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 OB, 1554. 
 
FOURTH THOUSAND. 
 
 OF 
 
 LADY JANE GREY. 
 
 BT 
 
 DAVID W. BAETLETT. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 MILLEB, ORTON & CO., 26 PARK ROW. 
 
 1857. 
 

 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the yoar 1853, by 
 DERBY & MILLER, 
 In the Clerk's Office for the Northern District of New Yoit. 
 
 >v Trarnsf ^r 
 AUG 12 1927 
 
 STBRSOTYPBD BY 
 
 THOMAS B SMITH, 
 216 WiUiam SL N. Y. 
 
10 Mlj 10Iȣi^, 
 
 THIS 
 
 LITTLE VOLUME 
 
 IS 
 
 [Ijast affedi^iutHg Insrrilntr. 
 
PEEFACB. 
 
 I OFFER no apology for preparing this volume. 
 The lovely woman who is its subject, possessed a 
 character worthy of contemplation. Her career is 
 one of the most interesting and tragical to be found 
 in the pages of English history. 
 
 But I apologise most heartily for the manner in 
 which I have executed my task, though apologies 
 are not generally accepted by the reading public. My 
 object has been to prepare a popular sketch of the 
 liife of Lady Jane Grey — ^to make a book so conve- 
 nient in size, and simple in style, as to command 
 the attention of the million. The subject of this me- 
 moir existed so long ago, that it has been impossible 
 to discover any new facts connected with her life; 
 but I have searched thoroughly all the proper au- 
 thorities, and present, in a single volume, every- 
 thing of interest which has reference to Lady Jane. 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 It has seemed to me necessary to give a brief sketch 
 of the times immediately previous to those in which 
 Lady Jane Grey existed, for her own career and 
 sad fate were, in a manner, dependent upon the 
 poHtioal events of those times. Her claim to the 
 throne of England cannot he understood, without 
 adverting to the history of Henry VHI. and his 
 queens, one of whom was the dearest female friend 
 Lady Jane ever possessed. 
 
 My authorities in the preparation of this volume 
 have been. Knight, Goldsmith, Hume. Fox, Burnet, 
 Agnes Strickland, and Speed. I am also much in- 
 debted to an English volume upon Lady Jane Grey, 
 by Howard. 
 
 I shall be content with little praise for my book, 
 if any of those who read it shall be led to imitate 
 the character of the beautiful and illustrious woman 
 whose sad, yet in another sense glorious, career, it 
 records. D. W. B. 
 
 Haetfoud, Conn., 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 FAOB 
 
 Birth of Lady Jane Gi-ey. — Family. — Extraction.—Thom- 
 as Grey. — His sayin^^s. — Tl)ird Marquis of Dorset, Lady 
 Jane's Father. — Charles Brandon. — Mary Tudor. — Louis 
 XII. — Marriage. — Death. — Mary's marriage -with Charles 
 Brandon. — Henry YITI. offended. — Reconciliation 13 
 
 CHAPTEU 11. 
 
 History of the Heforrnation. — Henry VIII — His marriage 
 with KathMiine of Arrngon. — Birth of Princess Mary. — ■ 
 Wyclifie. — Lu; hiv. — Rt-fui-mation in Germany. — Henry 
 VIII. an aurlior — WOlsey. — His career. — The King 
 falls in love with Anne Boleyn. — Percy. — Anne. — Di- 
 vorce from Kathiiriiie. — Marriage Arith Anne Boleyn. — 
 Woi-^ev's fall. — Rise of Cromwell. — Execution of Anne 
 Boleyn 25 
 
 OKAPTEIl III. 
 
 Birth of 'L■^dy Jnne Grey. — Her father. — His Country- 
 8eat. — Lady Jrme's early iiist.ory. — Cus^toms of the 
 age. — Ht-r appenranfe at Court as maid to Katharine 
 Parr. — Jane Se% mour. — King's marriage. — Birth of 
 Prince Edward. — Deaili of the Queen. — Henry marries 
 Anne of Cleves. — Deserts hes-. — Marries Katharine How- 
 ard. — Her disg! ace and execution.. 6S 
 
 a 
 
X CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Katharine Parr. — Sir Thomas Seymour. — Katharine mar- 
 ries Henry VIIL — Lady Jane Grey. — Katharine's nar- 
 row escape. — Death of the King. — ^Edward VI. — Som- 
 erset. — ^Admiral Seymour marries Katharine Parr. — 
 Project of marrying Lady Jane Grey to the King. — Con- 
 duct of Elizabeth. — Death of Katharine Parr,— Lady 
 Jane Grey her chief mourner ._, *73 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Correspondence in reference to Lady Jane. — She goes to 
 her father's house. — Returns to the care of Seymour. 
 — ^The Admiral arrested. — Lady Jane returns to Brad- 
 gate. — Seymour beheaded. — Letter of Roger Ascham 
 to Lady Jane. — Presented at Court. — Visit with the 
 Princess Mary. — ^Mary presents her with a gold neck- 
 lace 98 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Duke of Somerset. — Insurrections. — Rise of the Earl of 
 "Warwick. — Made Duke of Northumberland. — Downfall 
 of Somerset. — Northumberland's ambition. — His designs 
 upon the Crown 124 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 Lady Jane Grey. — Description of her person. — Her learn- 
 ing and virtues. — Northumberland's projects.— Imagin- 
 ary conversation between Roger Ascham and Lady 
 Jane. — Her marriage with Lord Guildford Dudley. — 
 Edward VI. a victim to Northumberland. — Makes his 
 Will in favor of Lady Jane Grey. — ^Troubles with the 
 Council. — Innocence of Lady Jane.. i . 186 
 
CONTENTS. ^ 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The Princess Mary. — Her early mortifications. — Her dis- 
 grace. — Fruitless attempts at marriage. — Northumber- 
 land's treatment of Mary. — Remarks upon her charac- 
 ter 161 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Death of Edward VI. — Lady Jane Grey apprised of his 
 Death and Will. — Refuses to accept the Crown. — Weeps 
 and faints. — Is forced to accept it. — Goes to the Tow- 
 er. — Mary is surrounded in the country by Friends.— 
 Proclamation of Lady Jane. — Advance of Mary upon 
 London. — The Nobility and Council flock to her stand- 
 ard. — Lady Jane gives up the Crown. — The arrest of 
 Lady Jane and her husband 1*10 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Duke of Northumberland. — Suffolk set at liberty. — Trial 
 of Northumberland — His execution. — Lady Jane Grey. 
 — Her treatment. — Her angelic conduct. — Queen Mary's 
 religious persecutions. — Her coronation. 211 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Trial of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford at Guild- 
 hall. — Their conduct. — Sentenced to death. — Sympathy 
 for Lady Jane. — Religious matters. — Dr. Sandys. — Pro- 
 ject of Mary's Marriage with Philip. — Opposition of Peo- 
 ple and Parliament. — Insurrections of Suffolk, Carew, 
 and Wyatt. — Wyatt in London. — His downfall 281 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 FA6B 
 
 E.esult of the Insurrections, — The approaching fate of 
 Lady Jane Grey. — Mary signs Lady Jane's death-war- 
 rant. — She prepares for death. — Religious dispute with 
 Feckenham. — Letter to her father. — Letter to her sister 
 Katharine. — Her Prayer. — Her last hours. — Death of 
 Lord Guildford. — Her own triumphant end 260 
 
 CHAPTER Xni. 
 
 Trial of the Duke of Suffolk. — His execution. — End of 
 Wyatt. — Lady Katharine and Lady Mary Gi-ey. — Per- 
 secution of Queen Elizabeth. — The end 298 
 
LIFE OF LADY JANE GREY. 
 
 » > ♦ » » 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 BiaTH OF LADY JANE GREY. — FAMILY. EXTRACTION. ^THOMAS 
 
 GREY. HIS SAYINGS. THIRD MARQUIS OF DORSET, LADY JANe's 
 
 FATHER. CHARLES BRANDON. ^MARY TUDOR. LOUIS XII. MAR- 
 RIAGE. DEATH. MARY's MARRIAGE WITH CHARLES BRANDON. 
 
 HENRY VIU, OFFENDED. RECONCILIATION. 
 
 Lady Jane Grey was born in Bradgate, 
 Leicestershire, one of the interior counties of 
 England. The precise date of her birth cannot 
 be satisfactorily ascertained, no two of the chron- 
 iclers of her times agreeing upon this .point. 
 The probabilities are, however, that she was born 
 in the year 1537, being of the same- age as Ed- 
 ward YI., with whose fate in after years her 
 own fortunes were closely connected. 
 
 The family of Grey was originally of Kor- 
 man extraction. Rollo or Frilburt was the first 
 
14 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of the family record ; he was chamberlain to 
 Robert, Duke of Normandy, who made him a 
 present of the castle and lands of Croy, in 
 Picardy, from which sprung the name de Croy, 
 and subsequently de Grrey. 
 
 John, Lord de Croy, only son of Rollo, mar- 
 ried Adela, daughter and co-heir of William 
 Fitz Osbert, by whom he had a son — 
 
 Sir Arnold de Grey, who soon after the Nor- 
 man conquest became lord of Water Eaton, 
 Stoke, and Rotherfield. By his wife Joan, 
 heiress of the Baron Ponte del Arche, he had a 
 son— 
 
 Auchitel de Grey, whose eldest son*s name 
 was — 
 
 Richard de Grey, whose son-^ 
 
 Auchitel de Grey, married Eva, daughter of 
 Baldwin de Redrers, Earl of Devon. Their 
 eldest son^s name was — 
 
 John de Grey — his son — 
 
 Henry de Grey had a grant of the lands of 
 Thurrock, in Essex, from Richard I. His second 
 son — 
 
 John de Grey, had a high position nnder the 
 government He married Emma, daughter and 
 h«itess of Geoffirey de Glanville — th«lr son-^ 
 
LAD? ;rANfi QHBY. t§ 
 
 Eeginald de Grey, married Maud, daughter 
 of the Baron of Willon. Their son- 
 John de G-rey, married the daughter of Lord 
 Basset of Drayton. Their son-— 
 
 Eoger de Grey, married Elizabeth, daughter 
 of Lord Hastings. Their son-^ 
 
 Eeginald de Grey, married Eleanor, daughter 
 of Lord Straise. He commanded all the king's 
 castles in Wales, in the reign of Edward IIL 
 Their son — 
 
 Eeginald de Grey, married Joan, daughter of 
 Lord Ashley. Their son-^ 
 
 Sir Edward de Grey, married Elizabeth, 
 daughter of Lord Ferrens. Their son — 
 
 Sir John Grey married the eldest daughter of 
 the Earl of Eivers — she after his death marrying 
 King Edward IV. Their son- 
 Sir Thomas Grey held high office under Henry 
 VII. — was created Knight of the Garter, Earl of 
 Huntingdon and Marquis of Dorset. His son — 
 Thomas Grey, the second Marquis of Dorset, 
 was a great favorite of Henry VIII., in the third 
 year of whose reign he was general of the army 
 sent into Spain for the purpose of invading 
 Guienne. Peace was restored, and two years 
 after the, with four of his brothers, thd Duke of 
 
16 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Sujffolk and others, went to Paris, and obtained 
 great renown at the tournaments of St. Denis. In 
 1520, he was present at the interview between 
 Henry YIII. and the French monarch Francis, at 
 the famous Champ d'Or^ or Field of Gold. He 
 had the honor of carrying the sword of state on 
 this occasion, and won renown at the tournaments 
 which graced the distinguished meeting of the 
 monarchs. 
 
 In 1522, he was chosen to go to Calais to re- 
 ceive and escort the Emperor Charles Y. into 
 England. He married for a second, wife, Marga- 
 ret, daughter of Sir Kobert Wotton. He was a 
 man of extraordinary abilities, of exceedingly stu- 
 dious disposition, and was not characterized by 
 the vices of his age. Some of his wise sayings — 
 for he was fond of writing — are preserved to this 
 day in the libraries of English antiquarians. We 
 will quote a specimen. 
 
 " The greatest trust between man and man is 
 giving counsel." 
 
 " Never was the man merry who had more 
 than one woman in his bed, one friend in his 
 Dosom, one faith in his heart." 
 
 His son — • 
 
 Henry Grey, third Marquis of Dorset, came to 
 
LADT JANE OREt. XI 
 
 the title in 1530 He was father to Lady Jane 
 Grey. He was at first Constable of England, 
 and possessed other high trusts under the gov- 
 ernment, and finally received the title of his 
 wife's father — the Duke of Suffolk. He married 
 Frances, eldest daughter of Charles Brandon, 
 Duke of Suffolk, whose wife was sister to Henry 
 YIII. The children of Henry, third Murquis of 
 Dorset (afterwards Duke of Suffolk), were Jane, 
 Katharine, and Mary. It was through the mar- 
 riage of Henry, third Marquis of Dorset, that the 
 claim to the crown of England came into the 
 Dorset family. 
 
 Lady Jane Grey's claim to the crown was 
 through her mother, and it will be necessary for 
 us to give a brief sketch of her descent upon the 
 mother's side. 
 
 Henry VIL, one of the wisest kings of Eng- 
 land, married Elizabeth of York, and their chil- 
 dren were Arthur, Margaret, Henry, Mary and 
 Katherine. Of these only three survived their 
 parents — Margaret, afterward Queen of Scotland, 
 Henry, King of England, and Mary, who became 
 Queen of France. 
 
 Mary Tudor, the grandmother of Lady Jane 
 Grey, was born in the year 1498, and was a great 
 
18 THELIFEOF 
 
 favorite with her brother, the terrible Henry 
 YIII. She was very beautiful, and won the 
 heart of the Duke of Suffolk. Charles Brandon, 
 Duke of Suffolk, was a person of elegant appear- 
 ance, most winning manners and exalted courage. 
 He was perhaps the most accomplished gentleman 
 of his time, and contrived to win the affections 
 of the king, who made him an esquire of his 
 body, and chamberlain of the principality of 
 "Wales. He fought a battle with the French off 
 Brest, and the following year asked leave to at- 
 tend the expedition to Terouenne and Tournay. 
 Henry appointed him to the command of the 
 vanguard of the army, and also made him Yis- 
 count I'Isle. The next year he also made him 
 Duke of Suffolk. The duke was fascinated by 
 the youthful grao^ of Mary Tudor, and she was 
 pleased with his elegant manners, handsome ap- 
 pearance and courageous actions. Their love, 
 however, was probably unknown to the king. 
 At any rate, in 1514, Mary was married to Louis 
 XII. of France. The French monarch when in 
 the prime of life was tall, agile and handsome, 
 was somewhat dissipated in his j^outh, but upon 
 his accession to the throne, he forsook his vices. 
 He had been compelled by Louis XL to marry 
 
LADY JANE GREY. llf 
 
 his daughter Jeanne, a deformed girl, but of 
 amiable disposition. The poor girl loved her 
 
 handsome husband passionately, but tvhen he 
 
 • 
 
 came to the throne, he put her away through a 
 dispensation of the pope. Jeanne wept and 
 begged in vain, for Louis married Anne of Brit- 
 tany, who was a faithful and pious wife. She 
 died in January, 1514. Mary, the sister of 
 Henry YIII., was affianced to Prince Charles, 
 grandson of Maximilian and Ferdinand, while 
 his father was detained years before at Windsor 
 Castle. The prince did not consider the engage- 
 ment binding, and Louis XIL proposed the 
 hand of his own daughter to him as his wife. 
 Henry YIII. was frantic with rage at what he 
 termed the treachery of the prince, and the am- 
 bassador of France proposed, with adroitness, 
 that Mary Tudor should marry the king, his 
 master. Henry accepted the proposal— never 
 for a moment considering the heart of his sister. 
 The French king was fifty-three years old while 
 Mary was only sixteen, and very charming in 
 her beauty. She was deeply in love with Charles 
 Brandon, but saw that opposition was utterly 
 useless, and consented to the union. A treaty 
 was made between the two monarchs, Louis agree- 
 
20 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ing to pay Henry a million of crowns in ten 
 yearly instalments, in discharge of arrears due 
 on tlie old treaty of Etaples, and Henry bound 
 himself to give his sister Mary a dower of four 
 hundred thousand crowns. A marriage cere- 
 mony took place at G-reenwich, on the 7th of 
 August, the French ambassador acting as proxy 
 for the king. Louis became very im[)atient f )r 
 the personal society of his beautiful wife, but she, 
 her heart far from being his, preferred to linger 
 in England. Louis wrote to Cardinal Wolsey 
 early in September, demanding that Mary come 
 over to France at once, but she staid at her 
 brother's court till October, when the court re- 
 moved with her to Dover, on the coast, where 
 with a gorgeous retinue she sailed for Boulogne, 
 Among her retinue was her lover Charles Bran- 
 don, and one of her maids of honor, was the then 
 young and pretty Anne Boleyn, who afterwards 
 became the wife of Henry YIIL, and ended her 
 brilliant but sad career upon the scaffold. Lady 
 Anne Grey and Elizabeth Grey, sisters to the 
 Marquis of Dorset, were also among the young 
 queen's maids of honor. 
 
