Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/81

 marry the king of Spain, great alarm was felt by the people. Some were afraid of the Spanish Inquisition, which under Philip was doing terrible work in Flanders, while others were afraid that England, thus brought so close to Spain, would lose her independence, Spain being at that time the greatest nation in the world. Risings took place in. many counties, and the men of Kent, under the brave soldier and accomplished scholar, Sir Thomas Wyat, marched down to seize London, and to put Elizabeth, Mary’s sister, on the throne. So strong was the feeling in favour of Wyat, that Mary was urged to escape. Instead of that, however, she rode forth and called upon the people of London to rally round their queen, promising not to marry without her Parliament’s consent. Her courage aroused her subjects, and when Wyat, worn out with travel and fatigue, reached Temple Bar, London’s gate, he found it -closed and London guarded by a large force. His followers were scattered, and with many others he was taken prisoner and executed.

Mary now thought it unsafe to allow Lady Jane Grey to live. On the 12th Feb., 1554, Lady Jane sat at her window and saw the bleeding body of her husband brought back from the scaffold, and then calmly went forth to the executioner’s block. Elizabeth, it is said, had a narrow escape, her life being spared through the Influence of Gardiner and Philip of Spain. She was, however, closely watched all through Mary’s reign.

The rebellion being ended and the rebels punished, Mary married Philip. The marriage was nota happy one. Philip remained in England a year hoping to have a son, but was disappointed. He was also annoyed because Parliament under Gardiner’s guidance would not allow him to take the title of king, nor would it allow England to take any part in Spanish wars. So Philip left England and did not return till 1557. His coldness grieved Mary and made her still more bitter towards her enemies.

6. Persecution of the Protestants.—Mary, in her mistaken zeal for her religion, now began to put to death those who did not believe as she did. Rowland Taylor, an aged and much loved vicar, was sent to the stake amid the tears of his parishioners. Then came in rapid succession, Rogers, a canon; Hooper, a bishop; Latimer, the bold, outspoken preacher of righteousness; and Ridley, a gentle and devout man. Latimer and Ridley were burned at Oxford, tied