Chapter 32 #2
Elizabeth had never given any sign of bearing a grudge against the father who had signed her mother’s death warrant.
She often spoke of King Henry with pride.
She clearly revered his memory and gloried in his fame.
In truth, she regarded him as the victim of a malicious conspiracy against Anne Boleyn.
Kate noticed that she rarely referred to her mother.
One afternoon, when Parliament was in session, Elizabeth was closeted a long time with William Cecil and Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, and emerged in a state of agitation.
“It seems I am to be thwarted in a matter most important to me,” she announced, bustling into the privy chamber with a great swishing of skirts. Kate and the other ladies looked up, astonished.
“In one of her first Acts of Parliament, my sister had herself declared legitimate and her mother’s marriage lawful.
I have just consulted Sir Nicholas Bacon as to whether I too should take steps to legitimize myself, but he has told me that I should let sleeping dogs lie.
” She sat down, punching one hand into the other.
Kate had long known that Elizabeth found the taint of her bastardy hard to bear, not just as a matter of pride, but because of its implications for the security of her throne.
But Bacon was right, of course. It was best not to rake up the past. Kate said nothing.
The matter was too sensitive, and anything she did say might be taken amiss.
Worse was to come. One Monday in early February, Kate and the other ladies were present when a deputation from the House of Commons came to lay a petition before the Queen.
She received them in the presence chamber, seated beneath her canopy of estate emblazoned with the arms of England, with her ladies about her.
The members knelt, with Sir Thomas Gargrave, the Speaker of the Commons, in the forefront, looking nervous, as Kate wondered what sort of petition justified this kind of ceremony.
“Your Majesty,” he said, as Elizabeth gazed regally down at him, “Parliament has been debating the succession and the common weal of this realm, and would like respectfully to remind your Grace that it would be better for you and your kingdom if you would take a consort who might relieve you of those labors which are only fit for men.”
Kate saw a flash of indignation blaze on Elizabeth’s face, but instantly it was gone, to be replaced by a steely glare. She could imagine the impact this petition was having on the Queen; she was herself shocked by it, and the implication that her mistress was unfit to rule.
His voice faltering a little under that basilisk gaze, Sir Thomas pressed valiantly on.
“We would also remind your Majesty that, while princes are mortal, commonwealths are immortal. If you remain unmarried and, as it were, a vestal virgin, such a thing would be contrary to the public interests. We ask that you consider taking a husband as soon as possible in order to safeguard the succession.”
Elizabeth was plainly astonished at his boldness, but she recovered herself and responded graciously.
“In a matter most unpleasing, what does please me is the apparent goodwill of you and my people. I must tell you that I have chosen to stay single, despite being offered marriage by several great princes. Indeed, I consider that I already have a husband and children.” Extending her hand, she showed them her coronation ring.
“I am already bound to a husband, and that is the kingdom of England. As for children, you and every one of my subjects are my children and kinsmen.” She paused and frowned.
“I am gratified that you have not gone so far as to name any potential husband, for that would be most unbecoming to the majesty of an absolute princess, and inappropriate for you, who are subjects born.”
She was magnificent; she had the deputation both quaking and staring up at her with admiration.
But she had not finished with them yet. “I will do as God directs me. I have never been inclined toward matrimony, but I will not rule it out completely. If I do marry, I will not do anything to prejudice the commonwealth, but will choose a husband who would be as careful for the preservation of the realm as I am myself. However, it is possible that it will please Almighty God to frame my mind to live out of the state of marriage.”
“But Madam,” the Speaker protested, “what of the succession? You have no obvious heir.”
That was untrue, Kate knew. Lady Katherine Grey was the lawful heir, but she could not see the Queen ever acknowledging her as such.
“I promise you,” Elizabeth was saying, “that this realm will not remain destitute of an heir. If I remain single, I am certain that God will so direct our counsels that you will not need to be in doubt of a successor, who may be more beneficial to the commonwealth than any born of me. In the end, this shall be sufficient for me: that a marble stone shall declare that a queen, having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin. Go forth and tell that to Parliament.”