 The royal company had been detained at Do- 
 ver on account of the fearful storms which swept 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 21 
 
 over the channel, but on the second day of Oc- 
 tober, Henry conducted his sister to the shore, 
 kissed her affectionately, and committed her to 
 God and the king, her future lord. The sea was 
 yet violently agitated, and the perils of the short 
 voyage were great, — the fleet being scattered, and 
 some of the ships driven upon the French shore. 
 On the way from Boulogne to Abbeville, Queen 
 Mary rode on a palfrey which was covered with 
 a golden cloth, and her ladies were dressed in 
 crimson velvet. On the 8th of October the 
 French monarch received her joyfully at Abbe- 
 ville, and the day after they were re-married. 
 The day was one of great festivity and splendor, 
 but the next morning the queen was severely 
 tried by an order of Louis, to the effect that all 
 her English attendants should return home. Two 
 or three exceptions were finally made, and the 
 Duke of Suffolk, the queen's old lover, remained 
 in the quality of ambassador. The queen's coro- 
 nation took place on the 5th of November, and 
 there followed it a continual round of festivities. 
 Louis seemed to be intoxicated with his charm- 
 ing young wife, and indulged in dangerous dissi- 
 pations. In the meantime, the Duke of Suffolk 
 remained at the French court, though his conduct 
 
22 THE LIFE OF 
 
 towards Mary was irreproacliable. On the first of 
 January, Louis, worn out with his excesses, ex- 
 pired at Paris. Ten days only after his death, 
 Mary wrote the following letter to Cardinal Wol- 
 sey, showing pretty plainly that her heart was 
 not broken by the death of her royal husband: 
 
 " My reverend, good Lord, — I recommend me 
 to you, and thank you for letters and good les- 
 sons that you have given to me. My lord, I pray 
 you as my trust is in you, to remember me to 
 the king, my brother, for such cause and business 
 as I have for to do : for as now I have no other 
 to put my trust in but the king my brother, and 
 you. And as it shall please the king my brother 
 and his council, I will be ordered; and so pray 
 I you, my lord, to show his grace, saying that 
 the king my husband is departed to God, whose 
 soul Grod pardon. And whereas you advise me 
 that I should make no promise, my loi'd, I trut^t 
 the king my brother and you will not depend on 
 me solely please God. I trust I have so oidored 
 myself since I came hither, that it hath been to 
 the honor of the king my brother and me, since 
 I came hither, and so I trust to continue. If there 
 be anything that I may do for you, I would be 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 23 
 
 glad for to do it in these parts, and shall be glad 
 to do it for you. No more to you at this time, 
 but God preserve you. 
 
 " Written at Paris the 10 of January, 1515, 
 '' By your loving friend, 
 
 *' Mary, Queen of France." 
 
 A short time after the date of this letter, Mary 
 wrote a letter to Henry, begging him to send for 
 her, as she longed to see his face. The truth was, 
 she longed to see the face of her old lover, the 
 Duke of Suffolk, who had returned a short time 
 before Louis's death, to England. Henry, in an- 
 swer to his sister's letter, sent the Duke of Suf- 
 folk and others to Paris, to escort her home. As 
 soon as she met Suffolk, Maiy was in transports 
 of joy ; and he, being encouraged by her, ven- 
 tured upon asking for her hand. She replied 
 that if he did not win her in a mouth, he would 
 never do so. They were soon privately married 
 in Paris, after which Mary wrote the king, her 
 brother, imploring his pardon for the step she 
 had taken without his leave.' They then travelled 
 to Calais, at which place her marriage was cele- 
 brated by public rites and ceremonies. 
 
 Henry was angry for a time, and when the 
 
24 THE LIFE OF 
 
 conple returned to England, they were afraid to 
 come up to court, but went to their seat in Suf- 
 folk. From that place Mary wrote another letter 
 to the king, who, loving both her and his old fa- 
 vorite, the duke, consented to a reconciliation. 
 By certain persons, the marriage was said to be 
 illegal, as the Duke of Suffolk's first wife. Lady 
 Mortimer, was still alive ; but she had been re- 
 pudiated by him long before. After his marriage 
 the duke frequented the court, and was a favorite 
 of the king. A year after the marriage, Marga- 
 ret, Queen of Scots, came to London, and the 
 king and his two sisters had a happy meeting. 
 
 Henry, the third Marquis of Dorset, married 
 Frances, the daughter of the Duke of Suffolk. 
 Their eldest child was the Lady Jane Grey, and 
 in many things the Marquis of Dorset was 
 scarcely worthy to be the parent of so good, so 
 illustrious a daughter. His mother complained 
 bitterly of his treatment of her, declaring that he 
 withheld her property from her, and in other 
 matters conducted himself in a most undutifui 
 manner. The family coat-of-arms is thus de- 
 scribed : Barry of six, argent and azure ; in chief, 
 three torteauxex, ermine : the motto, A ma puis- 
 sance. 
 
(Ml A P T E R II. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE REFOKMATION HKNRY VIII. HIS MARRIAGE WITH 
 
 KATHARINE OF ARRAGON. BIRTH OF PRINCESS MARY. WYCLIFFK. 
 
 LIJTHER. — REFORMATION IN GERMANY. HENRY VIII. AN AU- 
 THOR. WOLSEY.— HIS CAREER. THE KING FALLS IN LOVE WITH 
 
 ANNE BOLEYN. PERCY. ANNE. DIVORCE FROM KATHARINE 
 
 MARRIAGE WITH ANNE BOLEYN. WOLSEY's FALL. RISE OF CROM- 
 WELL. EXECUTION OF ANNE BOLEYN. 
 
 In order to clearly understand the causes which 
 led to Lady Jane Grey's innocent usurpation of 
 the English crown, it will be necessary briefly to 
 sketch the history of the Protestant Eeformation 
 in England, and therefore to go back to the com- 
 mencement of Henry VIII.'s reign. That prince 
 was in his eighteenth year when he ascended the 
 throne, made vacant by his father's death. He 
 was exceedingly handsome, frank and generous 
 m his disposition at this time, though noted tor 
 his ardent love of pleasure, and he was a uni- 
 versal favorite. Previous to his coronation, 
 Henry had been married to Katharine of Arra- 
 
 *goij, the daughter of Queen Isabella of Spain, and 
 B 
 
26 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the widow of Prince Arthur, who was the eldest 
 son of Henry YII., and brother to Henry YIII. 
 Prince Arthur and Katharine were married in 
 November, 1501, the former fifteen years of age 
 — the latter seventeen. Five months after the 
 marriage, Prince Arthur died, and Katharine 
 was left a young widow. Her marriage-portion 
 consisted of 200,000 crowns, and half the sum 
 had been paid at the time of the marriage. Her 
 father and mother now signified their wish for 
 the return of their daughter with her marriage- 
 portion. Henry YII., to do away with the ne- 
 cessity of returning so much money, and to gain 
 the unpaid portion of the young widow's dower, 
 immediately proposed that she should marry her 
 brother-in-law, Prince Henry. But Henry was 
 five years younger than Katharine, and the pro- 
 posed match was distasteful to him ; neverthe- 
 less, in June 1503, she was betrothed to him. 
 Three years later, Henry YII. conceived a strong 
 desire to marry Joanna, the sister of Katharine ; 
 and fearing that the people would not be satisfied 
 with the marriage of the father and two sons into 
 one family, he forced Prince Henry the day be- 
 fore he attained his fifteenth year, to solemnly 
 protest against his betrothment to Katharine. 
 
LADY JANE GEE Y. 27 
 
 But SO soon as the young prince was forbidden 
 to think of marriage with Katharine, he at once 
 was determined to obtain her, and they were 
 carefully kept apart to prevent a private mar- 
 riage. When at length the king became con- 
 vinced of the hopeless insanity of Joanna, Prince 
 Henry and Katharine were married. The event 
 took place on the 11th of June, 1609, and they 
 were together crowned on the 24th of the same 
 month. The queen at this time, though five 
 years older than the king, was, if not handsome, 
 at least of pleasing appearance, and possessed a 
 pious heart and beautiful disposition. She was 
 fond of reading pious books, and all her pleas- 
 ures were of the gentler sort. That Henry had 
 great confidence in her during the early part of 
 his reign, is very evident from the momentous 
 trusts which he at different times reposed in her. 
 At the close of 1510, the queen gave birth to an 
 infant u^on, which was christened Henry, but 
 which died a few weeks after its advent into the 
 world. Had this child lived, the queen proba- 
 bly would have been saved all her future trou- 
 bles. In November, 1514, Katharine again be- 
 came a mother to a prince, which survived but a 
 few days. In February, 1816, was born the 
 
28 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Princess Mary, who was destined in later years 
 to bear so cruel a sway over the fortunes of the 
 illustrious lady who is the subject of this work. 
 Katharine bore Henry five children, but one, of 
 them all, arriving to years of maturity. 
 
 When Henry YIIL came to the throne of 
 England, the religion of the country was Koman 
 Catholic. Indeed, the great Reformation was not 
 commenced. A long time before, Wycliffe had 
 denounced the abominations of the Romish 
 Church, but his doctrines had not taken root in 
 the popular mind, though unquestionably there 
 were many pious people in England who at the 
 date of Henry's accession to power, were dis- 
 gusted with many of the practices of the Romish 
 priests. Eight 3'ears later, and Martin Luther, 
 the humble monk, sounded the note of alarm 
 over Europe, against the frightful doctrine of in- 
 dulgences. As yet, on every other point, he was 
 a good Catholic ; but soon, with an intellect made 
 clear and strong through liberty and a freedom 
 from the prevailing superstition of the times, he 
 went still further, and even questioned the su- 
 premacy of the Pope. Germany at once was 
 made the theatre of intense excitement, through 
 the fearless and eloquent words of the courageous 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 29 
 
 monk ; and though the most persevering and en- 
 ergetic efforts were made to put down Luther 
 and his heretical opinions, through the provi- 
 dence of God they were unavailing. 
 
 The noise of the excitement on the Continent 
 was heard in England, and Henry VIII. turned 
 author in defence of his religion. He wrote a 
 book to confute the heresies of Luther, entitled 
 " Defence of the Seven Sacraments against Mar- 
 tin Luther," a copy of which was sent to Pope 
 Leo, who was so pleased, that he granted to 
 Henry the title of " Defender of the Faith." Lu- 
 ther immediately replied to the royal author, 
 scattering his flimsy arguments to the winds, and 
 treating him in any but a reverential manner. 
 He even affected not to believe Henry wrote the 
 book, and this piqued the monarch more than 
 Luther's logic. By the skilful management of 
 Cardinal Wolsey, the whole affair set the king 
 the more firmly against Lutheranism, and a con- 
 temptible persecution was at once commenced 
 against all persons who possessed copies of the 
 heretical books. 
 
 Thomas Wolsey was the son of an Ipswich 
 butcher, who gave him an admirable education, 
 and fitted him for the Church. He was first a 
 
30 THE LIFE OF 
 
 country parson, but his learning, wit, and talents 
 becoming known to Bishop Fox, he introduced 
 him to his master, Henry VII. Upon the ac- 
 cession of Henry YIII. Bishop Fox and the Duke 
 of Norfolk struggled for the supremacy in the 
 council, and when the bishop perceived that the 
 soldier was fast gaining the confidence of the 
 king, he brought Wolsey under the notice of 
 Henry, hoping thereby to get the upper hand of 
 the Duke of Norfolk. But Wolse}^, with aston- 
 ishing talent, became himself tl]e most powerful 
 and influential man at court, and left his friends 
 the duke and bishop, far behind him in the race 
 for distinction. lie at once adapted himself to 
 all the sensual desires of the king, eating and 
 drinking like any courtier, and yet when there 
 was occasion, showing that he possessed not only 
 profound learning, but also great abilities as a 
 statesman. He was made lord chancellor of the 
 kingdom, and was appointed by the pope to the 
 lucrative and exalted office of papal legate. Ht? 
 now became the most gorgeous prelate the world 
 ever saw, maintaining a train of eight hundred 
 persons, and at one time receiving an inconae as 
 large as that of the king. He was the patron of 
 learning and the arts, and was popular with the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 31 
 
 people until he was obliged, to meet the wants 
 of Henry, to tax them too ojDpressively. Through- 
 out his most brilliant career he was devoted to 
 the interests of his king. He did not hesitate to 
 minister to his basest passions, thongh this was 
 done for the security of his own interests. He 
 was constantly aspiring to the papal chair, and 
 made everything but his devotion to Henrj^, bend 
 to this ambitious desire. He concealed from the 
 nation his selfishness for a time, but by repeated 
 taxes he lost his popularity. He built the fa- 
 mous palace at Hampton Court, which stands to 
 this day a monument to his splendor. After it 
 was fii ashed, Henry asked of him who it was in- 
 tended for • whereupon the great prelate, fearing 
 the jealousy of tne terrible monarch, (for the 
 palace was the most sumptuous then built in the 
 kingdom,) very handsomely gave it to Henry. 
 
