e
subject will be given in the following chapter,
which reveals the disagreement which had arisen
between them about this marriage.]

"The entire future," wrote Renard to the emperor, on the 27th of June,
"turns on the accouchement of the queen; of which, however, there are
no signs. If all goes well, the state of feeling in the country will
improve. If she is in error, I foresee convulsions and disturbances
such as no pen can describe. The succession to the crown is so
unfortunately hampered, that it must fall to Elizabeth, and with
Elizabeth there will be a religious revolution. The clergy will be put
down, the Catholics persecuted, and there will be such revenge for the
present proceedings as the world has never seen. I know not whether
the king's person is safe; and the scandals and calumnies which the
heretics are spreading about the queen are beyond conception. Some say
that she has never been _enceinte_; some repeat that there will be a
supposititious child, and that there would have been less delay could
a child have been found that would answer the purpose.[479] The looks
of men are grown strange and impenetrable; those in whose loyalty I
had most dependence I have now most reason to doubt. Nothing is
certain, and I am more bewildered than ever at the things which I see
going on around me. There is neither government, nor justice, nor
order; nothing but audacity and malice."[480]

[Footnote 479: The impression was very generally
spread. Noailles mentions it, writing on the 20th
of June to the King of France; and Foxe mentions a
mysterious attempt of Lord North to obtain a
new-born child from its mother, as having happened
within his own knowledge. The existence of the
belief, however, proves nothing. At such a time it
was inevitable, nor was there any good evidence to
connect Lord North, supposing Foxe's story true,
with the court. The risk of discovery would have
been great, the consequences terrible, and few
people have been more incapable than Mary of
knowingly doing a wrong thing.]

[Footnote 480: Renard to the Emperor, June 27:
_Granvelle Papers_, vol. vi.]

The fai