She swept out, leaving them kneeling there.
Following in her wake, Kate was wondering if Elizabeth’s attitude was the right one.
She had to marry! It was the only way to assure the continuation of her line.
And yet she knew something of the reason for the Queen’s reluctance.
She wondered if her cousin would ever confide fully in her.
Seating herself by the fire in her closet, Elizabeth was ebullient. “What did you all think of my answer answerless?”
There was a silence. Kat patted her mistress on the shoulder before taking her seat. She knows, Kate realized. She knows more than I do.
“Is it the right decision?” Blanche asked. “For your realm, I mean.”
“Without a doubt.” Elizabeth was emphatic.
“When a woman marries, her husband expects to wield dominion over her as his wife, which is his right. But think of my sister, who was a sovereign queen, wielding dominion over her people, as I do now. Her marriage was a disaster, because how could King Philip wield dominion over her? It is impossible to be both queen and wife; it can only end in misery.”
“But does Parliament understand that?” Kat asked.
“They won’t like my response, and neither will Master Cecil, but I have not committed myself. I have left the door open.”
Lady Carew, normally the quiet one, leaned forward. “Your Majesty, may I speak my mind?”
“Pray do so.”
“If you do not marry, there will be no satisfactory solution to the succession question. Your religious settlement will be at risk.”
“For a woman to reject marriage—it is against the laws of nature,” Kat put in.
“So men keep telling us,” Elizabeth snapped.
“They want a masculine succession. Cecil never ceases to tell me of his hope that God will direct me to procure a father for my children. He, indeed most of my councillors, see a female ruler as an unnatural aberration; he makes no secret of the fact that he longs to see a man in control, and that can only be achieved once I am married and preoccupied with what he sees as my proper business of bearing children. He’d have my husband ruling in my name!
Now do you see why I am determined to stay single? ”
Lady Carew said nothing. There was a silence. At least two of them knew that this was not the only reason why Elizabeth did not want to marry.
“Any son of my body might conspire to overthrow me,” the Queen said.
“Do you think my councillors would object? No! At best, pressure might be put on me to abdicate in favor of that son. The seeds of conflict would be there from his birth. It is my belief that princes cannot ever like their children, especially those destined to succeed them. I could quote you many notable examples where there was discord and strife between monarchs and their heirs. All things considered, I would prefer, for my part, to leave the matter of my successor to Providence, trusting that, with divine help, a suitable heir will become apparent.”
She gestured for Kate to pour her some wine.
“There are advantages to my remaining single. My sister’s unhappy example exposed the dangers of marrying a foreign prince.
Such a husband might offer protection against my enemies, but he might also drain my resources in wars of his own, as Philip did.
He might regard England as a subordinate state of his own country, and he might have to spend long periods out of England.
I know my subjects—they are insular and hate foreigners.
Remember Wyatt’s rebellion against Mary’s Spanish marriage?
They are unlikely to accept another foreign consort. ”
“You could always marry one of your own subjects,” Kat said. “I’ll wager that most Englishmen would favor one of our own countrymen in preference to a stranger.”
“Cecil doesn’t agree, nor does the Duke of Norfolk.
They foresee greater advantages from a princely alliance.
And I have no desire to marry one of my subjects.
It could cause dangerous rivalries at court and in the country.
Factions might form, as in the wars between Lancaster and York, and that could lead to civil war.
Besides, I will not demean my royal blood by marrying a commoner.
Above all, I do not want to lose my freedom, having suffered constraints of one kind or other throughout my life.
I have no desire to become the subordinate of any man.
I mean to rule by myself, without interference. ”
She drained her goblet. “I must change for dinner and my afternoon audiences. Kate, attend me.”
Kate had been hoping that she could get away to see Francis, but it looked as if she must remain on duty for several hours yet. In the Queen’s bedchamber, she picked up the gorgeous pearl-encrusted gown that lay waiting on the bed and helped her mistress to change.