 But England was fast approaching the hour 
 ever reckoned the most important in her religious 
 history, and Wolsey, his sad fate. The king had 
 long been noted for his intrigues, his gross devo- 
 tion to sensual pleasures, and his inconstancy, 
 but had treated his wife with a certain respect, 
 ?vhich even that coarse age demanded from him 
 ,s consistent with propriety. In the year 1523, 
 
32 THELIFEOF 
 
 he fell in love with Anne Boleyn, the daughter 
 of Sir Thomas Boleyn. She was twenty years 
 of age, tall and slender, with dark hair and bril- 
 liant eyes, and very fascinating manners. Pre- 
 vious to seeing her Henry had indulged in a love 
 or fancy for her sister Mary Boleyn, indeed some 
 of the chroniclers of that age declare that she 
 was his mistress, which, upon the whole, we do 
 not believe. Anne was sprightly, witty, and 
 possessed of a large share of animal beauty, and 
 well calculated to excite the gross passions of the 
 king. He first met her in her father's garden, 
 at Hever, by accident, and being surprised and 
 delighted with her beauty entered into a conver- 
 sation with her, and was still more surprised and 
 delighted with her wit. When he next saw 
 Wolsey he said, that ''he had been discoursing 
 with a young lady who had the wit of an angel 
 and was worthy of a crown ;" most prophetic 
 words I " It is sufficient," replied the acute Wol- 
 sey, " if your majesty finds her worthy of your 
 love.'* The prelate was quite willing that the 
 king should become engrossed in another love- 
 affair, having no doubt but it would end like all 
 his intrigues in the ruin of his victim, conse- 
 quently he suggested that Anne be appointed 
 
LADYJANEGKEY. 33 
 
 maid of honor to the qaeen. As a matter of 
 course, Anne Bolejn, being the most beautiful 
 and accomplished woman at court, soon was sur- 
 rounded with admirers. Lord Henry Percy, son 
 of the Earl of Nortliumberland, though contract- 
 ed by his father to the daughter of the Earl of 
 Shrewsbury, fell violently in love with Anne, 
 and she so far returned his passion as to private- 
 ly engage herself to him. Indeed there can be 
 no possible question about the sincerity of her 
 love for Percy, and she never loved any one else. 
 The cardinal was so blind as not to see the affec- 
 tion which the young coaple entertained for each 
 other, and Henry himself first made the discov- 
 ery, and from the jealousy which at once filled 
 his heart, discovered further that he himself 
 loved the beautiful Anne. 
 
 He at once charged Wolsey to separate the 
 lovers and to dissolve their engagement. Percy 
 and Anne were both planged into grief, for as 
 yet the latter had not indulged in visions of am- 
 bition and power. The cardinal sent for Percy 
 and reprimanded him severely for his secret en- 
 gagement with Anne-, and he was shortly after 
 banished from court, and compelled to marry the 
 
 daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. He was a 
 b 3 
 
34 THE LIFE OF 
 
 man of gentle manners, of noble affections, and 
 his sad fortune completely wrecked his happiness. 
 That he never fully recovered from his bitter 
 loss is very evident from the history of his sub- 
 sequent career. Anne was dismissed to her 
 father's house, being very much offended and 
 vowing that if it ever were in her power, she 
 would be revenged on Wolsey. At this time 
 she had little idea how soon would come the day 
 on which she would take ample revenge upon 
 the cardinal. After a little time, however, the 
 king came down to her father's castle, but Anne 
 would not see him. Shortly after, to soften her 
 heart, Henry advanced her father to the peerage 
 under the title of Yiscount Eochford. In 1527, 
 Anne again appeared at court, and Henry en- 
 deavored in vain to seduce her from the path of 
 virtue. To his criminal addresses, she replied, 
 
 " Most noble king, I will rather lose my life 
 than my virtue, which will be the greatest and 
 best part of the dowry I shall bring my hus- 
 band." 
 
 '' I shall continue to hope," replied the king. 
 
 " I understand not," she said, " how you 
 should retain such hope. Your wife I cannot be, 
 both in respect of mine own unworthiness, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 30 
 
 also because you have a queen already. Your 
 mistress I will not be." 
 
 Henry was the more deeply set upon obtaining 
 Anne, now that there seemed little hope for suc- 
 cess. He wrote her a series of love-letters filled 
 with passion and a half-sensual love. That Anne 
 replied to some of these letters cannot be denied, 
 and it is evident that about this time she began 
 to dream of a brilliant career at court. It is not 
 proper from this date to call her a virtuous 
 woman, for whether or not she consented to the 
 king's desires, she did receive not only his ad- 
 dresses but those of another married man — Sir 
 Thomas Wyatt. No woman of a pure heart 
 would ever for a moment carry on an intrigue 
 with a married man, and the only reason why 
 Anne now refused to become the royal mistress 
 was her hope of eventually becoming his wife. 
 For now Henry began to pretend that his con- 
 science was troubled because of his marriage with 
 Katharine of Arragon. She had previously mar- 
 ried his brother Arthur, and, therefore, his 
 marriage was incestuous, he claimed. Though 
 Katharine had been to him for seventeen years 
 a most dutiful, and lovely, and pious wife, yet 
 the royal hypocrite was now ready to cast her 
 
36 THE LIFE OF 
 
 off on the score of couscience. There were also 
 other and important reasons. The queen had 
 borne him five children, but only one of the five, 
 the Princess Mary, survived. Henry was natu- 
 rally anxious to leave the crown to a male heir. 
 Katharine was now growing old, and possessed 
 little personal beauty, and the doctrines of Lu- 
 ther had been received with so much favor in 
 England, that there was quite a party who were 
 secretly in favor of Henry's divorce from Katha- 
 rine, hoping that Anne Boleyn would favor the 
 Eeformation. Cardinal Wolsey also favored the 
 idea of a divorce, but had not the slightest idea 
 that Henry would ever marry Anne. The king 
 now announced his determination to Cardinal 
 Wolsey of marrying Anne Boleyn, and making 
 her Queen of England. It is said that the cardi- 
 nal was utterly astonished, and fell upon his 
 knees before his generous but terrible master, 
 and implored of him to renounce so perilous an 
 idea. It may be that he felt already a presenti- 
 ment of his fate, for he must have been well 
 aware that he had made an enemy of Anne. 
 Perceiving that the king was immovably fixed 
 in his determination, he at once affected to ac- 
 quiesce in it, and offered his services to bring it 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 37 
 
 about. And now began the dawn of the great 
 Eeforrnation in England. For two years Henry 
 importuned the pope to grant a divorcement 
 froui Katharine, but the pontiff, fearing Charles 
 who had an army at his gates, dared not grant 
 the wish of Henry. At length, he appointed a 
 commission, consisting of Campeggio and Wolsey 
 to examine the whole question. The two legates 
 (opened their court, and the king and queen ap- 
 peared before them. The king answered to his 
 name in a bold voice, but the queen said not a 
 word. When the citation was repeated she 
 threw herself upon her knees before the king, 
 and made in tears one of the most pathetic ap- 
 peals to his sense of justice. When she rose up 
 bhe walked slowly out of court, and when the 
 receiver-general upon whose arm she leant, said, 
 " Madam, you are called back ;" (for the crier 
 said, " Katharine, Queen of England, come again 
 into court ;") she replied, " I hear it well enough ; 
 but on — on — go you on, for this is no court 
 wherein I can have justice ; proceed, therefore." 
 Her appeal made a deep impression upon 
 those who heard it, and Henry arose and de- 
 clared adroitly, that she had always been a gen- 
 tle and virtuous wife, and that the wish for a 
 
38 THE LIFE OF 
 
 divorce was simply with him a matter of con» 
 science. Yet previous to this, he had not hesi- 
 tated to declare to those in his confidence that 
 the queen was deficient in all those qualities 
 which now he gave her credit for possessing. 
 Such was the duplicity of this blood-thirsty and 
 ravenous king. Henry felt almost sure of a ver- 
 dict in his favor, but Campeggio took the lead 
 and utterly refused to give judgment, referring 
 the whole matter to the pope. The Duke of 
 Suffolk was much enraged, and striking his fist 
 fiercely upon the table, declared that no good 
 had ever befallen England since cardinals came 
 there. He aimed his blow at Wolsey, who rose 
 and with lofty calmness replied to the insult, 
 among other things saying, " But for me, simple 
 cardinal as I am, you at this moment would have 
 no head upon your shoulders," referring to the 
 occasion when he had plead the cause of the 
 duke before the offended king. But from this 
 moment Wolsey's fate was sealed. Cranmer, an 
 eminent theologian, proposed that the king ap- 
 peal to the universities of Europe — that the mar- 
 riage be dissolved without asking leave of thft 
 pope. This bold idea was well suited to Henry's 
 temperament and desires, and he at once re- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 39 
 
 ceived Cranmer into favor, and a change was 
 soon perceptible in his affection for the Eomish. 
 religion. The introduction of any papal bull 
 into England was prohibited, and not long after- 
 wards the parliament abolished the payment of 
 first-fruits to the court of Rome. The universi- 
 ties of Bologna and Paris pronounced Henry's 
 marriage with Katharine to be incestuous, but 
 Luther and the German universities utterly re- 
 fused to sanction the divorce, Luther declaring 
 that he would sooner consent to Henry's mar- 
 rying two wives than to his putting away Kath- 
 arine to indulge his lust for Anne. 
 
 Annie now dissembled no more, but avowed 
 herself Wolsey's enemy, placing in the king's 
 hands copies of the letters of the cardinal to 
 Rome, which proved very clearly that Wolsey 
 was fully committed to the cause of the unfortu- 
 nate Queen Katharine. Bills were soon filed 
 against him in the court of King's Bench, accus- 
 ing him of transgressing the laws of the land in 
 his capacity of pope's legate. The cardinal was 
 completely overcome, and offered at once to give 
 up the whole of his immense property, provided 
 he might retain his rank in the Church. The 
 king granted one interview with the prelate, but 
 
40 THE LIFE OF 
 
 it was the last. It is supposed that Anne ex- 
 torted a promise from the monarch never to see 
 him again. He was banished to Esher, a quiet, 
 lonely, but beautiful place, but Wolsey, whose 
 whole life had been spent at court, who had been 
 really the head of tjie nation, pined away amid 
 the solitudes of the place. He was well aware 
 that Anne was determined upon his complete 
 ruin, for he said, " There is a night-crow that pos- 
 sesses the royal ear against me !" He was taken 
 violently ill, and the news reached the ear of 
 Henry. The monarch, iron-hearted as he was, 
 could not so soon forget the man who for many 
 years had been his dearest friend and counsellor, 
 and he therefore sent his physicians to the car- 
 dinal and also a ring with his image engraven 
 upon it. It was on-ly a sickness of the heart after 
 all, for Wolsey upon receiving these tokens from 
 his monarch rapidly recovered. He came to Eich- 
 mond, very near to court, but Anne grew the 
 more determined to end his fortunes. 
 
 He became meek and humble, gave away his 
 income to the poor, and grew vastly popular with 
 the people. Indeed, it is a significant fact, that 
 through his whole career those persons who were 
 near the cardinal, in his household, or otherwise, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 41 
 
 became strongly attached to him. He was or- 
 dered to proceed to York, within his archbish- 
 opric. On the 4th of November, 1529, while at 
 dinner Wolsey was arrested. The Earl of Nor- 
 thumberland drove up into the yard, and Wolsey 
 with a pleasant countenance, went out to meet 
 him, anticipating no harm. The earl was violent- 
 ly agitated, but laying his trembling hand upon 
 the old man's shoulder, said, " My lord, I arrest 
 you of high treason !" For a few moments the 
 cardinal stood silent, as if completely overcome, 
 and then he burst out into cries and lamentations. 
 He set out at once with the earl to go to his trial 
 and execution. At Sheffield Park, he was ill a 
 fortnight with the dysentery, and when he jour- 
 nied on, he was feeble and pale. The third 
 night he reached Leicester Abbey, and when the 
 monks received him, he said to the abbot, 
 " Father, I am come to lay my bones among 
 you." They carried him to the bed from 
 which he never rose. When he was dying, 
 he said to the lieutenant of the Tower, who had 
 his person in charge : 
 
 " Master Kingston, I pray you. have me com- 
 mended most humbly to his majesty, and beseech 
 him, on my behalf, to call to his gracious remem- 
 
42 THE LIFE OF 
 
 brance all matters that have passed between us 
 from tlie beginning, especially respecting Queen 
 Katharine and himself, and then shall his con- 
 science know whether I have offended him or not. 
 He is a prince of most royal courage, and hath 
 a princely heart — for rather than miss or want 
 any part of his will, he will endanger one half of 
 his kingdom. And I do assure you I have often 
 kneeled before him in his privy-chamber, some- 
 times for three hours together, to persuade him 
 from his appetite, and could not prevail. And 
 Master Kingston, this I will say — had I but 
 served God as diligently as I served the king, he 
 would not have given me over in my gray hairs. 
 Howbeit, this is my just reward for my pains and 
 diligence, not regarding my service to God, but 
 only my daty to my prince." 
 
 Thus perished this gorgeous churchman, who 
 had so long been the glory of his church and his 
 country. When the news came to Henry of his 
 death, he manifested little sorrow — proving that 
 his heart was hard and cruel, and without feel- 
 ing. Anne Boleyn's revengeful purpose was ac- 
 complished, and she now contented herself with 
 contemptuous treatment of the Queen Katharine. 
 
 At this time, Cromwell, the son of a black- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 43 
 
 smith at Putney, came into favor with Henry. 
 He was a man of great talents, and was destined 
 to play an important part in the Eeformation. 
 Cromwell not only advised the king to deny the 
 Pope, but to assert his own supremacy over the 
 Church. The convocations of York and Canter- 
 bury, declared the marriage null and void. 
 About this time Henry sent orders for Queen 
 Katharine to leave Windsor Castle. She retired 
 to her own estate at Ampthill, and never saw 
 the king again. Cranmer was made Archbishop 
 of Canterbury, and Henry was fully resolved 
 upon putting away Katharine, without the Pope's 
 consent. On the morning of the 25th of January, 
 1533, he was privately married to Anne, and a 
 few months after, Cranmer held an archiepisco- 
 pal court, and declared Katharine's marriage to 
 be null and void. Anne was crowned on a beau- 
 tiful day — the first of June — amid splendors and 
 pageants, and thus at last she stood in that bril- 
 liant but dangerous position, which she had been 
 longing for so many years. She was Qaeen of 
 England ! She had cast beneath her feet the 
 neck of the proudest prelate England ever sav/. 
 She had walked right royally over the heart of 
 a poor, persecuted woman, the daughter and wife 
 
M- THE LIFE OP 
 
 of a king : and now was at the summit of her for- 
 tunes ! But already the throne upon which she 
 sat began to tremble — already the grim monarch 
 whom she pretended to love, was losing his pas- 
 sion for her, now that his desires were satiated. 
 In September, Anne was with child, and Henry 
 was confident, from his consultations with the 
 astrologers, that she would give birth to a prince ; 
 but on the 7th of that month, to his great cha- 
 grin, she became the mother to a princess. Yet 
 this girl, so despised, became a greater monarch 
 than her sire — for it was Elizabeth. . By act of 
 Parliament, the child was made heir to the crown, 
 Mary, the daughter of Katharine, thus being bas- 
 tardized. The Pope annulled the new marriage, 
 and threatened to excommunicate Henry ; but 
 that monarch already had declared himself the 
 head of the Church in his kingdom, and the 
 breach thus opened between him and the Pope 
 grew daily larger ; the principles of the Eefor- 
 mation spread rapidly among the people, and the 
 new doctrines were openly preached. Among 
 those Avbo refused to acknowledge Henry's su- 
 premacy in religious matters, was Sir Thomas 
 More. He was, next to Wolsey, perhaps the 
 most illustrious man of the age, and was far 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 45 
 
 purer and holier in his life than that prelate. No 
 one of his enemies ever spoke a word against the 
 beautiful character which he had always borne. 
 He had been lord chancellor, but resisfned his 
 trust. He was now old and graj-haired, and was 
 worn out with faithful service to his country and 
 king. He was arrested and thrown into the 
 Tower. In vain did the cruel king endeavr? to 
 get him to agree to his right to supremacy m the 
 Church — the conscientious old man would not do 
 that to save his life To his persecutors he re- 
 plied : 
 
 " I am the king's true, faithful subject, and 
 daily beadsman. I pray for his highness, and all 
 his, and all the realm. I do nothing harm ; I 
 say no harm ; I think none harm ; and wish 
 everybody good : and if this be not enough to 
 keep a man alive, in good faith I long not to live. 
 I am dying already ; and since I came here have 
 been divers times in the case that I thought to 
 die within one hour. And I thank our Lord, I 
 never was sorry for it, but rather sorry when I 
 jaw the pang past ; and therefore my poor body 
 is at the king's pleasure. Would to God my 
 death might do him good." 
 
