calice, and several other considerable Places being lost, and the Queen finding her self neglected, laid all these things so to heart, and having lain languishing under a Tympany and six Months Fever, which then raged over all the Land, she departed this Life on the 17th of November 1558. having reigned five Years and four Months.
During her Reign, there are said to have perished by the Flames, five Bishops, twenty one Divines, eight Gentlemen, eighty four Artificers, one hundred Husbandmen, Servants and Labourers, twenty six Wives, twenty Widows, nine Virgins, two Boyes, and two Infants, the one springing out of the Mothers Womb, as she was at the Stake, and most inhumanely flung into the Fire in the very Birth▪ Besides several others that were whippe… to death, perished in Prisons, and others that were condemned for their Faith, and lay ready for Execution, if they had not been delivered by the seasonable Death of Queen Mary, and the auspicious Entrance of Queen Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, the onelyonly Child then living of King Henry the Eighth, succeeded her Sister in the Throne, on the 17th of November 1558. And a Parliament having been convened some time before Queen Mary's Death, after her Dissolution had been for some hours concealed, the News thereof was carried to the Lords, then sitting in the House of Peers, who, after a short Debate amongst themselves, sent a Message to the Speaker of the House of Commons, desiring him and all the Members of that House to come immediately to them; And they being come, Heath Arch-bishop of York, and Lord Chancellor of England, signified unto them, that the Lord had been pleased to take to his Mercy the late Queen Mary, that by Right of Succession the Crown did belong to the Princess Elizabeth, and that therefore they were desired to concurr in the proclaiming the new Queen, with all possible Expedition; which being unanimously agreed to by the House of Commons she was incontinently proclaimed Queen of England, France, and Ireland, Defendress of the Faith, in the Palace-yard o… Westminster, in the presence of the Lords and Commons, and presently after in Cheap-side, in the presence of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Principal Citizens, with great Acclamations, and extraordinary joy of the People.
It was not long before some of the Lords brought her the News of her Sisters Death, with the General acknowledgment of her just Title to the Crown▪ Whereupon she prepared to remove from Hatfield, where she had been under Consinement, and set forward with a splen… did and Royal Train, for London, being met all along upon the way by the Nobles, Bishops, and crowds of others, to a… whom she made so affable a Reception as confirmed the general Opinion of h… benign Disposition.
The first-Publick Testimony she gave of her Discretion, after her coming … the Crown, being then twenty five … old, was the Choice she made of a Council, picking out such of Queen Mary's Council, as were well known to be able men, and such as were firm Pursuers of the True Interests of the Nation; adding such others, as might moderate and temper them for the Protestant Religion. She likewise caused new Commissions and Instructions to be sent to the several Ambassadors as resided in the Courts of the various Princes and States; but more particularly, her Minister at the Court of Spain, was ordered to represent unto that King, how sensible she was of the Humanities she had received from him, in the time of her Persecution and Troubles. Instructions were likewise dispatched to Sir Edw. Harne, the English Agent at the Court of Rome, to acquaint the Pope with Queen Mary's Death, and her succeeding upon the Throne, with a desire that they might mutually receive all good Offices from one another. But, the Pope's Answer was in the usual rigorous Stile of that Court, That the Kingdom of England was held in Fee of the Apostolick See; that she could not succed, being illegitimate; that he could not contradict the Declaration of Clement the Seventh, and Paul the Third that it was a great Boldness to assume the Name and Government of it, without him yet, being desirous to shew a fatherly Affection, if she will renounce her Pretensions, and refer her self wholly to his free Dispositions, he will do whatsoever may be done with the Honour of the Apostolick See.
