Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/355

Mary I three monasteries — the Grey Friars at Greenwich, the Carthusians at Sheen, and the Bright ines at Sion ; while the dean and prebendaries of Westminster were ordered to retire on pensions to make way for twenty-eight Benedictine monks. The Knights of St. John were also restored, and Sir Thomas Tresham appointed their prior (cf. Maohyn, p. 159) ; and the Hospital of the Savoy was consecrated to charitable purposes, in accordance with the expressed desire of the late king (12 June 1556). Meanwhile parliament confirmed and amended older statutes for the relief of the poor which granted licenses to beggars, and a sort of poor law board was set up at Christ's Hospital to distribute charitable funds (2 Phil, and Mar. c. 6). On 9 Dec. 1555 Mary prorogued both houses at Whitehall (ib. p. 98), and two years elapsed before she met her parliament again.

Mary's health had slightly improved in September 1555, after an Irish physician had suggested a new mode of treatment; but no permanent cure was possible, and the exertion of attending the council soon proved beyond her strength. In great suffering the queen stayed at Greenwich, her favourite palace, at the end of the year. Philip's prolonged absence plunged her into a deep melancholy, and the French ambassador compared her condition to that of Dido, and suggested a similar catastrophe ; but he admitted that adversity had long been her daily bread, and she had hitherto met it •without flinching. The conspiracy of Sir Henry Dudley, which once more aimed at placing Elizabeth on the throne, and the secret endeavours of the French ambassador to excite feeling against her husband, greatly increased her anxieties. But in her weariness of heart she resisted the persuasion of those about her to identify Elizabeth with her enemies. She was conscious that she was losing her hold upon her subjects, and often spoke bitterly of their ingratitude. It was hinted that her position could only be improved if the pope could be induced to dissolve her marriage.

Philip was closely watching English politics. The council regularly forwarded to him minutes of its proceedings (in Latin),which he returned with elaborate comments (Tytler, ii. 483). Long before his departure he suggested that Elizabeth should marry his friend the Prince of Savoy. At first Mary consented to the plan, provided that Elizabeth agreed to it, but Elizabeth refused consent, and Mary declined to force her unwillingly into a marriage. Philip now urged the scheme anew, and a quarrel between him and Mary was the result. She explained in one letter to Philip that ' the consent of this realm ' was essential to any marriage scheme for Elizabeth. Philip replied that it parliament proved adverse he should lay the blame on his wife. Mary clearly saw that a marriage which took Elizabeth, her presumptive heir, from England,was impossible, and she finally wrote to Philip with much deference, begging him to delay consideration of the question till he returned to England. Philip s displeasure, she told him, was worse to her than death, and she had already tasted it too much. Philip remained unconvinced, and Mary in her vexation is said to have cut his portrait to pieces.

On another subject king and queen were also at variance. Mary had desired the appointment of Thirleby, bishop of Ely, as chancellor in succession to Gardiner. On Thirleby 's rigid determination in dealing with heresy she could rely. But Philip urged her to choose a man of greater moderation, and suggested Lord Paget (Michiel). She declined to select a layman, as contrary to mediæval precedent. A compromise was effected, and Nicholas Heath, archbishop of York, became chancellor on 1 Jan. 1556. Henceforth, however, Mary depended almost wholly on the guidance of Pole, whose culture was greater than his statesmanship. On 22 March 1556 he became archbishop of Canterbury, and on the 28th publicly assumed office as papal legate. Mary's frequent visits to him at Lambeth were the chief source of satisfaction to her in her last years.

Most of 1556 was spent in retirement at Greenwich. She abandoned the customary royal progress in the summer ; but on 21 July she went in state from St. James's Palace to Eltham, visiting Pole at Lambeth on the way (Machyn, p. 110). From Eltham she passea to the palace at Croydon, which had been the dower residence of her mother, Catherine, but now belonged to Pole. She is said to have visited the neighbouring cottages, and given money to pay for the education of promising children (Clifford, pp. 64-6),while at home she sought relief from her sorrows in embroidery work. On 19 Sept. she left Croydon for St. James's Palace (Machyn, p. 114). Later in the year Elizabeth spent some weeks with her at Somerset House, and subsequently the queen visited her at Hatfield. On 22 Dec. Mary removed to Greenwich to spend Christmas, and paid another visit to Pole at Lambeth. She had not abandoned hope of Philip's return, and on 15 Feb. 1556-7 she wrote to the barons of the Cinque ports ordering them to hold ships in readiness to escort ' her dearest lord ' (Green, Letters, iii. 311). A month later her long suspense on Philip's account was over. On 17 March