 Anne was, without doubt, the one who per- 
 
46 THE LIFE OF 
 
 suaded Henry to the murder of this godly man. 
 When More's daughter Margaret came to him in 
 his prison, he asked : 
 
 "How is Queen Anne?" 
 
 "In faith, father, never better," she replied; 
 " there is nothing else in the court but dancing 
 and sporting." 
 
 "Never better!" said the old man; "Alas! 
 Meg, alas I it pitieth me to think into what mis- 
 ery, poor soul, she will shortly come. These 
 dances of hers will prove such dances, that she 
 will spurn our heads off like foot-balls, but it will 
 not be long before her head will dance the like 
 dance !" 
 
 This was a remarkable prediction, and how 
 true it proved, all readers of history know. Af- 
 ter a year's imprisonment, More was brought to 
 trial for high treason. He was pale and ema- 
 ciated, yet made a most eloquent defence, declar- 
 ing that he had never opposed the king's will, 
 and in the matter of his religious supremacy had 
 simply kept silence. But he was a doomed man, 
 and sentence was pronounced against him. Upon 
 his return to the Tower, his daughter Margaret 
 forced her way to him, and clasping her arms 
 around his neck, wept like a child. He bade her 
 
LADY JANE GEET. 47 
 
 U last farewell amid the sobs of the spectators. 
 When he approached the scaffold for execution, 
 he was calm as the pure sky over his head. His 
 wit did not forsake him to the last, for he said, 
 when told that the king had mercifully com- 
 muted his sentence of being quartered, to simple 
 decapitation : 
 
 " God preserve all my friends from such royal 
 favors !" 
 
 When the news came to Henry of his death, 
 he was engaged in some sport with Anne. He 
 stopt quickly, and with a gloomy frown, said, 
 " Thou art the cause of this man's death ;" and 
 leaving the room, he retired to his own apart- 
 ment in great agitation. 
 
 The news of More's downfall spread a gloom 
 over the whole of Europe. Said the Emperor 
 Charles, " We would rather have lost the 
 fairest city in our dominions than such a coun- 
 sellor." 
 
 The queen now began to manifest a change 
 of character. The celebrated Latimer had it is 
 said great influence over her conduct, he hourly 
 pointing out to her the many faults in her char- 
 acter. It may be too that she began to anticipate 
 a change in the king's affections. About this 
 
48 THE LIFE OF 
 
 time Katharine expired, and Anne felt Lerself to 
 be without a riv^al. 
 
 But not long after she became aware that the 
 only rival which she ever need fear had for 
 months been exceedinojlv intimate with the kincr. 
 In the beautiful and artful Jane Seymour, she 
 possessed indeed a rival whom she had just oc- 
 casion to fear, for Jane was to be the cause of 
 her downfall. It is said that upon Anne's enter- 
 ing the king's room one day unexpectedly, she 
 saw Jane Seymour seated upon the king's knee, 
 receiving his caresses with the utmost composure. 
 If a stroke of lightning had laid her royal hus- 
 band dead at her feet, she could not have been 
 more shocked, and she gave way to violent an- 
 ger. The king fearing that his hopes of an heir 
 would be cut short, tried to calm her, but in 
 vain, and on January 29 th, she gave birth to a 
 dead son. Henry was beside himself with passion 
 at the result, and stalked into her chamber, and 
 taxed her with imprudence. She courageously, 
 but very imprudently laid the blame upon '' that 
 wench Jane Seymour." Yery slowly she revived 
 in health, but never in spirits. Finding it im- 
 possible to send away her rival from court, she 
 chose to spend the most of her time in the quiet 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 49 
 
 shades of Greenwich Park. While there she 
 must have thought remorsefully upon the fate of 
 poor Katharine of Arragon, and of others whose 
 necks she had brought to the block. She was 
 very sad, perceiving that her influence over the 
 king was at an end. One day while walking 
 upon the banks of the Thames, she met Sir 
 William Kingston, lieutenant of the Tower, who 
 informed her that she was arrested on a charge 
 of adultery. She fell upon her knees in the 
 greatest agony, crying, " Lord, help me ! as I 
 am guiltless of that whereof I am charged." She 
 asked, if she was to go to a dungeon — but the 
 lieutenant replied, no ; she should have the cham- 
 ber which she occupied at her coronation. This 
 cruel reference to her days of triumph quite over- 
 came the poor queen. " 0, where is my poor 
 brother^"' she exclaimed, and '' 0, my mother I 
 thou wilt die of sorrow." 
 
 That Anne had been too free in her conduct 
 with certain persons cannot be denied, but no 
 one can believe her guilty of the frightful charge 
 against her. It was trumped up by Henry mere 
 ly to get rid of her, that he might marry Jane 
 Seymour. Anne was surrounded with spies, and 
 all her delirious ravings were reported against 
 « 4 
 
50 THE LIFE OF 
 
 her. The gentlemen with whom she was charged 
 of committing adultery — five in number — were 
 likewise placed in the Tower. Under the tor- 
 tures of the rack one of them, an ignoble fellow, 
 confessed the charge. His name was Mark 
 Smeaton, and he was a poor musician ; and the 
 idea that the queen had ever been guilty of im- 
 proper conduct with him is wholly preposterous. 
 His confession was made while dying with tor- 
 tures and in the hope of a pardon. From ner 
 apartment in the Tower, Anne wrote a most 
 pathetic letter to Henry, but it only inflamed him 
 the more against her. On the 10th of May, she 
 was indicted of high treason together with the 
 ^ve persons charged with her of the ignominious 
 crime. Four of them persisted in declaring the 
 queen innocent, and still were convicted. Mark 
 Smeaton to save his head and himself from 
 further pain, confessed, put his name to the doc- 
 ument; and then had his head cut off that he 
 might make no after confessions or retractions. 
 Strange and horrible as it may seem, the queen's 
 own brother was one of the four persons charged 
 with improper intimacy with Anne, his own 
 wife, a wicked and bold woman, appearing as 
 evidence against him. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 51 
 
 It is hardly necessary to say that the queeD 
 was found guilty ; for whatever the blood-thirsty 
 king determined he was sure to accomplish. She 
 was condemned to be beheaded or burned, as the 
 king pleased. Anne heard the sentence without 
 •a moan, a word, or a change of countenance, but 
 in a few moments clapped her hands and raising 
 her eyes to heaven, said : '' Oh Father ! oh Cre- 
 ator ! thou who art the way, the life, and the 
 truth, knowest whether I have deserved this 
 death." Turning to the judges, she added a few 
 words, and in a calm manner left the court. The 
 spectators had not a doubt of her innocence, for 
 no evidence was there against her. 
 
 Cranmer at this time pronounced her marriage 
 null and void, and that it always had been so — 
 thus bastardizing Elizabeth, who afterwards be- 
 came so powerful. The ground of Granmer's 
 decision was that Anne previous to her marriage 
 with Henry was engaged to Lord Percy. While 
 awaiting her execution she seems at times to 
 have been bereft of her senses. She asked the 
 lieutenant of the Tower why the execution did 
 not take place sooner, that the pain might be 
 over. He replied that the pain could not be 
 much it was so subtle, to which she replied, 
 
52 THE LIFE OF 
 
 laughing heartily : "I hear the executioner is 
 very good, and I have a little neck." She wrote 
 some verses, of which the following is a sample : 
 
 "Oh death rock me asleep, 
 Bring on my quiet rest, 
 Let pass my very guiltless ghost, 
 
 Out of my careful breast. 
 Ring out the doleful knell, 
 Let its sound my death tell ; 
 For I must die. 
 There is no remedy, 
 For now I die !" 
 
 Henry chose that Anne should be beheaded, 
 and sent to Calais for a French executioner of 
 good repute. The crownless queen was informed 
 of this circumstance. All strangers were driven 
 from the Tower, Henry being well aware that 
 the execution was an awful outrage upon justice 
 or even common decency. To the last Anne 
 asserted her entire innocence of the crimes im- 
 puted to her. Her message to the king will ever 
 be remembered for its sarcastic bitterness : " Com- 
 mend me to his majesty," said she, " and tell 
 him he hath been ever constant in his career of 
 advancing me ; from a private gentlewoman he 
 made me a marchioness, from a marchioness a 
 queen, and now he hath left no higher degree of 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 63 
 
 honor, he gives my innocency the crown of 
 martyrdom." 
 
 Anne Boleyn was beheaded at twelve o'clock, 
 the noon of the 19th day of May. She was 
 dressed in black damask, with a large white cape 
 round her neck, and on her head a velvet hood. 
 Her eye was bright, and a flush was in her 
 cheeks, and she looked, it is said, fearfully beau- 
 tiful. Scattered about the scaffold were some of 
 the poor woman's enemies, but upon seeing 
 them, she simply remarked : "I am come here 
 to die ; not to accuse my enemies." She asked 
 the lieutenant to wait the signal of death iintil 
 she could speak a few words to those around 
 her, after which with her own hands she took 
 off her hat and collar and lay down to the block. 
 Her last words were, " Lord God, have pity on 
 my soul." She refused to have her eyes ban- 
 daged, and, it is said, after her head was severed 
 from the body, the eyes and lips were seen to 
 move. Thus ended the life of this woman, who 
 from an humble station rose to be Queen of Eng- 
 land — but to mount still higher — to the scaffold. 
 
 The relation which the history of Katharine 
 and Anne bears to the fortunes of Lady Jane 
 Grey will in the course of our narrative become 
 
54 THELIFEOF 
 
 very evident to the reader ; it will not be amiss 
 to notice here that already King Henry by pro- 
 noancinghis marriage with Katharine incestuous, 
 of course, rendered the offspring, the Princess 
 Mary, illegitimate ; and by the decision of Cran- 
 mer that the marriage with Anne Boleyn was 
 " always''' null and void, in consequence of her en- 
 gagement to Percy, of course the Princess Eliza- 
 beth was placed in the same unpleasant position. 
 At this time, therefore, provided Henry's "unjust 
 decisions were acquiesced in, the legitimate heir 
 to the English crown must have been found in 
 the person of Henry's sisters, or one of their 
 descendants. 
 
 The Keformation at this time was gaining 
 ground with considerable rapidity ; not that 
 there was as yet a pure Protestantism in Eng- 
 land, for such was not the case till Henry was 
 laid in his tomb ; but the royal example of dis- 
 respect to the Pope was almost universally fol- 
 lowed, and the people examined the religious 
 disputes for themselves. Parliament, at the in- 
 stigation of the king, suppressed all religious 
 houses having an income of less than £200 a 
 year ; the lands, buildings, rents and all appur- 
 tenances falling into the king's exchequer, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 55 
 
 amounting to over a million of pounds sterling. 
 Still later, the larger monasteries and the colleges 
 likewise fell into the hands of Henry, who seemed 
 never to be satisfied with his income. 
 
 The most momentous act of the century, per- 
 haps, occurred about this time — the translation 
 of the Holy Scriptures into the English tongue 
 for the use of the people. Isolated copies of the 
 Bible had for several years been very carefully 
 circulated among the curious and learned, or 
 those who favored the principles of the German 
 reformers ; but until now it was reckoned an of- 
 fence for a layman to peruse so dangerous a book. 
 It is said that Anne Boleyn, in Wolsey's time, 
 possessed a copy which the prelate took away 
 from the hands of a friend, to whom she had lent 
 it, but which Anne coaxed Henry to oblige the 
 cardinal to return to its owner. But now copies 
 of the new translation were printed in Paris, and 
 were attached by a chain to the reading-desk of 
 every church in England, so that every man who 
 knew how to read, could peruse the holy book. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 BIETH OF LADY JAXE GREY. KER FATHER. HIS COUNTRY SEAT.— 
 
 LADY jane's early HISTORY. CUSTOMS OF THE AGE. HER AP- 
 PEARANCE AT COURT AS MAID TO KATHARINE PARR. JANE SEY- 
 MOUR. king's marriage. BiaTH OF PRINCE EDWARD. DEATH 
 
 OF THE QUEEN. HENRY MARRIES ANNE OF CLEVES. DESERTS 
 
 HER. MARRIES KATHARINE HOWARD. — HER DISGRACE AND EXE- 
 CUTION, 
 
 Having hastily sketclied the history of Henry 
 Vni., previous to the times of Lady Jane Grey, 
 we now come to the event of her birth, which oc- 
 curred in the year 1537. Henry, Marquis of 
 Dorset, the father of our heroine, we have before 
 remarked, was not a man whose character in all 
 its shades can command our admiration ; yet if 
 we may rely upon the statements of contempo- 
 rary writers, he was possessed of remarkable per- 
 sonal courage, and was generally quite generous, 
 though he was troubled with fits of meanness, in 
 one of which he treated his mother disgracefully. 
 He was a man of some ambition, yet was much 
 fonder of retirement and the quiet joys to be 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 67 
 
 found in the bosom of his family, than of all the 
 brilliant sliows of the capital or court. He prided 
 himself in keeping up the dignified magnificence 
 of the ancient nobility upon his own estate, rather 
 than in filling a conspicuous position at court. 
 He resided, at the time Lady Jane was born, at 
 his seat of Bradgate, in Leicestershire. It waa 
 situated on the borders of the celebrated Charn- 
 wood forest, about four miles from the town of 
 Leicester. The building upon the estate was 
 large and fine, and was constructed by Lady 
 Jane's grandfather. It was built principally of 
 brick, was square, with four turrets at each cor- 
 ner, and was a very commodious building. The 
 park attached to it was extensive, being six miles 
 in compass, and beautiful, and was surrounded 
 by a high wall. On one side of the garden there 
 ran a beautiful little stream. This stream was 
 used to turn a mill on the family estate. The es- 
 tate was of large extent, and was well wooded. 
 Upon it there was a castle, called Groby Castle, 
 situate about ten miles from Bradgate, which, 
 but for the fact that it was in a ruinous condition, 
 would undoubtedly have been the family resi. 
 dence, — though it was originally constructed with 
 an eye to defence from foes without, and conse- 
 
58 THE LIFE OF 
 
 quently was hardly suited to the age. The for- 
 est of Charnwood adjoined the family residence, 
 and was more than twenty miles in extent, and 
 was principally owned by Lady Jane's father, 
 which proves him to have been a man of large 
 possessions. It was called the waste, it being en- 
 tirely destitute of population. The park of Bew- 
 manor also belonged to the Marquis of Dorset, 
 also the Burley park. By exchange of lands 
 with his sovereign, the marquis came into pos- 
 session of an immense tract of land about Brad- 
 gate, upon which there resided but few people, 
 and those principally his own retainers. It can- 
 not be uninteresting to the reader to contemplate 
 for a moment this scene of the childhood of Lady 
 Jane Grey. Eor here she spent all her early 
 years, not, as we know of, leaving it at all until 
 her seventh year. She was completely isolated 
 from the great world without. Her home was 
 one of the grandest in England, yet in the bosom 
 of a wilderness. It was in the heart of England, 
 and for miles around there was nothing but unin 
 habited fields and forests. There were thousands 
 of acres of grand old woods, and square miles of 
 open country, upon which there were waving 
 crops of grass and grain. The solitude would have 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 59 
 
 been painful to some, and yet to a girl of Lady 
 Jane's disposition, was very pleasant. Upon tlie 
 estate, indeed, in the family park, there was a fine 
 hill, from which the view must have been exqui- 
 sitely beautiful, for from it you can see into seven 
 counties of England. 
 
