ury and the Marchioness of Exeter.]

[Sidenote: Danger of a White Rose confederacy under the papal sanction.]

[Sidenote: Arrest of the Nevilles.]

These were names which might have furnished cause for regret, but little
for surprise or alarm. The commissioners must have found occasion for
other feelings, however, when among the persons implicated were found
the Countess of Salisbury and the The Marchioness of Exeter, with their
chaplains, households, and servants; Sir Thomas Arundel, Sir George
Carew, and "many of the nobles of England."[200] A combination headed by
the Countess of Salisbury, if she were supported even by a small section
of the nobility, would under any circumstances have been dangerous; and
if such a combination was formed in support of an invasion, and was
backed by the blessings of the pope and the fanaticism of the clergy,
the result might be serious indeed. So careful a silence is observed in
the official papers on this feature of the Nun's conspiracy, that it is
uncertain how far the countess had committed herself; but she had
listened certainly to avowals of treasonable intentions without
revealing them, which of itself was no slight evidence of disloyalty;
and that the government were really alarmed may be gathered from the
simultaneous arrest of Sir William and Sir George Neville, the brothers
of Lord Latimer. The connexion and significance of these names I shall
explain presently; in the meantime I return to the preparations which
had been made by the Nun.

[Sidenote: The Nun prophesies that the Lady Mary should have help when
the time was come.]

As the final judgment drew near,--which, unless the king submitted,
would be accompanied with excommunication, and a declaration that the
English nation was absolved from allegiance,--"the said false Nun," says
the report, "surmised herself to have made a petition to God to know,
when fearful war should come, whether any man should take my Lady Mary's
part or no; and she feigned herself to have answer by revelation that no
man should fear but that she should have succour and help enough; and
that no man should put her from her right that she was born unto. And
petitioning next to know when it was the pleasure of God that her
revelations should be put forth to the world, she had answer that
knowledge should be given to her ghostly father when it should be
time."[201]

[Sidenote: She communicates with Queen Catherine,]

With this information F