CHAPTER VII
A SIXTEENTH CENTURY CORONATION
There were several matters concerning which the English people wereeagerly watching to see what the queen would do, but whether hersubjects expected to be pleased or displeased with her deeds, theycould hardly help looking forward with interest to the grand ceremonialof the coronation. Astrology was in vogue, and every nobleman whowished to be in fashion had his horoscope drawn up. When a soldierwas setting out for war or a captain was embarking on some dangerousvoyage, he would go to a reader of the heavens to be told on which dayhe must start in order to have his expedition result prosperously.Queen Elizabeth was a firm believer in the foretelling of destiny bythe stars, and she had especial confidence in an astrologer called Dr.Dee. To him, therefore, she went that he might name a fortunate dayfor the coronation. He named Sunday, January 15, 1559.
It was the custom for the sovereigns to ride through the city of Londonin great state on their way to Westminster, where they were crowned,and Elizabeth's ride was one of the most brilliant ever known. Therewere trumpeters and heralds in glittering armor; there were ladies onhorseback in habits of crimson velvet; there were nobles in silks andsatins and laces, gleaming with gold and sparkling with jewels; therewere long lines of guards in the green and white of the Tudors; and inthe midst of all the splendor was the queen in a gorgeous chariot linedwith the richest crimson velvet.
She bowed, she smiled, she waved her hand, she leaned to one side ofher carriage and then to the other and listened intently to whateverany one wished to say to her, and whether it was the lord chancellor orthe poorest woman in London, each one was sure of a pleasant word and agracious smile from this new sovereign. Gifts were showered upon her.The city of London gave her a crimson satin purse filled with gold andso large that she had to take both hands to lift it. Elizabeth thankedthe citizens and said:--
"To honor my passage through the town you have been at great expense oftreasure, so will I spend not only treasure but the dearest drops of myblood, if need be, for the happiness of my people."
"Your Grace," said a poor woman in humble garb, "I could bring you onlythis bit of rosemary, but there's many a blessing goes with it."
"I thank you heartily," responded the queen. "It shall go with me toWestminster," and it did.
"I can remember fifty years ago when old King Harry was crowned," awhite-haired man called to her. The queen smiled upon him. "May youlive to remember me as long," she responded. Then she bade her chariotbe stopped. "I wish to hear what the child is saying," she said, for apretty little boy was reciting some verses in her praise. "Turn to oneside so I can see his face."
Over several of the streets great arches had been built with variousexhibitions called pageants. One represented a cave, and from it Timewas leading forth his daughter Truth. The young girl who took the partof Truth held in her hand a most beautifully bound English Bible.
"Who is that with the scythe and hourglass?" the queen asked.
"Time," was the answer.
"It is time that has brought me here," she said as if to herself. Thechariot moved slowly on, and when it was almost under the arch, "Truth"let down the volume by a silken cord. Elizabeth took the Bible, kissedit and pressed it to her heart, then held it up before the people.
"Truly, I thank my city of London," said she. "No other gift could havepleased me as this does, and I promise you that every day I will readit most diligently."
So it was that Elizabeth made her journey through London. The wholescene was rather theatrical, but it pleased the people, and that waswhat she most wished to do. All around her were shouts of joy, silenttears of happiness, wild promises of service, and sober, heartfeltprayers. As she came to the gates of the city, she looked back andcalled, "Farewell, my people, farewell. Be well assured that I willbe a good queen to you." Then the cannon of the Tower thundered, andElizabeth went on to Westminster.
There she was crowned, and Sir Edward Dymock performed the officeof champion, introduced by William the Conqueror. At the coronationbanquet he rode into the hall in full armor, threw down his gauntletand proclaimed:--
"If there be any manner of man that will say and maintain that oursovereign lady, Queen Elizabeth, is not the rightful and undoubtedinheritrix to the imperial crown of this realm of England, I say helieth like a false traitor, and _that_ I am ready to maintain with him,and therefore I cast him my gage." After a few minutes a herald pickedup the glove and presented it to Sir Edward. This ceremony was repeatedat two other places in the hall. The queen then drank to the health ofthe champion in a golden cup which was presented to him as his reward.