 The customs of that age were, of course, far 
 different from those of our time, yet there was 
 enough of refinement and splendor to be entirely 
 compatible with comfort. There were few books, 
 no newspapers, and the amusements common to 
 all classes were of the rougher sort, consisting 
 principally of field sports. The apartments of 
 the Bradgate residence were not fitted up with all 
 the luxuriousness of the present age, yet there 
 were in use at that time many of the articles of 
 furniture which we consider indispensable. There 
 were carpets, mirrors, easy chairs, handsomely 
 carved tables and bureaus ; there were clocks — 
 but at this time, the forh was unknown at the 
 table. The dinner was a meal around which a 
 good deal of rigid etiquette was thrown, as at the 
 present day among the English nobility. The 
 gates of the castle were customarily closed, and 
 the inhabitants, residents and guests, sat down to 
 the table or tables according to rank and position. 
 
60 THE LIFE OF 
 
 The dinner generally consisted of various kinds 
 of meat, beef, mutton, and venison ; there was 
 usually also a good supply of fruits, native and 
 foreign, as well as wine of several kinds. The 
 manners of the age were undoubtedly coarser 
 than those of our own, but there was a gorgeous- 
 ness in the housekeeping of the leading families 
 of the kiugdom rarely seen now. The number 
 of retainers connected with some of the houses 
 of the old noblemen w^as large enough to consti- 
 tute a respectably sized village of the present 
 day. 
 
 But it is time for us to return to Lady Jane. 
 Little is known respecting her earliest years, but 
 the fact that she resided at Bradgate. She was 
 baptized with a good deal of ceremony at the 
 little church of Bradgate, the whole family with- 
 out doubt being present. The Rev. Mr. Harding 
 was at that time the family chaplain, and bap- 
 tized Jane at the font which stood in the middle 
 of the church, with a canopy hung over it. This 
 same Harding became a Protestant, and then re 
 canted and fell back into the Romish Church. 
 The family of the Marquis of Dorset was now 
 often at court, but Lady Jane was too young to 
 accompany them, and she was closely attached 
 
LADY JANE GBEY. 61 
 
 to her studies. At a very early age her parents 
 saw that she possessed an uncommon desire for 
 knowledge as well as a remarkable capacity for 
 it, and having no sons, they gave her every op- 
 portunity for storing her young mind with learn- 
 ing. Lady Jane was exceedingly fortunate in 
 possessing the acquaintance of Eoger Ascham, 
 whose family resided not far from Bradgate. He 
 was for years the preceptor of Lady Elizabeth, 
 and taught Lady Jane the art of writing, and 
 from him she gained a beautiful hand, he being 
 an excellent chirographer. Lady Jane's precep- 
 tor was John Aylmer, afterwards Bishop of Lon- 
 don, a man of excellent parts, and devoted to the 
 Protestant religion. It is said, however, that 
 Lady Jane received her earliest impressions in 
 favor of Protestantism from Harding, who be- 
 came afterwards an apostate. She rapidly stored 
 her mind with knowledge, becoming a proficient 
 in Latin, Greek, Chaldaic, Arabic, French and 
 Italian. She wrote beautifully, and was skilful 
 in instrumental music. She also studied philoso- 
 phy, could read Plato in the original Grreek with 
 ease, and was delighted with Demosthenes. Under 
 the guidance of Aylmer she became a devoted 
 child of God, being much fonder of her bible 
 
62 THE LIFE OP 
 
 and of gaining religious knowledge than of pur- 
 suing her study of the sciences and languages. 
 She was not, as some may imagine, a blue-stock- 
 ing, for she was pleasant and attractive in her 
 manners and conversation. That she was preco- 
 cious cannot be denied, but there was nothing 
 unpleasant in her advanced condition of intellect. 
 Her voice was low and sweet, and she could sing 
 very beautifully. That she owed her purity of 
 life to the piety which, was a conspicuous trait 
 in her character, we have no doubt, for it was 
 her subsequent fortune to reside long at a court 
 which was anything but virtuous, and she was 
 for years surrounded by unprincipled men and 
 women, but not one of her enemies ever whispered 
 a word against the exquisite loveliness and 
 chasteness of her character. 
 
 The Marquis and Marchioness of Dorset treated 
 her with considerable severity, yet she was al- 
 lowed to cultivate the acquaintance of certain 
 visitors of the family, and the one for whom she 
 seemed to have a special affection was the dowa- 
 ger Lady Latimer, who afterwards became Queen 
 of England, and still later, wife of Lord Seymour 
 of Sudley, lord admiral of the kingdom. 
 
 When only seven years old Lady Jane was in 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 63 
 
 the habit of accompanying her parents to court, 
 and, it is said, that at this age she was much ad- 
 mired for her beauty, her accomplishments, and 
 her gentleness. She here saw the Brandons with 
 whom she was connected, her mother being the 
 daughter of the Duke of Suffolk, who died in 
 1545. When Lady Jane was nine years old she 
 filled some office at court in the chamber of 
 Queen Katharine Parr, and as her career hence- 
 forth is intimately connected with the great men 
 and women of the age, it will be necessary for 
 us to recur to the general history of those times. 
 The very morning after the day on which 
 Anne Boleyn, was beheaded Henry VIII. mar- 
 ried Jane Seymour. He was, it is said, attired 
 for the chase when the signal gun from the Tower 
 announced to him that Anne was beheaded. He 
 started up with joy, exclaiming, " Ha ! ha ! — the 
 deed is done ! Uncouple the hounds and away !" 
 Jane Seymour was the oldest daughter of Sir 
 John Seymour of Wiltshire, and had seven 
 brothers and sisters. Her brother Edward after- 
 ward became Protector, and another brother, 
 Thomas, was Lord Admiral during the reign of 
 Edward YI. Jane is represented by all histori- 
 ans as being very beautiful, but the pictures of 
 
64 THE LIFE OF 
 
 her are by no means flattering, for the}^ represent 
 her to be coarse and almost entirely devoid of 
 beauty. She certainly was devoid of all gentle- 
 ness and goodness, or she would not have con- 
 sented to wed Henry the day after his former 
 wife was beheaded. The historians may call her 
 beautiful, discreet and wise, but she - certainly 
 was not good and virtuous : if she had been, her 
 heart would have been with the murdered Anne 
 instead of being filled with joy at her marriage. 
 In the course of English history there is no trans- 
 action which bears a more hideous aspect than 
 that of the king's sudden marriage with Jane 
 Seymour, almost before the heart of his former 
 wife was cold, and it will ever be remembered to 
 the disgrace of Jane that she willingly consented 
 to the marriage. In the month of June Henry 
 caused Parliament to pass a new act of succes- 
 sion, entailing the crown upon such issue as he 
 might have by Jane Seymour, and Lady Mary 
 about this time purchased peace with her father 
 by signing her name to a paper which declared 
 herself to be by birth illegitimate, her mother's 
 marriage with Henry being incestuous. Of this 
 deed of humiliation we shall say more in the 
 proper place. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 65 
 
 On the 12th of October, Jane gave birth to 
 Prince Edward, and, after lingering in extreme 
 pain and sickness for nearly a fortnight, expired. 
 One cause of her death was the ceremony and 
 pomp which were thrown about the baptism of 
 the infant heir to the crown, and the king did 
 not treat her with the gentleness which any wife 
 in her situation should receive. When apprized 
 of her death he did indeed manifest some sorrow 
 but it was slight, and he very soon forgot it in 
 the pleasure of having a son and heir. In 1538, 
 the king contemplated marriage with Anne of 
 Cleves. Her portrait had been sent to Henry 
 through ambassadors, and principally through 
 the influence of Cromwell, a marriage was agreed 
 upon. Anne set out for England, and landed at 
 Deal, on the 27th of December. She rested at 
 Dover Castle until Monday. llunry was so 
 anxious to see her that he could not contain him- 
 self, and went in great haste to meet her. But 
 when he saw her he was much disappointed, and 
 Anne was also disappointed in him. He was 
 full of anger at Cromwell, who came near losing 
 his life at once. The king abused him ferocious- 
 ly for marrying him " to a great Flanders mare," 
 and demanded that he should instantly devise 
 
QQ THELIFEOF 
 
 some means to break off the marriage. The poor 
 minister was in a sad predicament, and religions 
 perplexities, added to his present troubles, has- 
 tened his destruction. 
 
 Henry finding it impossible to evade the mar- 
 riage, at last consented that the usual ceremonies 
 should take place, and accordingly with great 
 splendor they were married on the fifth of Janu- 
 ary. A few months after, the king saw the pret- 
 ty Katharine Howard, and was the more dissatis- 
 fied with his condition. At last he determined 
 upon a divorce, and a convocation of the clergy 
 was called, which body, without a dissenting 
 voice, pronounced his marriage with Anne null 
 and void. The grounds for the divorce were, 
 that she had been previously contracted to the 
 Prince of Lorraine, and that the king did not 
 love her, never had loved her, and that there 
 were no hopes of issue by her. In a few weeks 
 Henry was again married — and this time to 
 Katharine Howard. Her history is one of so 
 much tragical interest, that we will recapitulate 
 the prominent events in her singular career. 
 She was the daughter of Lord Edmund Howard, 
 and had the great misfortune to lose her mother 
 at an early age — the greatest misfortune indeed 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 67 
 
 whicli could have befallen the poor girl. Lord 
 Howard left the motherless Katharine in the 
 care of his step-mother, the dowager-duchess 
 of Norfolk. This lady was careless of her charge, 
 and even went so far as to allow her to asso- 
 ciate with vile and depraved women in her 
 extreme youth, and Katharine became so cor- 
 rupted, that at twelve years of age she was in 
 love with a low-born fellow, named Henry 
 Manox, and their intimacy was carried to the 
 borders of criminality. She about this time 
 formed an acquaintance with Mary Lassells, an 
 artful and wicked woman, who was destined to 
 have a ruinous influence over her. The intrigue 
 with Manox was broken off; but still later, a 
 young gentleman, Francis Derham, a favorite 
 with the old duchess, fell in love with Katha- 
 rine, and through the help of Mary Lassells, con- 
 trived to gain access to her and press his suit. 
 That Katharine loved him, there can be no 
 doubt, for they exchanged love-tokens. She was 
 neglected by her kinsfolk, and was so influenced 
 by the love of Derham, that she finally became 
 engaged to marry him. He asked permission to 
 call her ''wife," and she replied that ''she was 
 contented to have it so." If this were all that 
 
68 THE LIFE OF 
 
 appears against Katharine Howard in the pages 
 of history, we might accuse her of imprudence, 
 but could not impeach her integrity. But with- 
 out the counsels of a mother, she was left to com- 
 mit not merely improprieties, but crimes. Her 
 grandmother saw that she was locked in her bed- 
 chamber every night, as the chroniclers of that 
 age gravely inform us, but the keys were stolen 
 privily away, and Derham made nocturnal visits 
 to Katharine. " He would bring strawberries, 
 apples, wine, and other things to make cheer 
 with," afterwards confessed Katharine Howard. 
 At length the news came to the old duchess — it 
 could no longer be concealed that Katharine, 
 young and passionate, had been seduced by Der- 
 ham, or that they had acted towards each other 
 as husband and wife, not scrupling at all at ad- 
 dressing each other by those terms of relation- 
 ship. Derham was obliged to fly, and her words 
 to him proved that she loved him, for she said, 
 with the tears streaming down her cheeks, "Thou 
 wilt never live to say to me, ' Thou hast 
 swerved.'" Katharine now was placed under 
 the care of women of virtue and principle, and 
 the story of her imprudence, on account of her 
 extreme youth, was hushed up or forgotten, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 69 
 
 what is a little strange, as she became further 
 developed in age and character, she became 
 modest, maidenly, and really virtuous in her life. 
 She came to court, and Henry soon loved her. 
 She was possessed of considerable beauty, and 
 was exquisitely graceful in her manners. She 
 was small and slender, and Henry loved her for 
 a time more passionately than he had ever before 
 loved a woman. They were married, and the 
 king caressed her, flattered her, and made great 
 demonstrations of his affection for her. Upon 
 her bracelet was the device: "iVbw aultre volonte 
 que h sienne''^ — " Ko other will than his." But 
 amid the intoxicating splendors and pleasures of 
 her position, poor Katharine felt that a sword 
 was suspended only by a hair over her neck. 
 During the first few months of her wedded life, 
 rumors of her old imprudence began to creep 
 through the purlieus of the court. She must 
 have been in an agony of torment all the while, 
 and still forced to appear happy. At last Katha- 
 rine sealed her fate, by appointing her old para- 
 mour, Derham, private secretary to herself That 
 she did it to seal his lips in reference to the early 
 portion of her life, as a matter of policy, hoping 
 thereby to save her reputation for honor — to save 
 
70 THELIFEOF 
 
 her life indeed, we entertain no doubt. She 
 shortly after had a long private interview with 
 her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, to whom at one 
 time, before the king saw her, it was thought she 
 would be married, and made him a present at his 
 departure. The king, meanwhile, was so fond 
 of Katharine that he omitted nothing which 
 could give her pleasure. On the 31st day of Oc- 
 tober, a paper containing an accc^unt of Katha- 
 rine's early misdemeanor, was \>\\t into the king's 
 hands by Cranmer. Mar}- Last^.ells had revealed 
 the dreadful truth — had most wickedly betrayed 
 her old friend and mistress. Henry was sur- 
 prised, and treated the whole matter at fust as if 
 it were not founded in truth. But he sent for 
 Lassells, the brother of Mary, to whom she had 
 related the sad story, and he was firm in his state- 
 ment in reference to the unfortunate queen. Der- 
 ham was arrested, and confessed that he had 
 been engaged to Katharine, that they had lived 
 together as man and wife, but also most solemn- 
 ly declared that not the slightest familiarity had 
 taken place between them, since her marriage 
 with the king. When Henry heard the confes- 
 sion of Derham, he burst into tears. He loved 
 Katharine as devotedly as it was possible for so 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 71 
 
 gross a being to love anybody. The queen went 
 into convulsions. She was placed under arrest, 
 and Henry retired to Oatlands, during her exami- 
 nation. There was no difficulty in proving a 
 precontract, which would have been sufficient 
 cause for a divorce, but not sufficient to warrant 
 the execution of the queen. Therefore the coun- 
 cil deternnned on a charge of adultery with her 
 cousin, Thomas Culpepper. Both Derham and 
 Culpepper were arraigned for high treason, and 
 condemned to death. They made no confessions 
 which implicated the queen since her marriage, 
 though they were put to the torture. Parliament 
 passed an act of attainder against the queen, and 
 several othe-rs, among which was the Lady Eoch- 
 ford. Katharine was, however, by this time, for 
 she had lain in prison several months, weary of 
 lii(\ Slie was penitent, and now looked forward 
 to the future — to nuother sphere of existence, for 
 comfort. She freely confessed that before her 
 marriage, when she was a young and thoughtless 
 girl, she had been guilty with Derham, but that 
 she had been a true wife and faithful to the king. 
 When \\cy coiife^-sor told her to prepare for death, 
 she replied : "As to the act, my reverend lord, 
 for which I stand condemned, God and his holy 
 
72 LADY JANE GKEY. 
 
 angels I take to witness upon my soul's salvation, 
 tliat I die guiltless, never having so abused my 
 sovereign's bed. What other sins and follies of 
 youth I have committed, I will not excuse; but 
 I am assured that for them God hath brought 
 this punishment upon me, and will, in his mercy, 
 remit them, for which, I pray you, pray with 
 me unto his Son and my Saviour Christ." She 
 refused to admit that she was engaged to Der- 
 ham — there was therefore no way for severing 
 the marriage- tie between the king and herself, 
 except by her death. She was allowed only two 
 days to prepare for execution, after the bill of 
 attainder had become a law ; but she did not 
 wish longer time. Upon the scaffold she was 
 meek, yet courageous, and perished in a right 
 queenly manner. In the opinion of many at that 
 time, she was innocent of the main charge against 
 her, and consequently she received much sym- 
 pathy. But the age was corrupt, and the people 
 so accustomed to blood, that they were amused 
 by such tragedies. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 KATHARINE PARR. — SIR THOMAS SEYMOUR. KATHARINE MARRIES 
 
 HENRY Vllf. LADY JANE GREY. KATHARINls's NARROW ESCAPE. 
 
