head and looked at him. To hear that any one of her
subjects loved her just then was too welcome to be
overlooked.--Underhill's Narrative: _MS. Harleian_,
425.]

[Footnote 141: Arras to Renard: _Granvelle Papers_,
vol. iv. p. 105.]

The banquet in the great hall passed off with equal success; Sir
Edward Dymocke, the champion, rode in and flung down his gage, and was
listened to with becoming silence: on the whole, Mary's friends were
agreeably disappointed; only Renard observed that, between the French
ambassador and the Lady Elizabeth there seemed to be some secret
understanding; the princess saluted Noailles as he passed her; Renard
she would neither address nor look at--and Renard was told that she
complained to Noailles of the weight of her coronet, and that Noailles
"bade her have patience, and before long she would exchange it for a
crown."[142]

[Footnote 142: Renard to the Regent Mary: _Rolls
House MSS._]

{p.062} The coronation was a step gained; it was one more victory,
yet it produced no material alteration. Rome, and the Spanish
marriage, remained as before, insoluble elements of difficulty; the
queen, to her misfortune, was driven to rely more and more on Renard;
and at this time she was so desperate and so ill-advised as to think
of surrounding herself with an Irish bodyguard; she went so far as to
send a commission to Sir George Stanley for their transport.[143]

[Footnote 143: "Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of
England, etc.... to all mayors, sheriffs, justices
of the peace, and other our subjects, these our
letters, hearing or seeing: whereas we have
appointed a certain number of able men to be
presently levied for our service within our realm
of Ireland, and to be transported hither with
diligence, we let you wit that for that purpose we
have authorised our trusty Sir George Stanley,
Knight," etc.--October 5, 1553. From the original
Commission: _Tanner MSS._ 90, Bodleian Library.]

The scheme was abandoned, but not because her relations with her own
people were improved. Before parliament met, an anonymous pamphlet
appeared by some English nobleman on t