Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/231

This page needs to be proofread.

MARY I. MARY II. 219 VI. she took no part in politics, though she was denied the free enjoyment of her religion. Suitors for her hand continued to present themselves : the duke of Brunswick, the mar- grave of Brandenhurg, and the infante of Portugal. The emperor threatened war if she were not exempted from the penalties prepared for nonconformists, and she was suspected of intending to take refuge at his court. On the death of Edward VI. (July 6, 1553) Mary succeeded him, after a hrief but unimportant struggle with the partisans of the Dudleys and Greys, who had set up Lady Jane Grey as queen. She was merciful to the fallen, only three per- sons being executed for treason; and she re- fused to bring the lady Jane to trial, saying that she was merely a tool of Northumberland. A reaction in the government took place, for which the queen was less blamable than her councillors, the principal of whom was Bishop Gardiner, who was made lord chancellor Aug. 23, 1553. Mary interfered to prevent the per- petration of cruelty by the privy council, and the early part of her reign was mild. Her coronation took place Oct. 1, 1553. Her first parliament met four days later, and restored the laws relating to life and property to the state they were in at the 25th of Edward III., and annulled all the acts that cast a stain on the queen's legitimacy. The religious laws of Edward VI. were repealed, and the church of his father was restored, making Mary its head, much against her will; but while she held the post, the Protestants were not perse- cuted. Lady Jane Grey was attainted, but it was known that the queen intended to spare her life. Mary's resolution to marry Philip of Spain caused great alarm to her subjects. For- midable insurrections broke out, which were not quelled without much exertion, and in the course of the brief rebellion the queen showed both courage and capacity. The effect of this struggle was to give entire ascendancy to the reactionary party in the royal councils. The death warrants of Lady Jane Grey and her hus- band, and of other persons, were signed; and the queen was urged to put to death her sister Elizabeth and the earl of Devonshire, who, however, were only sent to the tower. "When her ministers would have punished the rebels with that sweeping slaughter which character- ized most of the Tudor reigns, she interfered, and saved their lives. The marriage of Mary and Philip took place July 25, 1554. It proved fatal to Mary's peace, and most injurious to her character and reputation. On Nov. 30 Cardi- nal Pole declared England and Rome recon- ciled, and those persecutions which have made of Mary's reign a by-word and a reproach were commenced with the burning of John Rogers, Feb. 4, 1555. According to many historians, they were due to the influence of Gardiner and Bonner, the queen being ill most of the time. Ranke gives credit to Gardiner's asser- tion that the queen herself, and not he, insist- ed on the revival of the old laws against the Lollards ; and though he admits that many of the horrors of their execution may have been kept from her, he adds that no apology will free her memory from the dark stain that clings to it : " for whatever is done in the name of a prince, with his will and by his au- thority, decides his reputation in history." Mary was neglected by her husband, to whom she was warmly attached. For his sake she declared war with France, June 7, 1557, and English forces took part in the battles of St. Quentin and Gravelines. In January, 1558, the French captured Calais, which the English had held for more than two centuries. War with France brought on war with Scotland. The loss of Calais was so mortifying to the English, that they insisted that Philip should make no peace with France without providing for its restoration. Mary's health had never been good, and she was indisposed during the great- er part of her reign, of which circumstance her council took advantage. She suffered from dropsy and nervous debility, and her disap- pointment from not having children aggra- vated her illness. She recognized Elizabeth as her successor. In the summer of 1558 she was attacked by intermittent fever, of which thousands of her subjects had died, the conse- quence of the wet seasons that prevailed throughout her reign. When it was evident that her last hour was at hand, her court was deserted, most of its members hastening to Hatfield, the residence of Elizabeth. She was buried on Dec. 13, in Henry VII.'s chapel. MART II., first queen regnant of Great Brit- ain and Ireland, daughter of James II. and wife of William III., born at St. James's, April 30, 1662, died at Kensington palace, Dec. 28, 1694. Her father at the time of her birth was heir presumptive to the throne and duke of York, and her mother was Anne Hyde, daughter of the earl of Clarendon. She was educated at Richmond palace, with her sister Anne, her preceptor being Henry Compton, bishop of London, and was a very well informed woman for those times. She was married to her cous.- in, William, prince of Orange, Nov. 4, 1677, an alliance which was very popular through- out Great Britain. Mary's father, as heir pre- sumptive to the British crown, was an object of jealousy to all Protestants except the high churchmen, and even they saw with pleasure that his heir, the princess of Orange, was strongly attached to the church of England. William was jealous of his wife's position, as, should she succeed to the throne, she would be his superior in rank and power ; and should she die before him, and childless, the throne would pass to her sister Anne. William stood next in the order of succession to Anne, and all hope of Charles II. having legitimate offspring had long been abandoned. The prince was not a faithful husband, but the personal diffi- culties between him and his wife were re- moved before those of a political character were known to her. Burnet, afterward bishop