to be the hope of England and
mankind; and the great event should, if possible, precede the first
meeting of the plenipotentiaries.

The queen herself commenced her preparations with infinite
earnestness, and, as a preliminary votive offering, she resolved to
give back to the church such of the abbey property as remained in the
hands of the crown. Her debts were now as high as ever. The Flanders
correspondence was repeating the heavy story of loans and bills.
Promises to pay were falling due, and there were no resources to meet
them, and the Israelite leeches were again fastened on the
commonwealth.[462] Nevertheless, the sacrifice should be made; the
more difficult it was, the more favourably it would be received; and,
on the 28th of March, she sent for the Lord Treasurer, and announced
her intention. "If he told her that her estate would not bear it, she
must reply," she said, "that she valued the salvation of her soul
beyond all earthly things."[463] As soon as parliament could meet and
give its sanction, she would restore the first-fruits also to the Holy
See. She must work for God as God had worked for her.

[Footnote 462: Letters to and from Sir Thomas
Gresham: _MS. Flanders, Mary_, State Paper Office.]

[Footnote 463: Strype's _Memorials_.]

About the 20th of April she withdrew to Hampton Court for entire
quiet. The rockers and the nurses were in readiness, and a cradle
stood open to receive the royal infant. Priests and bishops sang
Litanies through the London streets; a procession of ecclesiastics in
cloth of gold and tissue marched round Hampton Court Palace, headed by
Philip in person; Gardiner walked at his side, while Mary gazed from a
window.[464] Not only was the child assuredly coming, but its sex was
decided on, and circulars were drawn and signed both by the king and
queen, with blanks only for the month and day, announcing to ministers
{p.209} of state, to ambassadors, and to foreign sovereigns, the
birth of a prince.[465]

[Footnote 464: Machyn's _Diary_.]

[Footnote 465: These curious records of
disappointed expectations remain in large numbers
in the State Paper Office. The following is the
letter addressed to Pole:--

Philip.--Mary the Queen.--Most Reverend Father in
God, our right trusty and right enti