During the glories of the coronation, the people seemed to have almostforgotten for a moment the important question whether the queen wouldrule as a Catholic or a Protestant. There had been much discussionabout the matter, and after the days of celebration there was even more.
"She was brought up as a Protestant," one man said, "and she will ruleas a Protestant."
"Oh, but has she not declared that she is a Catholic, and has she notbeen to mass with Queen Mary? Does she not go to mass now?" retortedanother.
"Who wouldn't go to mass to gain a kingdom?" laughed a third lightly."If Queen Mary had named the queen of Scotland as her heir--yes, I knowthere was a decree of Parliament, but another decree might have beenpassed as well as that--I don't say the Catholics would have tried tomake the Scotch girl queen, but Elizabeth was wise, she was wise."
"It is two full months since Queen Mary died," said the secondthoughtfully, "mass is said in the churches every day. Her Majesty willhave no preaching without special permission, but----"
"No wonder," broke in the third, "after the sermon that the bishop ofWinchester preached at Queen Mary's funeral. He praised Mary to theskies, then said she had left a sister whom they were bound to obey,for 'a live dog is better than a dead lion.' A preacher will have tohide his thoughts in something deeper than Latin to keep them from thequeen. I don't wonder that she looks after the sermons."
"I know that she has been to mass many times since Mary died," admittedthe first, "but don't you know what she did on Christmas morning?She went to church with her ladies and she heard the Gospel and theEpistle, but before the mass she rose all of a sudden and left thechapel. No true Catholic would stay away from mass on Christmas day."
"She might have been ill," suggested the second.
"As ill as she was when Queen Mary sent for her to come and prove thatshe had nothing to do with Wyatt's rebellion," said the third drily."Now, mark my words, Elizabeth, queen of England, will never journey bya path because it is straight; she'll keep two roads open, and she'llwalk in the one that has the best traveling."
This uncertainty about Elizabeth's religious ideas was one reason whyshe was welcomed to the throne so warmly. By birth and training shewas a Protestant, and therefore no Protestant could consistently opposeher. In her later years she had declared herself a Catholic, and theCatholics had a reasonable hope that she would show favor to them.Another good reason was that there was neither Protestant nor Catholicwho could have been set up against her with strong probability ofsuccess. Mary of Scotland was the next heir, and she was a Catholic,but no loyal Englishman, no matter what was his creed, wished to seethe queen of France raised to the throne of England.
Elizabeth was twenty-five when she became queen, and in her quietyears of study and observation she had formed two very definite ideasabout ruling the kingdom. She meant to hold the power in her own handsover church as well as state, and she meant to use her mastery forthe gain of the people. Her father had claimed this authority and hadexercised it; while Edward reigned, certain noblemen had ruled; whileMary reigned, the church had ruled. Elizabeth wished to be supported bynobles and church if possible, but her chief dependence was upon themasses of the people. When she made her first speech to the judges ofthe realm, she said: "Have a care over my people. They are _my_ people.Every man oppresseth and despoileth them without mercy. They cannotrevenge their quar
rel nor help themselves. See unto them, see untothem, for they are my charge." When Elizabeth was in earnest and reallymeant what she said, she generally used short, clear sentences whosemeaning could not be mistaken; but when she had something to hide, sheused long, intricate expressions, so confused that they would sometimesbear two opposite interpretations, and no one could declare positivelywhat she really meant to say.
This determination of hers to win the support of the people was chieflywhy she did not hasten to make sudden changes in the church. She didnot at once object to saying mass, but she ordered the Gospel and theEpistle to be read in English as in the Protestant church. Then beforeshe went any further she waited to meet her Parliament and see whetherthis change had aroused opposition.
