Viewing page 160 of 285

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

copy of this letter, in Sir Thomas Pope's own hand, with several corrections and interlineations by the same, is now preserved in the British Museum; from which circumstances it is manifest that he was one of the governors, or attendants, but in what department or capacity I know not; however, it is evident that he was removed from this charge when the princess, notwithstanding her infirm state of health, was hurried up to the court by Southwell, Cornwallis, and Hastings; nor do we find that from that time he had the least concern with her during confinement in the Tower and at Woodstock, and the rest of those undeserved persecutions, which preceded her enlargement and final removal to Hatfield. 

To this lady Sir Thomas Pope behaved with the utmost tenderness and respect, residing with her at Hatfield rather as an indulgent and affectionate guardian, than as an officious or rigorous governor. Although strict orders were given the mass alone should be used in her family, yet he connived at many protestant servants whom the retained about her person. Nor was he wanting, on proper occasions, in studiously shewing her such marks of regard and deference as her station and quality demanded. The princess was, notwithstanding, sometimes suffered to make excursions, partly for pleasure, and partly for paying her compliments at court, and on these occasions she was attended in a manner suitable to her rank. In the summer of the same year, vix. 1557, the princess paid a visit to the queen at Richmond, in the queen's barge accompanied by Sir Thomas Pope and four ladies of her chamber; she was received by the queen in a sumptuous pavilion, and returned in the evening to Somerset-palace.

Soon afterwards Eric, King of Sweden, sent by his ambassador a message secretly to the princess at Hatfield, with a proposal of marriage. King Philip had just before proposed to the queen to marry her to the Duke of Savoy with a view, perhaps, of retaining the Duke, who was an able general, in his interests against France, with which Philip was at this time engaged in open hostilities. This proposal of the King of Sweden the wisely rejected, because it was not conveyed to her by the queen of directions. But to this objection the ambassador answers, that the King of Sweden, his master, as a man of honour, and a gentleman, thought is most proper to make the first application to herself; and that having, by this previous method, obtained her content, he would next, as a king, mention the affair in form to her majesty. But the final answer of the princess was an absolute denial; and she desired the messenger to acquaint his master, that, as she could not listen to any proposals of that nature, unless made by the queen's advice or authority, so she could not but declare, that, if left to her own will, she should  always prefer a single condition of life. The affair soon came to the queen's ears, who, fending for Sir Thomas Pope to court, received from him an entire account of this secret transaction, ordering Sir Thomas, at the same time, to write to the princess, and acquaint her how much she was satisfied with this prudent and dutiful answer to the King of Sweden's proposition.

The Earl of Devonshire being dead, (says Mr.Warton) Queen Mary grew less jealous of the princess, and seemed almost perfectly reconciled. In November 1556, she was invited to court, and accordingly came to London With much parade. The principal reason of the invitation was formally to propose to her, in person, a marriage with Philibert Emanuel, the Duke of Savoy, which Sir Thomas Pope, by the queen's command, had before hinted at a distance. This proposal the princess declined, but disguised her refusal with the same earnest professions of her unchangeable devotion to a state of virginity, which she had before made to Sir Thomas Pope, on account of the Swedish match. Great court was paid to the princess during her abode at Somerset-house. Her amiable condescension, obliging address, and agreeable conversation, procured her new interests and attachments, and even engaged the best part of the lords of the council in her favour. Her beauty, indeed, had the least share in these acquisitions, which still retained some traces of sickness, and some shades of melancholy, contracted in her late severe, but useful school of affliction. She found, however, that retirement best suited her circumstances, as it did hr inclinations; and, although she had been invited to pass the whole winter in London, after a short stay of one week only, she returned to her former situation at Hatfield.

One should have expected, that the queen would have parted in disgust, with the princess at this rejection of a match recommended by Philip, and so convenient to his purposes; but it appears that the queen was extremely backward in promoting her husband's desire of marrying Elizabeth to the Duke of Savoy. On this account Philip employed Alphonfas, a Franciscan friar, his confessor, to discourse with her majesty on the subject of this marriage. She told him that she feared, without consent of parliament, neither her husband Philip, nor the nation, would be benefited by this alliance. She added, that she could not in point of conscience, press this match upon her sister, meaning, perhaps, that it would be unjust to force the princess to be married , after her resolute declarations against wedlock, or improper and dishonourable to match her beneath the dignity of a crowned head.

The theological reasonings of Alphonsas were too refined for the understanding, or too weak for the conscience of the queen, who still remained inflexible in her former opinion. Upon this Philip wrote to her in his usual authoritative style, advising her examine her own conscience, and to consider whether her opinion was founded in truth, or in obstinacy; adding, that if the parliament opposed this request, he should lay the blame upon her.

The queen, in her answer, begged at least that he would defer the matter till he returned into England, and that then he might have a better opportunity of judging whether her reasons deserved attention or not; that otherwise she should live in jealousy of his affections, a state of mind, to her, worse than death, but which, to her great disquietude, she had already begun to feel.