Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/212

192 Duke made up his mind that Mary was watching only for an opportunity to escape to Flanders; and the ships in the river, with a thousand men-at-arms on board them, were sent to watch the Essex coast, and to seize her, could they find opportunity. Meanwhile he himself penned a reply to her letter. 'The Lady Jane,' he said, 'by the antient laws of the realm,' and 'by letters patent of the late King,' signed by himself, and countersigned by the nobility, was rightful Queen of England. The divorce of Catherine of Arragon from Henry VIII. had been prescribed by the laws of God, pronounced by the Church of England, and confirmed by Act of Parliament; the daughter of Catherine was, therefore, illegitimate, and could not inherit; and the Duke warned her to forbear, at her peril, from molesting her lawful sovereign, or turning her people from their allegiance. If she would submit and accept the position of a subject, she should receive every reasonable attention which it was in the power of the Queen to show to her.

During the day rumours of all kinds were flying, but Mary's friends in London saw no reasonable grounds for hope. Lord Robert was supposed by Renard to be on his way to the Tower with the Princess as his prisoner; and if she was once within the Tower walls, all hope was over. It was not till Wednesday morning that the Duke became really alarmed. Then at once, from all sides, messengers came in with unwelcome tidings. The Dudleys had come up with