But the Queen having made him this Complement, did not think of having any Answer, nor was she much concerned when she had. In the mean time, King Philip, having had notice of Queen Mary, his Wife's Death, he caused his Ambassador the Count of Feria, to propose a Match between Queen Elizabeth and himself, promising to procure a Dispensation from the Court of Rome. These offers put the Queen into great perplexity, as thinking it but an ill return, to reject a Prince who had done her such Kindnesses during her Troubles. And the French King was no less concerned, fearing lest this Kingdom, being again united to the Spaniard, his Dominions must at length have buckled under so great a Power. Wherefore, he used all his Endeavours to put a Stop to the Dispensation at the Court of Rome, and to all the other Places that might be made towards this Match elsewhere. But he might have spared himself these Troubles; for Queen Elizabeth never designed to enter into any such Marriage; well knowing, she would thereby have acknowledged her self to have been born in unlawful Wedlock; and, likewise considering, that the Marriage of a Woman with her deceased Sister's Husband, is prohibited by Sacred Authority, as well as the Marriage of a man with his Brother's Widow, and therefore unlawful, notwithstanding the Pope's Dispensation: wherefore, she putteth off King Philip by degrees, and with all the Civility and Circumstance imaginable. Now many, who were imprisoned upon the Account of Religion, were set at Liberty; at which time, a merry Gentleman of the Court petitioned her in Favour of the Evangelists, who had been so long imprisoned in a Latin Translation, that they might be set at Liberty, and walk abroad as formerly, in the English Tongue. To whom she immediately replyed, in this manner, That he should first endeavour to know the Minds of the Prisoners, who, possibly, desired no such Liberty as was demanded. Now the Queen, being extreamly desirous of promoting the Protestant Religion, she consulted with her most trusty Counsellors, how that Religion might be established, and the Popish abolished, causing all Dangers to be well poised, that might arise on this occasion, and the Means and Expedients that might be used for the preventing and avoiding them. Hereupon, she put into the Principal Courts of Judicature, and Offices of Trust, such Persons as were well known to be of the Protestant Religion, or inclined to it, and did the same in the Commission of the Peace, in every County. The Dangers that might be expected from abroad, were either from the Bishop of Rome, by his Excommunication, and exposing the Kingdom to any Invasion; or, from the French King, who, in such a Juncture, might have broke off the Treaty of Peace at Cambray, and make War upon the English, in Favour of the Queen of Scots, not only as Enemies, but likewise, as they are pleased to call the Protestants as Hereticks, and might have procured Scotland to have done the same, being at that time at his Devotion; or from the Irish, a People extreamly bigotted to Popery, and always very ready to break out into a Rebellion. Now, as for the Thunder-bolts of Rome, they were looked upon as things not at all to be dreaded; but was resolved that in case the French made any offers of a Peace, they were to be accepted; if they did not, then offers were to be made to them, by reason that such a Peace would also comprehend Scotland; but however to stick close to, and give all manner of Aid and Countenance to those of the Reformed Religion both in France and Scotland; that the Garrisons in Ireland and upon the Borders of Scotland should be better manned and fortified, and that the Treaties with the House of Burgundy, should be confirmed, and friendship continued with the Spaniard. And now having provided against all Mischances that might happen from abroad, she proceeded to do all that might conduce towards the advancement and setling of the Protestant Religion at home, by ordering that none should be chosen into any Colledges of both Universities, but Protestants; and that all Roman Catholick Presidents, Heads, and Masters, should be put out and removed, both from thence, and all other Schools of the Land; and for the curbing the rash zeal of both Parties, she caused two Proclamations to be published; by one of which it was commanded, That no man, of what Perswasion soever he was in Points of Religion, should be suffered from thence▪ forward to preach in publick, but only such as should be licensed by her Authority; and that all such as were so licensed or appointed, should forbear preaching upon any Point which was matter of Controversie, and might conduce rather towards the exasperating, than the calming of mens Passions: Which Proclamation was observed with all the care and strictness imaginable. By the other Proclamation, it was ordered, That no Man, of what Quality or Degree soever, should presume to alter any thing in the state of Religion, or innovate in any of the Rites and Ceremonies thereunto belonging; but that all such Rites and Ceremonies should be observed in all Parish Churches of the Kingdom, as were then used and retained in her Majesties Chappel, until …ome further Order should be taken in it. Only, it was permitted, and withal required, That the Litany, the Lords Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, should be said in the English Tongue, and the Epistle and the Gospel, at the time of the High Mass, should be said in English, which was accordingly performed in all the Churches of the Kingdom. She likewise ordered the Divine, who officiated in her Chappel, not to make any Elevation of the Sacrament, for the abolishing the Popish Superstitious manner of adoring it, which she could not endure should be done in her Sight, as being wholly contrary to her Judgment and Conscience. And then she proceeded to the reviewing and correcting of the former Liturgy, which she committed to the Care of several learned, moderate, and judicious Divines and Gentlemen; but, she only acquainted four of the Members of her Privy Council with this Project.
About this time, the Funeral of the Deceased Queen was solemnized with very great state, in the Abby of Westminster, and the like Ceremony was performed within a few days after, for the Death of that Great Emperour Charles the 5th▪ who having two Years before resigned the Empire to his Brother, and all his other vast Dominions to his Son, abandoned all the Grandeurs of this World, and retired into a Monastery, where he wholly devoted himself to God and his Service. But notwithstanding, the State of these Solemnities was extraordinary in it's kind, yet was it far short of the Splendour and Majesty that attended her Coronation. And as a Preparation thereunto, she restored some to their former, and raised others to new Honours: Having performed which, she was Conducted with extraordinary Pomp and Triumph from the Tower, through the City of London to Westminster, with incredible Joy and Acclamations, and behaving her self with so Graceful, Modest, and yet Majestick an Air, that as it caused Tears of Joy to fall from some, so it inspired the Hearts of all, with Prayers and Thanksgivings; but nothing charmed them more than her accepting of an English Bible richly Bound; which was presented to her from one of the Pageants, by a Child representing Truth. At the sight whereof, she kiss'd both her hands, and with both her hands she receiv'd the Book, and then laid it to her Bosom, intimating that it should be the nearest of all things to her heart, being fuller of acknowledgment to the City for that Excellent Present, than for all the rest she had received from them that day in …uch Abundance, and promised to be diligent in the reading of it: By which, and sundry other such like Pious Acts, she perfectly gained the Affections of all the Spectators, and by their means, the Hearts of all her other Subjects.