With the death of Edward VI and the failure of Jane Grey to seize the throne, Queen Mary's ascent seemed likely to mean there would be a dramatic and immediate change in religious policy. The evangelical faction was now firmly out of power - many would flee to the continent in fact. But at least initially Mary and her court was a bit hesitant to push too hard too fast. For decades now the people of England had heard nothing but criticism of the Pope, it seemed unlikely they would forget all that overnight. Besides, Mary had to deal with the practical issues of being queen. Namely, she was not a young woman, was not married, and had no children. The proverbial clock, in other words, was ticking.WebsitePatreon Free Trial