 DEATH OF THE KING. EDWAVRD I. SOMERSET, ADMIRAL SEY- 
 MOUR MARRIES KATHARINE PARR. PROJECT OF MARRYING LADY 
 
 JANE GREY TO THE KING. CONDUCT OF ELIZABETH. DEATH OP 
 
 KATHARINE PARR. LADY JANE GREY HER CHIEF MOURNER. 
 
 Kathakine Park, the last wife of Henry YIIL, 
 \vi\s a woman of excellent understanding and true 
 piety, and the first Protestant queen of England. 
 Her history is so intimately connected with that 
 of Lady Jane Grey, that she will figure some- 
 what prominently in our pages. She directed 
 the studies of Lady Jane, and was ever to her a 
 kind friend and adviser. She also directed the 
 studies of Edward YI. and Queen Elizabeth, and 
 from her those illustrious personages derived 
 their love for learning. 
 
 Katharine Parr was the daughter of Sir Thos. 
 Pair, and was married at an early age to Lord 
 
 Bo JO ugh, a widower with several adult children. 
 D 
 
74 THE LIFE OF 
 
 He lived but a short time after liis marriage, and 
 Katharine was left a widovv^, though she was but 
 fifteen years of age. Before her twentieth year, 
 she married again, and this time the widower, 
 Lord Latimer. While the wife of Latimer, Katha- 
 rine was often at court, and exercised quite an in- 
 fluence over Henry YIIL In 1548, or a year 
 after Katharine Howard was executed, Lord Lat- 
 imer expired, and Katharine Parr was left for 
 the second time a widow. She was not only very 
 learned, very good and pious, but she was very 
 beautiful and possessed great wealth. She was 
 connected with some of the first families of the 
 kingdom also, and was considered a prize. Al- 
 though governed by strictly religious principles, 
 yet this charming widow was by no means insen- 
 sible to the attractions of a brave, handsome man. 
 She was sought in marriage by Sir Thomas Sey- 
 mour, who was brother to Jane Seymour, and 
 therefore uncle to Prince Edward. 
 
 He was a favorite with his brother-in-law, the 
 king; was gay, handsome, and brave, given to 
 splendor in dress, v;as a fine courtier, yet he fell 
 in love with the modest, studious, retiring widow, 
 and what is perhaps strange, Katharine recipro- 
 cated liis affection. Beneath all her gentle piety, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 76 
 
 there was a spice of romance whicli leads addi- 
 tional beauty to her character. Seymour was an 
 anti-papist, and this suited Katharine, and per- 
 haps jSrst led her to feel an interest in him ; but 
 soon by" his charms of person and manner, he 
 completely won her heart. She had fully re- 
 solved upon marrying him_ when alas! another 
 suitor demanded her hand — a suitor who was not 
 accustomed to brook a refusal. When the young 
 widow heard of Henry's intention, she was hor- 
 ror-struck, and even told him that " it were bet- 
 ter to be his mistress than his wife," so certain 
 was any woman of death who should marry him. 
 She was afraid of the royal murderer, but she 
 also loved Se3'mour, and hated to give him up. 
 He, liowever, retired from the contest, and Katha- 
 rine became Queen of England. At this time, 
 Henry was enormously fat, and was full of dis- 
 ease, so that he could scarcely walk. A more 
 disgusting object, probably, the whole kingdom 
 could not produce. His wife was beautiful, wise, 
 pious, and what was to the king a matter of great 
 importance, she was wonderfully skilful as a 
 nurse. The Protestant party in England took 
 courage, for it was known that Katharine was 
 heartily the enemy of Catholicism, being in her 
 
76 THE LIFE OF 
 
 religious opinions on that subject far in advance 
 of lier royal husband. She was, too, an accom- 
 plished scholar, yet knew passing well how to 
 merge the scholar into the wife. She could dis- 
 course most learnedly upon questions of science 
 or religion, but she could also nurse her husband, 
 care for her household, and train her step-chil- 
 dren to love learning and piety. One of her first 
 acts was to endeavor to reconcile Henry to his 
 children, Mary and Elizabeth. She taught these 
 princesses to translate passages from the Scrip- 
 tures, and Elizabeth imbibed a love for the prin- 
 ciples of the Reformation, which never afterward 
 decayed. 
 
 Shortly after her marriage, Katharine wrote 
 her celebrated book — " The Lamentations of a 
 Sinner." It is written eloquently, and was at 
 that time a fine specimen of composition. The 
 king showed to her in many waj^s that he at least 
 partially appreciated her devotion to him, for he 
 granted her any fivors which she asked, and 
 thanked God he had so good a wife. He was 
 full of pains, so bloated with drops}^ that he had 
 to move by machinery, and was troubled with 
 the most terrible of tempers — ^yet Kathanne 
 soothed him, nursed him, and bore with all his 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 77 
 
 humors. She was so devoted that she would 
 stand upon her knees for hours together, apply- 
 ing palliatives to his ulcerated leg. A man who 
 would not have returned such faithfulness with 
 kindness, must have been more than a monster. 
 Yet all this while Seymour, her old lover, was at 
 court, and Katharine was obliged to guard her- 
 self carefully against the appearance of evil. 
 
 About this time. Lady Jane Grey came to 
 court. Katharine gave her a state-office in her 
 bed-chamber, though she was but nine years old, 
 and thus she was brought under her guidance. 
 Lady Jane was at this time noted for her studi- 
 ous disposition and her learning — was a beauti- 
 ful girl, and being treated somewhat harshly by 
 her parents at home, was the more willing proba- 
 bly to leave it for the kind nurture of the queen. 
 It is well that we have given the reader a picture 
 of the dissolute manners of the time, to be seen 
 even in the briefest sketch of Henry's wives, for 
 without it he cannot fairly appreciate the almost 
 divine loveliness of Lady Jane Grey's character. 
 We shall liereafter in the course of our narrative 
 see the youth of the Princess Elizabeth — we have 
 already seen the conduct of many distinguished 
 personages of that age, yet with any of these con- 
 
?8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 trast the Lady Jane, and bow exquisitely fair 
 and beautiful she appears ! Amid all this cor- 
 ruption, this licentiousness, and popular dissipa- 
 tion which characterized both sexes, this fair girl 
 grew up as a lily rears its slender stem in a nox- 
 ious slough, and unfolds its snowy petals to the 
 sun. It is the more wonderful, when we remem- 
 ber that her own father was by no means a man 
 of the best principles or conduct, and many of 
 her relatives were wicked and unprincipled per- 
 sons. Young and beautiful, a mere girl, she 
 came to court to be a witness of all the folly and 
 crime which was perpetrated there. But she 
 could not have fallen into better hands. Th6 
 queen guarded her very carefully, and instilled 
 into her mind principles of the strictest virtue. 
 
 Katharine was in the habit of disputing with 
 the king on matters of religion, in a way which 
 pleased him, but one day when he was unusually 
 out of humor, she ventured to remonstrate with 
 him against a proclamation forbidding the use of 
 a translation of the Scriptures. He was angry, 
 and Gardiner, who was a Catholic, who was 
 present, as soon as the queen left, took occasion 
 to speak against her majesty. His egotism was 
 touched by Gardiner's praise of his great knowl- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 79 
 
 edge, and lie was so wrought -apon that he gave 
 Gardiner liberty to draw up articles against the 
 queen. Everything was carefully concealed from 
 Katharine, but one day Wriothesley dropt from 
 his bosom the bill of articles, and they were 
 picked up by an attendant of the queen, and im- 
 mediately carried to her. When the noble, but 
 betrayed queen read the bill, she fell into con- 
 vulsions, and her shrieks reached the king in his 
 chamber. His heart relented, and he was carried 
 to see her, which greatly revived her. She con- 
 ducted herself with great skill, unlike her prede- 
 cessors who had fallen under the displeasure of 
 the king. 
 
 The following evening the queen was well 
 enough to visit the king in his bed-chamber. She 
 was attended by her sister. Lady Herbert, and 
 the youthfnl Lady Jane Grey, who was the king's 
 niece. Lady Jane carried the candles before the 
 queen. Henry received his wife with pleasant 
 words, but in a short time brought up the old 
 religious controversy ; but Katharine with con- 
 summate wisdom replied, " that she was but a 
 woman, accompanied with all the imperfections 
 natural to the weakness of her sex ; therefore in 
 all matters of doubt and difficulty, she must refer 
 
80 THE LIFE OF 
 
 herself to his majesty's better judgment, as to her 
 lord and head ; for so God hath appointed you 
 as the supreme head of us all, and of you, next 
 unto God, will I ever learn." 
 
 "Not so, by St, Mary !" said Henry, "ye are 
 become a doctor, Kate, to instruct us, and not to 
 be instructed of us, as often time we have seen." 
 
 " Indeed," replied Katharine, " if your majesty 
 have so conceived, my meaning has been mis- 
 taken, for I have always held it preposterous for 
 a woman to instruct her lord ; and if I have ever 
 presumed to differ with your highness on reli- 
 gion, it was partly to obtain information for my 
 own comfort regarding certain nice points on 
 which I stood in doubt, and sometimes because 
 I perceived that in talking you were better able 
 to pass away the pain and weariness of your 
 present infirmity." 
 
 "And is it so, sweetheart?" asked the king; 
 " then are we perfect friends." He kissed her 
 with affection, and bade her depart. Thus did 
 Katharine narrowly escape the scaffold. The 
 next day she and the king were airing them- 
 selves in the garden, the queen attended by our 
 heroine, Lady Jane Grey, and others, when 
 Wriothesley, the lord-chancellor, with forty of 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 81 
 
 tlie guard, approached to arrest lier majesty. He 
 Knew nothing of the change in the king's mind, 
 and the first intimation which he had was the 
 terrible outburst of Henrj^, "Beast, fool, and 
 knave, avaunt from my presence !" 
 
 The queen was moved to pity for the discom- 
 fited chancellor, and said "she would becom^ a 
 humble suitor for him, as she deemed his fault 
 was occasioned by mistake." 
 
 " Ah I poor soul," said Henry, " thou little 
 knowest, Kate, how evil he deserveth this grace 
 at thy hands. On my word, sweetheart, he hath 
 been to thee a very knave!" 
 
 There was now a reaction, and the king was 
 profuse in his expressions of tenderness to Katha- 
 rine. His attentions were occasionally coarse 
 and disgusting. He would lay his ulcerated leg 
 upon her lap, and sometimes before the whole 
 court ; yet she bore it all with a smiling face. 
 But again the fickle monarch grew weary of 
 Katharine, and it is said was preparing a fresh 
 accusation against her, on the charge of heresy, 
 when in the midst of his awful and unrepented 
 crimes, there came a summons which he could 
 not disobey. The physicians so dreaded hia 
 hideous temper, that they dared not tell him he 
 " 6 
 
82 THE LIFE OF 
 
 was dying ; the queen herself could not summon 
 courage sufficient to execute so awful a task, but 
 Sir Anthony Denny approached the royal bed 
 and said, " All human aid is now vain, and it is 
 meet for your majesty to review your past life, 
 and seek for God's mercy through Christ !" 
 Henry looked up sternly and said: "What 
 judge hath sent you wdth this sentence upon 
 me?" Denny replied, " Your physicians." When 
 the physicians came with medicine, he said an- 
 grily, " After the judges have once passed sen- 
 tence on a criminal, they have no more to do 
 with him ; therefore begone !" It was proposed 
 that he confer with a divine, but he would see no 
 one but Cranmer, saying that he would repose a 
 little first. He slept an hour, and Avhen he awoke 
 was faint and alarmed, and he sent for Cranmer, 
 but when he was come the king was speechless. 
 He was consumed with thirst, and wished some 
 white wine to drink, bat being told that his last 
 moment was come, he exclaimed, " All is lost !" 
 and expired. Thus perished this terrible mon- 
 arch, whose vices and temper v^ere so hideous 
 that the nation, corrupt as it was at this time, 
 heard the news of his death with a feeling of re- 
 lief and joy. To Katharine his death must have 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 8:' 
 
 been a happy event, for previously, her life had 
 oeen a most ])recarioiis thing, hanging upon the 
 fickle will of hei' lord. Lady Jane Grey was a 
 witness to this dreadful scene at court, but soon 
 after retired to her f ither's seat, at Bradgate. 
 
 In his will, Henry j^rovided that the children 
 which he might have b}^ Katharine Parr, should 
 stand immediately after Prince Edward in the 
 order of succession, and next Mary, and failing 
 Mar}'' and her issue, the Princess Elizabeth, pro- 
 vided in the case of both these princesses that 
 they married with the consent of the counsellors 
 appointed to Prince Edward. Failing Elizabeth 
 and her issue, Lady Frances, the mother of Lady 
 Jane Grey, was to be heir to the crown, the 
 claim of Margaret, Queen Dowager of Scotland, 
 being entirely passed over. 
 
 Edward YI. came to the throne in the year 
 1547, being ten years of age. Lady Jane Grey 
 was born also just ten years before. The king 
 was learned ; when he was but eight years old, 
 he was in the habit of writing letters to his father 
 in Latin. He was docile, kind-hearted, and hav- 
 ing had tutors who were Protestants, was strong- 
 ly inclined to the principles of the Reformation. 
 Strype says, he " is the beautifullest creature that 
 
84 THE LIFE OF 
 
 livetli under the sun ; the wittiest, the most amia- 
 ble, and the gentlest thing of all the world." 
 
 The Earl of Hertford, who was brother to Sir 
 Thomas Seymour, and uncle to the king, was ap- 
 pointed protector of the realm, and governor of 
 the king's person during his minority, and Sir 
 Thomas Seymour was made lord admiral and 
 Baron Seymour of Ludley. The Earl of Hert- 
 ford was also made Duke of Somerset, and many 
 other high-soundiDg titles were added, and many 
 offices were given to him. He was, in fact, the 
 master of England, and his ambition was at last 
 gratified. He was, however, liked by the peo- 
 ple, for he was generous and princely in his de- 
 portment. The two brothers, the protector and 
 the admiral, were exceedingly ambitious of 
 power, and did not regard each other affection- 
 ately. 
 
 The coronation of Edward YI. took place with 
 the usual pomp, the Marquis of Dorset assisting 
 in the ceremonies; bat whether his daughter. 
 Lady Jane, was present or not, is not known, 
 though it is quite probable that she witnessed 
 the gorgeous pageant. Katharine Parr retired to 
 her house at Chelsea, on the bank of the Thames, 
 where Sir Thomas Seymour, her old lover, saw 
 
LADYJANEGREY. 85 
 
 her privately. He was still a man of great beauty, 
 and brave, as well as cheering in his manners. 
 Katharine was thirty-five years old, still hand- 
 some, and still dreaming over her old love for 
 th© gallant lord-admiral. She was also immense- 
 ly wealthy, and as queen-dowager possessed a 
 very high position in society, and the relation in 
 which she stood to the young king, gave her 
 every opportunity to influence his conduct. But 
 Seymour was extremely ambitious, and it is said 
 at one time, contemplated a marriage with the 
 youthful Lady Jane, in the hope that eventually 
 she might come to the throne ; but at last he con- 
 cluded it was the wisest thing for him to marry 
 Katharine Parr. The queen-dowager seems to 
 have given herself almost u.n asked to him, for 
 she loved him truly and passionately. The fol- 
 lowing is a specimen of her correspondence with 
 her lover : 
 
 '' My Lord, — 
 " I send you my most humble and hearty com- 
 mendations, being desirous to know how ye 
 have done since I saw you. I pray you not to 
 be offended with me, in that I send sooner to you 
 than I said I would, for my promise was but once 
 
86 THELIFEOF 
 
 in a fortnight. Howbeit the time is well abbre 
 viated, bj what means I know not, except weeks 
 be shorter at Chelsea than in other places. 
 