She had chosen for her chief adviser Sir William Cecil, afterwardscalled Lord Burleigh. He was a man of great ability and a Protestant,though he had never shown any desire to become a martyr for his faith.He held a high position during Edward's reign, but while Mary was inpower, although he went to mass as the law required, he had little tosay about church matters. He lived quietly on his estate, interested inhis fawns and calves, writing letters about the care of his fruit treesand about buying sheep; but during these quiet years, he was readingand thinking and planning, and gaining wisdom in all that pertainedto ruling a land. When Elizabeth made him her secretary, she bade himalways tell her frankly what he believed was best, whether he thoughtit would please her or not. He wished to reestablish Protestantism,and before Elizabeth had been on the throne five months, a decree waspassed that she and not the Pope was supreme governor of the church inEngland. To dispute this decree was declared to be treason, but onlyclergymen and those who held office under the crown were obliged totake the oath. A man who refused was not beheaded as in Henry's day,but he was put out of his office, and according to the ideas of thetimes, that was not a severe penalty for such an offence. The Catholicform of worship was forbidden, and, while no one not in office wasobliged to tell his belief, all subjects were commanded to attend theProtestant service or pay a fine.
Elizabeth did not go as far as this without watching closely for hintsof what the majority of her people were willing to permit. One hintcame to her the morning after her coronation. She had freed a number ofprisoners, as was the custom at the crowning of a sovereign, and afterthe act one of her courtiers knelt at her feet with a roll of parchmentin his hand and said:--
"Your Majesty, will you graciously lend ear to an earnest request frommany of your subjects?"
"To do for my beloved people that which is for their good will ever bethe ruling desire of my heart," replied the queen.
"Then do I humbly beg in the name of all these good subjects andtrue"--and he unrolled the parchment to show the long list ofsignatures--"I beg that your Highness will release unto us yet fourmore prisoners."
"And who may these prisoners be that have won so zealous an advocate?"asked the queen.
"Verily, your Grace, their names be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Theyhave been shut up in a language not understanded of the people, as ifthey were in prison. Even to a prisoner speech with his friends is notoften forbidden. Will your Majesty graciously command that the wordsof the four Evangelists be put into English that these captives may bereleased from their dungeon?" This was really asking whether she wouldrule as a Protestant, for the Catholics opposed the circulation of theEnglish Bible.
The queen showed no displeasure, but answered with a smile:--
"It has sometimes come to pass that men have learned to prefer theirprison. Perchance it would be better to inquire of these prisonersof ours whether they wish to come out from behind the bars." WhenParliament met, the question was brought up, and a translation of theBible was ordered to be made at once. This was issued as authorized bythe queen.
There was another matter that perhaps weighed more seriously upon themasses of the people than did the question which form of religionthe queen would favor, and that was her marriage. The English longedto feel sure that the government would go on peacefully even if theirqueen should be taken from them. Before Henry's father came to thethrone, there had been in England a terrible time of civil war becausethere were different claimants to the crown who were supported bydifferent parties, and most people in the land would rather have a formof worship with which they did not agree than feel that the death oftheir sovereign would be followed by a return of those bloody days. IfElizabeth married and had a child to inherit the crown, the land wouldsettle down to quiet.
This was the way King Philip reasoned as well as the English. Then hethought: "Elizabeth is a wise, shrewd woman, and she can see that withFrance and Scotland against her, her only hope is to ally herself withSpain. The only way to be sure of Spain's support is to marry me orsome true friend of mine." As for her Protestantism, he did not thinkthat matter of any great importance, for he believed that she wouldrather be sure of her throne than of her church.
When Elizabeth became queen, she had sent, as was the custom, a letterto the various rulers of Europe, formally announcing her accession.Philip's plans were made before the letter reached him. He hadconcluded that his only safe course was to marry her himself. He wroteto his ambassador, Count de Feria, and explained why he had come tosuch a conclusion. It was a great sacrifice, he said, for it would notbe easy to rule England in addition to his other domains, and Elizabethmust not be so unreasonable as to expect him to spend much of his timewith her. She must give up her Protestant notions, of course, becomea Catholic, and agree to uphold the Catholic faith in her country.To marry the sister of his dead wife was against the law of thechurch, but he was sure that he could induce the Pope to grant specialpermission.
