The Reign of Mary Tudor

No English sovereign ever ascended the throne with larger popularity than Mary Tudor. The country was eager to atone to her for her mother’s injuries; and the instinctive loyalty of the English towards their natural sovereign was enhanced by the abortive efforts of Northumberland to rob her of her inheritance. She had reigned little more than five years, and she descended into the grave amidst curses deeper than the acclamations which had welcomed her accession. In that brief time she had swathed her name in the horrid epithet which will cling to it for ever; and yet from the passions which in general tempt sovereigns into crime, she was entirely free: to the time of her accession she had lived a blameless, and in many respects, a noble life; and few men or women have lived less capable of doing knowingly a wrong thing.

CONTENTS.

Queen Jane and Queen Mary

The Spanish Marriage

Reconciliation With Rome

The Martyrs

Calais

Death of Mary