A whole morning spent signing letters to be distributed to the sheriffs and lieutenants requiring them to accept me as Queen of this realm and resist any appeal from Mary. Dudley wrote it out but I have amended it as I feel fit; he has set up this situation where I appear to be the queen of England, Wales and France and I will act as precisely that and decide what goes out to the people and what doesn"t.
I go to the council chamber where I am to meet up with various members of that body, chaired, as usual by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. He announces to us all that he is assembling an army to capture the Lady Mary and any of her supporters that cause trouble and that many recruits are assembled at this moment at Tothill Fields awaiting orders.
"I have offered all recruits ten penc
