A messenger informs me that the towns of Norwich and Colchester and the counties of Devon and Oxfordshire have declared Mary as queen. I receive this grim news with a straight faced expression and dismiss the messenger. If this was not bad enough, later intelligence tells me that the six Royal ships Dudley sent to Framlingham to cut off Mary"s possible escape route, have not arrived; the sailors have deserted but not before firing their big guns and declaring for Mary.
I am approached by Cranmer, the archbishop and one of the few who have stayed close to me for the past hectic eight days and tried to sustain me with prayers and readings from the scriptures.
"Well, my Lord Archbishop," I say grimly, "what happens now?"
"Be of good faith my child," he replies. "God will provide and indica
