n the day of Egmont's arrival
Renard demanded an audience of the lords, and in the queen's presence
requested their opinion whether the condition of England allowed the
completion of the contract. The life of the prince of Spain was of
great importance to Europe; should {p.117} they believe in their
hearts that he would be in danger, there was still time to close the
negotiation. The rebellion having broken out and having failed, the
lords replied that there was no longer any likelihood of open
violence. Arundel hinted, again, that the prince must bring his own
cook and butler with him;[270] but he had nothing else to fear, if he
could escape the French cruisers.

[Footnote 270: Arundel nous dit qu'il convenoit que
son alteze amena ses cuyseniers, sommeliers du
cave, et autres officiers pour son bouche, que
quant aux autres luy y pourvoyeroit selon les
coustumes d'Angleterre.--Renard to Charles V.:
_Rolls House MSS._]

These assurances, combined with the queen's secret promises about
Elizabeth, were held sufficient; and on the 6th of March, at three
o'clock in the afternoon, the ambassadors were conducted by Pembroke
into the presence chamber. The queen, kneeling before the sacrament,
called it to witness that, in consenting to the alliance with the
Prince of Spain, she was moved by no carnal concupiscence, but only by
her zeal for the welfare of her realm and subjects; and then, rising
up, with the bystanders all in tears, she gave her hand to Egmont as
Philip's representative. The blessing was pronounced by Gardiner, and
the proxy marriage was completed.[271] The prince was to be sent for
without delay, and Southampton was chosen as the port at which he
should disembark, "being in the country of the Bishop of Winchester,"
where the people were, for the most part, good Catholics.

[Footnote 271: Puis par la main de l'Evesque de
Winchester les promesses et paroles de praesenti,
furent dictes et prononcees intelligiblement par la
diet Egmont seul et la dicte Dame.--Ibid. Compare
Tytler, vol. ii. p. 327. The great value of Mr.
Tytler's work is diminished by the many omissions
which he has permitted himself to make in the
letters which he has edited.]

Parl