Philip's reply to Elizabeth's announcement was an ardent letter beggingher in most eloquent terms to become his wife. The queen met hisrequest with the gravest courtesy, thanked him for the honor that hehad done her, and told him how fully she realized of what advantagesuch a splendid alliance would be to her. Philip wrote again andagain; he told her how highly he thought of her abilities and merits,and what a charming, fascinating woman she was. Elizabeth was shrewdenough to understand why this keen politician was so eager for themarriage, but she answered his letters with the utmost politeness, andwhen other excuses failed, she told him that she could not make anyplans concerning marriage without consulting Parliament, and that bodywas not yet in session. She mischievously allowed her ladies to see hisglowing epistles, but perhaps she may be pardoned for this offence,inasmuch as Count de Feria had foolishly shown the king's letter, andElizabeth knew precisely what Philip had said about the great sacrificehe was making in wedding her. Philip was so sure she would marry himthat he sent envoys to Rome to get the Pope's permission, but beforethey could return, a final letter came from the queen, refusing to takehim for her husband. The Spaniard was easily consoled, for within amonth he married the daughter of the French king.
How much attention the queen proposed to pay to the advice ofParliament in this matter was seen a little later when the House ofCommons sent a delegation to her, begging that they might have thegreat honor of an interview with her Majesty. Elizabeth put on herroyal robes and went to the House in all state. An address was madeher. The speaker told her how they gloried in her eminence and rejoicedin having her for queen. Then he laid before her the affliction itwould be to the land if she should die and leave no child to inheritnot only her crown but her goodness and her greatness. Finally hebegged in all humility that she would in her own good time choose amongher many suitors the one most pleasing to herself.
Elizabeth was silent for a moment, and the House feared that she mightbe offended, then she smiled graciously and thanked them most heartilyfor their love of her and for their care of the kingdom. "I like yourspeech," she said, "because it does not attempt to bind my choice;but it would have been a great presumption if you had taken it uponyourselves to direct or limit me whom you are bound to obey." Shetold them that whatever husband she chose should be of such characterthat he would
care for the kingdom even as she herself did. Finallyshe said that if she did not marry, they ought not to feel anxiousabout the realm, but to trust in God, for in due time he would makeit evident into whose hands he wished the kingdom to fall. Then sheleft the House, smiling so pleasantly and bowing so graciously thatfew among them realized at once that she had neither agreed with themnor disagreed, and that she had promised them nothing at all. She hadmerely declared that she intended to have her own way and that they hadnothing to say about the matter.
King Philip was by no means the only man who was eager for the hand ofthe English queen. There was Philip's friend, the Archduke Charles,there were two French princes, the king of Sweden, the king of Denmark,the king of Poland, the Scotch Earl Arran, the English Earl of Arundel,and still others as the months passed. Several of these ardent wooerssent envoys to England to plead their cause; the king of Sweden senthis brother, and the king of Denmark straightway despatched his nephewon the same errand. These agents were received with the highest honors,entertainments were arranged for their pleasure, and every courtesy wasshown them. Elizabeth was graciousness itself to each, and made eachbelieve that she was especially inclined to favor his master, but thatfor reasons of state she could not give an answer at once. So she keptthem waiting for her royal decision, playing one against another, andall this time England was growing stronger.
Whether she was in earnest when she declared that she did not wishto marry, no one knows, but many think that her final refusal to onesuitor after another was because the only man for whom she cared wasRobert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, son of the Duke of Northumberland. Hewas a man without special talent or ability, a handsome courtier withgraceful manners and much ambition. He was married to Amy Robsart, abeautiful girl and a great heiress, but while he was at court, she wasleft in a lonely mansion in the care of one of Leicester's dependents,a man who had the reputation of being ready to commit any crime forwhich he was paid. Two years after Elizabeth's accession, Amy Robsartwas found dead at the foot of a staircase, and many believed that shehad been murdered. They would have believed it still more firmly ifthey had known that a very short time later Leicester was trying topersuade Philip that he would protect the Catholics if he could beaided to marry the queen, and to convince the French Protestants thathe would do the same for their church if he could have their help inwinning the hand of Elizabeth. As for the queen herself, she would atone time show the earl every sign of tenderness, and at another shewould declare, "I'll marry no subject. Marry a subject and make himking? Never."
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth Page 8
