Mary  had  released  Gardiner  from  the  Tower,  and  made
him  her  trusted  Minister.  His  advice  in  all  matters,  save
that  of  her  marriage,  coincided  with  the  Emperor's.  It
was  thought  that  small  difBculty  would  be  found  in
restoring  the  Eoman  Catholic  religion,  but  that  difficulties
might  arise  about  the  papal  supremacy,  and  especially  about
the  reception  of  a  papal  Legate.  Much  depended  on  the
Pope.  If  His  Holiness  did  not  demand  the  restoration
of  the  ecclesitistical  property  alienated  during  the  last  two
reigns,  and  now  distributed  among  over  forty  thousand
proprietors,  all  might  go  well.
Signs  were  not  wanting,  however,  that  if  the  people
were  almost  unanimous  in  accepting  Mary  as  their  Queen,
they  were  not  imited  upon  religion.  When  Dr.  Gilbert
Bourne,  preaching  at  St.  Paul's  Cross  (Aug.  13th,  1553)
praised  Bishop  Bonner,  he  was  interrupted  by  shouts ;  a
dagger  was  ihrown  at  him ;  he  was  hustled  out  of  the
pulpit,  and  his  Ufe  was  threatened.  The  tumult  was  only
appeased  when  Bradford,  a  known  Protestant,  appealed  to
the  crowd.  The  Lord  Mayor  of  London  was  authorised  to
declare  to  the  people  that  it  was  not  the  Queen's  intention
to  constrain  men's  consciences,  and  that  she  meant
to  trust  solely  to  persuasion  to  bring  them  to  the  true
faith.