 *'My lord, j^our brother, hath deferred answer- 
 ing such requests as I made to him, till his com- 
 ing hither, which he says shall be immediately 
 after the term. This is not the first promise 1 
 have received of his coming, and yet unper- 
 formed. I think my lady hath taught him that 
 lesson; for it is her custom to promise many 
 comings to her friends, and to perform none. I 
 trust in greater matters she is more circumspect. 
 
 " And thus, my lord, I make an end, bidding 
 you most heartily farewell, wishing you the good 
 I would myself — From Chelsea. 
 
 '* P.S. I would not have you to think that this 
 mine honest good- will toward you, to proceed of 
 any sudden emotion of passion ; for as truly as 
 God is God, my mind was fully bent, the other 
 time I was at liberty, to marry you before any 
 man I know. Howbeit, God withstood my will 
 therein most vehemently for a time, and through 
 his grace and goodness made that possible which 
 seemed to me most impossible ; that was, made 
 me renounce utterly mine own will, and to follow 
 his will most willingly. It were long to write 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 87 
 
 all the process of this matter : if I live I shall 
 declare it to you myself. I can say nothing, but 
 as my Lady of Suffolk saith, * God is a marvel- 
 lous man.' 
 
 " By her that is yours to serve and obey dur- 
 ing her life, 
 
 "Katharine, the Queen. K. P." 
 
 Seymour persuaded Katharine to consent to a 
 private marriage with him, two or three months 
 after Henry YIII.'s death. The marriage was 
 private, to escape the opposition which was sure 
 to arise from certain quarters against it. Every- 
 thing was conducted with the utmost secrecy 
 until after they had been married a month or 
 more, when Katharine wrote an affectionate let- 
 ter to the young king. Edward answered it 
 kindly, telling her if there was anything which 
 she wished him to do, he would do it willingly. 
 He was asked to give his consent to the marriage, 
 which he did with pleasure. But when the news 
 came to the ear of the Duke of Somerset, he was 
 exceedingly angry that his own brother should 
 have stolen a march upon him, and he insisted 
 upon Katharine's returning all the jewels which 
 she possessed as queen-consort, having, he said, 
 
88 THE LIFE OF 
 
 forfeited her right to them by her marriage. 
 Somerset's wife was a proud, imperious woman, 
 and completely swayed the dnke. She could not 
 bear that the wife of her husband's brother, as 
 queen-dowager, should take precedence of her- 
 self Soon after the detention of the jewels by 
 Somerset, Katharine wrote her husband a letter, 
 from which we make the following extract, at 
 which the reader can hardly fail to smile. It 
 shows that the good Katharine was, after all, sub- 
 ject to passions like the rest of her sex: 
 
 " This shall be to advertise you, that my lord 
 your brother, hath this afternoon made me a lit- 
 tle warm. It was fortunate we were so much 
 distant, for I suppose else I should have bitten 
 him. What cause hath he to fear having such a 
 wife ? It is requisite for him continually to pray 
 for a short despatch of that hell." 
 
 The sentence, " What hath he to fear," has al- 
 lusion to the inordinate ambition of Somerset, 
 who feared the advancing fortunes of his brother ; 
 and in fact he had some reason to fear him, for 
 like himself, he was very daring in his ambitious 
 projects. It was proper that the executors of 
 Henry YIII. should elect one of their number 
 Governor to the 3'oung king, but it was illegal 
 
L A 1) Y J A X E G R E Y. 89 
 
 for Somerset to iiv-siirne the control of the king- 
 dom, {ind overturn tlie will of tlie late monarch. 
 
 iliri designs were still more treasonable, and 
 tlie loi-d admiral hiid his plans to overthrow 
 his brother, the protector. Somerset entertained 
 the idea of marrying the young king to his 
 daughter, the Lady Jane Seymour, and Admi- 
 ral Seymour hoped to checkmate him by mar- 
 rying the king to his young friend. Lady Jane 
 Grey. This idea, it is said, originated with 
 Katharine Parr. Somerset hoped to secure Lady 
 Jane Grey to be the wife of his son. But Sey- 
 mour sent one of his confidential officers to 
 Bradgate, where Lady Jane was staying, and 
 proposed that she should come and reside with 
 Katharine and Lord Seymour, who would take 
 care that she was well married. 
 
 The Marquis of Dorset asked, '' with whom 
 will he match her? " "I doubt not you shall 
 see him marry her to the king," replied the 
 officer. 
 
 Lady Jane since the death of Henry YIIL, 
 had been pursuing her studies amid the shades 
 of Bradgate, and was now quite willing to join 
 her dear old friend and teacher, the queen- 
 dowager. Her parents, who were somewhat 
 
90 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ambitious, were also willing that she should 
 go, hoping thereby to make her fortune in a 
 royal marriage. She therefore went to Han- 
 worth, in Middlesex, where Seymour and Kath- 
 arine were now staying. It was a beautiful 
 place, a small royal seat; and here Lady Jane 
 pursued her studies with great success. The 
 Princess Elizabeth was her companion, and the 
 contrast between these two young women was 
 very striking. Both were proud of learning, 
 both loved the cause of Protestantism, and both 
 were young ; but while Elizabeth conducted 
 herself very imprudently and immodestly, Jane 
 was pure, sweet, and modest as the severest 
 critic could wish. Elizabeth was now nearly 
 sixteen years of age. It is said that before 
 Seymour married Katharine he contemplated 
 a marriage with Elizabeth, and that nothing 
 but the death of Henry YIII. broke it up. A 
 month after the decease of the king, Seymour, 
 says one historian, proposed marriage with Eliz- 
 abeth,' but she replied, "that she had neither 
 the years nor the inclination to think of mar- 
 riage, and that she would not have any one 
 imagine that such a subject had ever been 
 mentioned to her, at a time when she ought 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 91 
 
 to be wholly taken up in weeping for the 
 death of the king, her father, to whom she 
 owed so many obligations, and that she intend- 
 ed to devote at least two years to wearing 
 black for him, and mourning for his loss ; and 
 that even after she should arrive at years of 
 discretion, she wishes to retain her liberty with- 
 out entering into any matrimonial engagement." 
 Katharine went so far as to talk with the prin- 
 cess in reference to the unsuitableness of such 
 a match, and the idea was given up. Eliz- 
 abeth was now the guest of her lover, and 
 from the dav of her entrance Katharine saw 
 but little joy. At first the queen seemed to 
 encourage the admiral in his playful attentions 
 to Elizabeth, but at last her jealousy was fally 
 aroused. Seymour stood high in the good 
 graces of Mrs. Ashley, the Princess Elizabeth's 
 governess, and would come into the young la- 
 dy's bed-chamber before she was up, would 
 " strike her on her back familiarly," and " try 
 to kiss her in bed," and one morning when 
 Katharine was with him, " tickled Lady Eliz- 
 beth in bed." One day Katharine, who began 
 to suspect Seymour loved Elizabeth, came sud- 
 denly into her room, when she was thunder- 
 
92 THE LIFE OF 
 
 struck to see her sitting in Seymour's lap, 
 with his arms around her. The poor queen was 
 cut to the heart, for she loved her husband 
 dearly. She was greatly offended with both, 
 and not merely on account of lier husband's 
 injustice to lier, but because of the irrejmrable 
 injury he was inflicting upon the character of 
 the young princess. Already rumors were afloat 
 of an unpleasant nature, and were the admiral 
 guilty of the ruin of Elizabeth, he would justly 
 be regarded hy the nation as a monster. When- 
 ever Seymour was praised in Elizabeth's pres- 
 ence she always manifested pleasure, and when- 
 ever his name was mentioned she blushed. 
 There can be no doubt but that she loved him, 
 and as to her guilt at this time it is better to 
 say nothing, as nothing is positively known. 
 The queen acted very wisely, for she sent her 
 quietly away, and endeavored to hush all ru- 
 rriors against the reputation of the imprudent, if 
 not criminal princess. It is refreshing to turn 
 from the history of Elizabeth's youth to that 
 of Lady Jane, who was the best-loved friend 
 of Katharine. At this time the queen -dowager, 
 naving hopes of an heir, went to reside at Sud- 
 ley Castle, in Gloucestershire, a fine old r&^' 
 
LADY JANE ftKEY. 93 
 
 dence. Somewhat sad from her recent discov- 
 eries in reference to her liusband's affections, 
 the queen vv^as jet sustained with the hope of 
 presenting him with an heir, which she fondly 
 trusted would recall his wandering heart to its 
 proper home. She took the lovely Lady Jane 
 with hei", who, although so young in years, yet 
 was so gentle and wise, so beautiful and good, 
 that she was a most desirable companion for 
 her. 
 
 On the 30th of August, 1548, Katharine gave 
 birth to a daughter, mucli to the disappointment 
 of both parents, who had hoped^it would prove 
 to be a male heir. But Seymour did not ex- 
 press any regret, but seemed to be overflowing 
 with exquisite happiness at the thought of being 
 a father. But the queen gave birth to her babe 
 at the cost of her ovfn life. The puerperal fever 
 attacked her, and finally caused her death. Sey- 
 mour treated her very affectionately, but amid 
 her half-delirium she seemed to hate him and 
 even to forget her babe. 
 
 It is supposed by some that Katharine sus- 
 pected that she was poisoned, but it is a very 
 improbable supposition. The charge of poison- 
 ing was an after-invention of Seymour's enemies 
 
94 ^HE LIFE OF 
 
 to ruin him with the king. It is more probable 
 that some of the queen's attendants repeated to 
 her some of the court gossip in reference to Sey- 
 mour's passion for Elizabeth. Certain it is that 
 she made her will upon her death bed, in which 
 she bequeatlied all her possessions to her deai 
 husband, ''only wishing them to be a thousand 
 times more in value than they were." Upon her 
 sick bed it is true she seemed to be sorely trou- 
 bled with something in reference to Seymour, 
 She said that she was not well handled. "Why, 
 sweetheart," said her husband, "I would do you 
 no hurt." He .tried to pacify her, and laid down 
 by her side and spoke kind words of affection 
 to her, but she answered sharply. But it was 
 mainly the disease, for she said not a word about 
 her babe, which was unnatural. Seven days 
 after the birth of her child, this good wife and 
 excellent woman expired. Although she ex- 
 pressed herself somewhat severely against her 
 husband, yet before she died her thoughts were 
 all upon him, and her heart, too, was his. To 
 the very last she loved him, and loved him so 
 well that she was anxious that he should have 
 all her wealthy even forgetting the babe in 
 whose veins ran her own blood! 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 95 
 
 Lady Jane Grey was in close attendance upon 
 the queen during her illness, and saw her eyes 
 closed in death. It must have been a sad stroke 
 upon her young and tender heart, for Katharine 
 had been to her a preceptor, a friend, and a 
 mother, the kindest mother she had in the 
 world, if we may believe the words of Roger 
 Ascham, her tutor. 
 
 The funeral of the queen took place with great 
 solemnity from Sudley Castle, and Lady Jane 
 Grey was the chief mourner. We extract the 
 following from " a breviate of the interment of 
 the Lady Katharine Parr, queen -dowager," which 
 is still preserved. It certifies that Lady Jane 
 was present at the funeral, and acted as chief 
 mourner in the procession. 
 
 " The order in proceeding to the chapel : 
 
 " First, two conductors in black, with black 
 staves ; then gentlemen and esquires ; then 
 knights ; then of&cers of the household, with their 
 white staves ; then the gentlemen ushers ; then 
 Somerset herald, in the tabard coat ; then the 
 corpse, borne by six gentlemen in black gowns, 
 with their hoods on their heads ; then eleven staff 
 torches, borne on each side by yeomen round 
 about the corpse, and at each corner a knight for 
 
96 THE LIFE OF 
 
 assistance (four) with their hoods on tlieir heads ; 
 then the Ladj Jane (daughter to the Lord-Mar- 
 quis Dorset) chief mourner, her train borne up 
 by a young lady ; then six other lady mourners, 
 two and two ; then yeomen, three and three, in 
 rank ; then all other following." 
 
 We cannot take our leave of Katharine Parr 
 without quoting the words of a writer who lived 
 in her time : 
 
 " She was endowed with a pregnant wittiness 
 joined with right wonderful grace of eloquence, 
 studiously diligent in acquiring knowledge as 
 well of human discipline as also of the holy 
 scriptures ; of incomparable elasticity, which she 
 kept not only from all spot, but. from all suspi- 
 cion, by avoiding all occasions of idleness, and 
 condemning vain pastimes." 
 
 The queen's chaplain wrote her epitaph in La- 
 tin. The translation is as follows : 
 
 "In this new tomb the royal Katharine lies ; 
 Flower of her sex, renowned, great, and wis« 
 A wife, by every nuptial virtue known, 
 A faithful partner once to 'Henry's throne. 
 To Seymour next her plighted hand she yields- 
 Seymour, who JN'eptune's trident justly wields ; 
 From him a beauteous daughter bless'd her arms, 
 An infant copy of her parent's charms. 
 When now seven days this infant flawer had bloomed, 
 Heaven in its wrath the mother's soul re.-^uuied." 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 97 
 
 Of all the queens who were the consorts of 
 Henry YIII., Katharine was the only one whose 
 character for piety and wisdom is all that one 
 could wish. Her influence over Lady Jane Grey 
 was very great, and to her guidance we may as- 
 cribe much of Lady Jane's purity and nobleness 
 of life. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 COKBESPONDENCE IN EEFEKENCK TO LADY JANE, SHE GOES TO HER 
 
 father's house. ^RETURNS TO THE CARE OF SElTfOUR. THE AD- 
 MIRAL ARRESTED. LADY JANE RETURNS TO BRADGATE. SEYMOUR 
 
 BEHEADED. LETTER OF ROGER ASCHAM TO LADY JANE. PRE- 
 SENTED AT COURT. VISIT WITH THE PRINCESS MARY. MARY PRK- 
 
 BKNTS HER WITH A GOLD NECKLACE. 
 
 The death of Katharine Parr was a terrible 
 shock to Lord Seymour ; so keenly did he feel 
 it, so overwhelmed was he with the affliction, 
 that he resolved at once upon dismissing his 
 household, and giving up the splendor which 
 surrounded his housekeeping at Sudley Castle. 
 Hls plans were all broken up by Katharine's 
 death, and he scarcely knew how to proceed. 
 He, however, shortly reconsidered his decision, 
 and wrote to Lady Jane's father, earnestly re- 
 questing that she might remain at his house. 
 The following is a copy of the letter. 
 
