Queen Mary I's Star Fades, Lady Elizabeth's Kindles, Europe Jockeys for Position.

As King Philip of Spain and England traveled through the Netherlands, pleased to be away from his queen and her court, word came that Mary was seriously ill. Not wishing to rush to her bedside, he sent Count Feria in his place with instructions to report back the condition of the queen and general lay of the land.

These events were reported back to the Venetian Doge, on October 29, by Michiel Surian, his ambassador to the traveling court of Philip.

A few days ago, his Majesty received news from England that the Queen was grievously ill, and her life in danger, which intelligence, most especially at the present moment being of very great importance, so disquieted his Majesty, and all these lords, that it was immediately determined to send the Count de Feria to visit the Queen, in the name of her consort, and to treat another affair which I will narrate hereunder: but as when the Count was about to depart, a fresh advice arrived, that her Majesty's health had improved, he therefore delayed his departure for three or four days longer, and in the meanwhile, his household at Brussels is preparing to cross over with him to England, a sign that he will not return hither so speedily.

Now the matter to be treated by him is the marriage of Miladi Elizabeth, to keep that kingdom in any event in the hands of a person in his Majesty's confidence. Last year King Philip gave an order to this effect to his confessor, who is very dear to the Queen, he laying before her all the considerations both of religion and piety, and of the safety of the realms, and to prevent the evils which might occur, were the Lady Elizabeth, seeing herself slighted, to choose after her Majesty's death, or perhaps even during her lifetime, to take for her husband, some individual who might convulse the whole kingdom into confusion. For many days, during which the confessor treated this business, he found the Queen utterly averse to give Lady Elizabeth any hope of the succession, obstinately maintaining that she was neither her sister, nor the daughter of the Queen's father. King Henry, nor would she hear of favouring her, as she was born of an infamous woman, who had so outraged the Queen, her mother and herself. Notwithstanding this, the confessor assiduously and adroitly persevering in this design, effected so much, that her Majesty consented to do what the King wished, he expressing great satisfaction at this ; but two days later, the Queen changed her mind, and the confessor lays the blame on Cardinal Pole, who, as the project had not been communicated to him, may have performed some contrary office, ignoring that such was the will of the King.

Now that things have been in such danger, owing to the Queen's malady, they are sending the Count de Feria, that he may try and revive this project, and realize it, but I do not yet know whether with the Duke of Savoy or others, nor can it be known for certain, until this peace is concluded or excluded; but the Count's instructions purport that he is to try and dispose the Queen to consent to Lady Elizabeth being married as her sister, and with the hope of succeeding to the crown, this negotiation having to be treated with the greatest possible secrecy, because these lords suspect, that were the French to come to know it, they would easily find means to thwart the project, as the greater part of England is opposed to the Queen, and most hostile to King Philip and his dependants, and much inclined towards Miladi Elizabeth, who has always shown greater liking for the French faction, than for this other, being thus habituated in the time of her brother. King Edward, when at the summit of her grandeur.¹

The matter of the gravely ill queen was of the utmost importance throughout Europe. Couriers were galloping in every direction. Count Feria did not arrive on the shores of England until November 9, 1558, report having been sent back that the queen had rallied somewhat.

Philip's concern, expressed via Feria's arrival, seemed to buoy the queen's spirits again for a moment. Her husband's lack of affection had grown more pronounced. She, for her part, seems to have attributed her earlier rally to having dismissed her doctors in favor of another from Italy. Soon, however, she relapsed and grew alarmingly worse.

Two other close advisors to Philip — Christophore d'Assonleville and Don Alonso de Cordova — were already in the country and sending back intelligence to the king. It was considered of the utmost importance to establish friendly relations with the Lady Elizabeth, who Mary had finally accepted, in her final days, as the legitimate heir to the throne. Elizabeth was known to lean toward Spain's enemies, the French. This group of the kings most capable diplomats was tasked with reporting back news on that and other fronts and with reminding Elizabeth that Philip had more than once been her advocate with the queen.

Mary had only three days to live when Christophore d'Assonleville sent the dispatch from which the following is excerpted:

Considérants le Sr Don Alonzo et moy que la malladie de la royne accroissoit journellement et qu'il y avoit peu d'espoir en sa convalescence, aussy que avoient jà esté envoyés par le conseil d'icy, du consentement de Sa Majesté, quelques commissaires vers madame Elisabeth, pour le faict de la succession du roy anime, s'il advenoit Sadicte Majesté décéder de ceste malladie, et que un office d'amitié et courtoisie, faict encoires au besoing, est plus obligatoire et aggréable que s'il est exhibé après coup, avons pensé qu'il estoit plus que temps d'exécuter ce que Monsieur le comte de Feria avoit escript audict don Alonzo par commandement de Vostre Majesté.2

Sr. Don Alonzo and I, considering that the queen's illness was worsening daily and that there was little hope of her recovery, also that some commissioners had already been sent by the council here, with the consent of Her Majesty, towards Madame Elisabeth, for the fate of the succession of the living king, if Hersaid Majesty should die of this illness, and an office of friendship and courtesy should prove necessary, thinking it more important and pleasant than if it is presented afterwards, we thought that it was more than time to carry out what Monsieur the Count of Feria had written to the said Don Alonzo by command of Your Majesty.

Feria had traveled to Hatfield in June when it was a quiet retreat. Now he arrived to find Elizabeth's residence a whirlwind of activity. She was already the center of unceasing attention — visited by place-seekers and ambassadors. She had a council with which she met most days.

1Venetian Calendar. vol. vi., pt. iii., 1274.

2Christophore d'Assonleville to the King. November 14, 1558. Relations Politiques des Pays-Bas et de L'Angleterre (1882). I.282.

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