Note 17 — Chapter I · INTRODUCTORY 1552-1553
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Renard had seen Bishop Gardiner, the Queen’s principal minister, the day before, and had tried to draw some declaration from him, although he was known to be in favour of the Courtenay match. The Bishop said that he would not suggest any name to the Queen; but if she asked his advice as to marrying a foreigner, he would tell her that, for the good of her country and her own safety, it would be better to marry an Englishman, as the very name of foreigner was hated by the English. “As for the Prince of Spain,” continued Gardiner, “if she married him, the people would never tolerate the Spanish character; which even the Flemish subjects of the Emperor detest; besides which, the marriage would mean for England a perpetual war with France.”—Papiers d’État de Granvelle, vol. iv.