Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/545

1555.] mistaken her time by two months; and to this hope she clung herself, so long as the hope could last: but among all other persons concerned, scarcely one was any longer under a delusion; and the clear-eyed Renard lost no time in laying the position of affairs before his master.

The marriage of Elizabeth and Philibert had hung fire, from the invincible unwillingness on the part of Mary to pardon or in any way recognize her sister; and as long as there was a hope of a child, she had not perhaps been pressed about it: but it was now absolutely necessary to do something, and violent measures towards the Princess were more impossible than ever.

'The entire future,' wrote Renard to the Emperor, on the 27th of June, 'turns on the accouchement of the Queen; of which, however, there are no signs. If all goes well, the state of feeling in the country will improve. If she is in error, I foresee convulsions and disturbances such as no pen can describe. The succession to the crown is so unfortunately hampered, that it must fall to Elizabeth, and with Elizabeth there will be a religious revolution. The clergy will be put down, the Catholics persecuted, and there will be such revenge for the present proceedings as the world has never seen. I know not whether the King's person is safe; and the scandals and calumnies which the heretics are spreading about the Queen are