divorced, and executed, and herself stigmatised as a bastard. That in essential and important matters she suffered less from this than we should expect, seems clear from the fact that her education was conducted with the most jealous care, and that she was at a later time included among the heirs to the throne appointed in her father's will; but, even so, it is incredible that she did not receive vastly different treatment, as the King's natural daughter, from that which had been her due as the heiress-apparent to the throne. Edward and his more important counsellors were all, either in fact or profession, Protestant bigots, and from them it is no secret that she received far more consideration than her sister; but this was counter-balanced in a great measure by the fact that Mary was before her in the order of succession, and, when the time came to attempt to set Mary aside, they seemed to feel no scruple in including Elizabeth in the same proscription. When the attempt failed, and Mary ascended the throne, Elizabeth, at the age of twenty, entered upon a term of trial, persecution, and actual danger, during which her individual liberty was constantly restrained, her personal attendants were appointed by others, and continually tampered with, and her own life was in such danger that she had no security from day to day that she might not be committed to the Tower or ordered for execution. Elizabeth was far from being destitute of religious feeling or of Christian belief. It was no mere acting that when Mary died, and the announcement was made to her that she was delivered from her thraldom and was herself a queen, she fell on her knees and exclaimed, 'It is the Lord's doing, and is marvellous in our eyes!' But while her life, with its rapid changes and constant danger, had been calculated