 *' My lord, 
 
 " After my most hearty commend unto your 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 99 
 
 lordship, whereby my last letter unto the same 
 written in a time when partly with the queen's 
 highness' death I was so annoyed that I had 
 small regard either to myself or my doings ; and 
 partly then thinking that my great loss must 
 presently have constrained me to have broken 
 up and dissolved my whole house, I offered unto 
 your lordship to send my Lady Jane unto you, 
 whensoever you would send for her, as to him 
 whom I thought would be most tender to her. 
 Forasmuch, as being since both better advised 
 of myself, and having more deeply digested 
 whereunto my power would extend, I find that 
 indeed with God's help, I shall right well be 
 able to continue my house together without di- 
 minishing any great part thereof. And there- 
 fore, putting my whole affiance and trust in God, 
 have begun anew to establish my household, 
 where shall remain not only the gentlewomen of 
 the queen's highness' privy chamber, but also the 
 maids which waited at large, and other women 
 being about her grace in her life-time, with a 
 hundred and twenty gentlemen and yeomen, 
 continually abiding in house together ; saving 
 that now presently certain of the maids and gen- 
 tlemen have desired to have leisure for a month 
 
100 THE LIFE OF 
 
 to see their friends, and then immediately return 
 hither again. And therefore, doubting lest your 
 lordship might think any unkindness that I 
 should by my said letters take occasion to rid 
 me of your daughter so soon after the queen's 
 death ; for the proof both of my hearty affection 
 towards you, and good will towards her, I mind 
 now to keep her, until I next speak with your 
 lordship ; which should have been within these 
 three or four days, if it had not been that I must 
 repair unto the court, as well to help certain of 
 the queen's poor servants, with some of the 
 things now fallen by her death, as also for my 
 own affairs ; unless I shall be advertised from 
 your lordship of your express mind to the con- 
 trary. My lady, ray mother, shall and will, I 
 doubt not, be as dear unto her, as though she 
 were her own daughter, and for my own part, I . 
 shall continue her half-father and more, and all 
 that are in my house shall be as diligent about 
 her as yourself would wish accordingly. 
 
 " Thomas Seymouk." 
 
 But the marquis seems not to have been will- 
 ing that Lady Jane should remain, for two days 
 after he wrote as follows to Seymour : — 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 101 
 
 " My lord, 
 
 " My most hearty commendations unto your 
 good lordship not forgotten. When it hath 
 pleased you by your most gentle letters to offer 
 me the abode of my daughter at your lordship's 
 house, I do as well acknowledge your most 
 friendly affection towards me and her herein, as 
 also render unto you most deserved thanks for 
 the same. Nevertheless, considering the state 
 of my daughter and her tender years, wherein 
 she shall hardly rule herself as yet without a 
 guide, lest she should for lack of a bridle take too 
 much heed, and conceive such opinion of herself 
 that all good behavior as she heretofore hath 
 learned, by the queen's and your most wholesome 
 instructions, should either altogether be quenched 
 in her, or, at the least, much diminished, I shall 
 in most hearty wise require your lordship to 
 commit her to the governance of her mother, by 
 whom for the fear and duty she oweth her, she 
 shall most easily be ruled and framed towards 
 virtue, which I wish above all things to be most 
 plentiful in her ; and although your lordship's 
 good mind concerning her honest and godly ed- 
 ucation is so great, that mine can be no more, 
 yet weighing that you be destitute of such one 
 
102 THE LIFE OF 
 
 as should correct her as a mistress, and . '^M.^ 
 ish her as a mother, I persuade myself that you 
 will think the eye and oversight of my wife 
 shall be in this respect most necessary. My 
 meaning herein is not to withdraw any part 
 of my promise to you for her bestowing, for I 
 assure your lordship, I intend, God willing, to 
 use your discreet advice and consent in that be- 
 half, and no less than mine own ; only I seek in 
 these her young years wherein she now stand- 
 eth, either to make or mar (as the common say- 
 ing is) the addressing of her mind to humility, 
 soberness, and obedience. Wherefore, looking 
 upon that fatherly affection which you bear her, 
 my trust is that your lordship, weighing the 
 premises, will be content to charge her mother 
 with her, whose waking eye in respecting her 
 demeanor shall be, I hope, no less than you, a 
 friend, and I as a father, would wish. And 
 thus wishing your lordship a perfect riddance 
 of all unquietness and grief of mind, I leave 
 any further to trouble your lordship. 
 
 " From my house at Brodegate, the 19th of 
 September. Your lordship's to the truly . my 
 power. Henry Dorsett. 
 
 " To my very good Lord Admiral : give this." 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 103 
 
 " K -, Jane's mother also wrote to Seymour as 
 follows : 
 
 " Although, good brother, I might be well en- 
 couraged to minister such counsel unto you as I 
 have in store, for that it hath pleased you not 
 only so to take in worthy that I wrote in my 
 Lady of Suffolk's letter, but also to require me 
 to have in readiness such good advices as I shall 
 think convenient against our next meeting, yet 
 considering how unable I am to do that hereto 
 belongeth, I had rather leave with that praise I 
 have gotten at your hand, than by seeking more to 
 lose that I have already won. And whereas of 
 a friendly and brotherly good will you wish 
 to have my daughter Jane still continuing in 
 your house, I give you most hearty thanks for 
 your gentle offer, trusting, nevertheless, that, for 
 the good opinion you have in your sister, you 
 will be content to charge her with her, who 
 promiseth you not only to be ready at all times 
 to account for the ordering of your dear niece, 
 but also to use your counsel and advice on the 
 bestowing of her whensoever it shall happen. 
 Wherefore, my good brother, my request shall 
 be that I may have the oversight of her with 
 
104 THE LIFE OF 
 
 your good will, and thereby I shall have good 
 occasion to think that you do trust me in such 
 wise, as is convenient that a sister to be trusted 
 of so loving a biother. And thus, my most 
 hearty commendations not omitted, I wish the 
 whole deliverance of your grief, and continuance 
 of your lordship's health. 
 
 From Bradgate, 19th of this September. 
 Your loving sister and assured friend, 
 
 "Fkances Doksett." 
 
 Lady Jane was grand niece of Henry VIIL, 
 and, therefore, grand niece to Katharine Parr, 
 but we can hardly conceive why Seymour should 
 consider himself her uncle because he married 
 Katharine, but Lady Dorset addresses him as a 
 relation, a " good brother." 
 
 Seymour finally consented that Lady Jane 
 should return to her father's house, and sent his 
 steward with her, but a few weeks afterwards he 
 became very desirous that she should return to 
 his house. He revived his old idea of marrying 
 her to Edward VI., her second cousin. Lady 
 Jane was now nearly twelve years old, and very 
 pretty. She was staying in London with her 
 parents at Dorset-house, near the Temple, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 105 
 
 there Seymour visited Lord Dorset, and finally, 
 by eulogizing upon the brilliant prospect in store 
 for Jane, i. e., her marriage with the king, he per- 
 suaded the marquis to again relinquish his lovely 
 daughter to his care. He gave him five hundred 
 pounds, as a part of two thousand pounds, which 
 he had agreed to lend him, and refused any bond, 
 saying that Lady Jane should be the pledge. 
 
 Seymour's ambition was towering, and long 
 before this be had endeavored to win the young 
 king over to himself. Indeed, he was partially 
 successful, for Edward seemed to regard him 
 with more affection than his brother the lord 
 protector. He gave Edward money, made him 
 various presents, and endeavored in every pos- 
 sible secret manner to get the king into his own 
 hands. At last, he induced him to write a letter 
 advising that he be appointed in the place of 
 Somerset to the office of lord protector. This 
 brought Somerset, who was absent in Scotland, 
 at once back to court, and steps were at once 
 taken to induce Seymour to relinquish his impru- 
 dent and ambitious project. He paid no atten- 
 tion, however, to any remonstrances which were 
 addressed to him on the subject, until the coun- 
 cil passed a resolution that he be sent to the 
 
106 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Tower, when he hastened to his brother and 
 sought a reconciliation, which took place. He 
 was contented but for a short time, his spirit 
 being a restless one, and impelling him forward 
 to his fate. Somerset wished to marry his son 
 Lord Hertford to Lady Jane Grrej, but Seymour 
 wished her to marry the king, to defeat his 
 brother's project. Hertford afterwards married 
 Lady Jane's younger sister. Somerset hoped to 
 marry the king to his own daughter, and, there- 
 fore, was deadly opposed to Seymour's plan of 
 raising Lady Jane to the throne. 
 
 The lord admiral said publicly of Lady Jane 
 Grey, that " she was as handsome a lady as any 
 in England?" It is evident that the king was 
 well affected towards Lady Jane, and the Protes- 
 tant party were not at all averse to the admiral's 
 project. She had been very carefully educated 
 under the tutelage of Roger Ascham and Queen 
 Katharine Parr, and the latter person alwaj^s 
 had in view her prospects for a royal position in 
 her subsequent career. But the protector's in- 
 fluence was too great for any such plan to suc- 
 ceed, and Seymour seems in a manner to have 
 given it up, though Lady Jane remained at his 
 house until his arrest for treason. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. i07 
 
 The Princess Elizabeth was now sixteen years 
 old, and Admiral Seymour renewed his old idea 
 of marrying her. He was twenty years older 
 than Elizabeth, but he was yet handsome and 
 graceful, and she loved him. She allowed her 
 governess, upon the death of Katharine Parr, to 
 write him a letter of condolence, and, in a short 
 time, the rumor was abroad that he would marry 
 her. But according to Henry VIIT.'s will, she 
 must not marry without the consent of the coun- 
 cil, and this could not be obtained. If she should 
 still persist in marrying Seymour, she for%ited 
 her right of succession to the crown. This, of 
 course, she could not make up her mind to do. 
 She was herself too ambitious and too wise to 
 make any such sacrifice. But there can be no 
 doubt that she loved Seymour, and, in fact, that 
 she never really and truly loved any other man 
 during her brilliant career. It was her impas- 
 sioned love for Seymour that led her into so 
 many imprudences with him. By nature she 
 was extremely cautious, but with him she seemed 
 to forget all etiquette. She scrupled not to say 
 that she would marry the admiral if the council 
 consented. Somerset declared that '' he would 
 clap his brother into the Tower if he became a 
 
108 THE LIFE OF 
 
 suitor for Elizabeth's hand," and the quarrel 
 between them broke out afresh. This threat 
 exasperated Seymour, and he planged reckless- 
 ly into the maddest intrigues against the lord 
 protector. He resolved even as a last resort to 
 seize upon the king's person ; and a confederate re- 
 vealing his plans, Somerset caused his arrest. Pie 
 was carried instantly to the Tower, aiid was now 
 shut oat from all hope. It would seem that he 
 need not have feared for his life when his own 
 brother was in reality the ruler of the kingdom, 
 but Somerset was fully resolved upon sacrificing 
 the life of Seymour, and thus rid himself of a 
 powerful rival and enemy. The Parliament 
 found a bill of attainder, and he was sentenced 
 to be beheaded. Several of the Princess Eliza- 
 beth's friends were arrested, and she herself had 
 apartments in the Tower, and was looked upon 
 in the light of a prisoner. She wrote a bold and 
 eloquent letter to Somerset, in which she said, 
 "Master Tyrwhit and others have told me there 
 goeth rumors abroad which be greatly both against 
 my honor and honesty, which above all other 
 things I esteem, which be these, that I am in the 
 Tower, and with child by my lord admiral. My 
 lord, these are shameful slanders." 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 109 
 
 The princess was obliged to guard her very 
 looks during the trial and execution of her lover, 
 for she was herself in great danger from the sus- 
 picions which were aroused against her. Sey- 
 mour seems to have abandoned himself to his 
 fate from the moment of his imprisonment. He 
 was probably so fully aware of the nature of his 
 brother's ambition, and of the sacrifices which he 
 would make to it, that he knew there was no 
 hope of pardon. Upon the scaffold he protested 
 that he had never committed any treason against 
 the king or his country. Before his death he 
 procured some ink, and plucking off an aglet from 
 his dress, with the point of it he wrote a letter 
 to Elizabeth. He perished sadly, without any 
 religious confession ; Latimer savs, "dangerous- 
 ly, irksomely, horribly." When the Princess 
 Elizabeth was told of his terrible end, she had 
 the wisdom to conceal her sorrow, simply saying, 
 " This day died a man without much wit, and 
 with very little judgment." 
 
 The only heir of Seymour's was the poor babe 
 which purchased its life by the death of its 
 mother, Katharine Parr. Lady Jane Grey was 
 godmother to the little orphan, but in the hands 
 of its cruel uncle Somerset and his wife, it fared 
 
110 THE LIFE OF 
 
 worse than it would liave done at the hands of a 
 pirate. It should have inherited wealth, but 
 everything was grasped by a strong arm away 
 from her. At one time she was in charge of the 
 Duchess of Suffolk, at another, of the Marquis of 
 Northampton, but, in every case, she was cheated 
 and despoiled of her rights. Though the daugh- 
 ter of a Queen of England, she had no home, nor 
 place where to lay her head. She survived until 
 the age of thirteen, when she joined her sainted 
 mother in a sphere where cruelty and injustice 
 cannot exist. 
 
 We cannot contemplate the execution of Sey- 
 mour without a feeling of horror. Undoubtedly, 
 he acted with the rashest imprudence, and, in a 
 manner, may be said to have induced his fate, 
 by his wretched conduct, but there is something 
 terrible in his death, caused, as it was, by his 
 own brother. The heart of Somerset must have 
 been made of stone, or* he could not have seen 
 his nearest -elative, his own brother, upon the 
 scaffold without a pang of sorrow. But he seems 
 not to have exhibited the slightest feeling upon 
 the subject. His only desire was to secure his 
 dissevered head — and, when his object was ac- 
 complished, he was happy again. This is the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. Ill 
 
 great stain upon his life. He was generally pop- 
 ular with the people, and they mourned him 
 when, still later, he met the same dreadful fate 
 which he had passed upon Seymour, but some 
 there were who must have remembered the 
 murder of his brother, and have felt that the 
 hand of Providence was plainly to be seen in his 
 own execution. 
 
 When Seymour was arrested, Lady Jane Grey 
 returned to her father's, at Bradgate, where she 
 continued her studies. In the year 1550 the 
 Marquis of Dorset was appointed itinerant jus- 
 tice of the king's forests, and remained princi- 
 pally at bis seat in Leicestershire. In the month 
 of August the whole family, with many guests, 
 were assembled there. Daring this month the 
 good Eoger Ascbam, being appointed to a di- 
 plomatic mission in Germany, made a visit to 
 Bradgate to see his beautiful scholar. Lady Jane 
 He says : — 
 
 "Before I v/ent into Germany I came intr 
 Brodegate, in Leicestershire, to take my leave of 
 that noble lady, Jane Grey, to whom I was ex- 
 ceedingly much beholden. Her parents, with all 
 the household, gentlemen and gentlewomen, were 
 hunting in the park. I found her in her chamber 
 
112 THE LIFE OF 
 
 reading Phaedon Platonis in Greek, and that 
 with as much delight as some gentlemen would 
 read a merry tale in Bocace. After salutation 
 and duty done, with some other talk I asked 
 her why she would lose such pastime in the 
 park ; smiling she answered me : ' I wis all 
 their sport in the park is bat a shadow to that 
 pleasure I find in Plato ; alas, good folk, they 
 never felt what true pleasure meant.' 'And 
 how came you, madam,' quoth I, Ho this deep 
 knowledge of pleasure, and what did chiefly 
 allure you unto it, seeing not many women, 
 but few men, have attained thereto?' 'I will 
 tell you,' quote she, 'and tell you a truth, which 
 perchance ye will marvel at. One of the great- 
 est benefits that ever God gave me is that he 
 sent me so sharp and severe parents, and so 
 gentle a schoolmaster. For when I am in the 
 presence of either father or mother, whether 1 
 speak, keep silence, sit, stand or go, eat, drink, 
 be merry or sad, be sewing, playing, dancing, or 
 doing any thing else, I must do it, as it were in 
 such weight, measure, and number, even so per- 
 fectly as God made the world, or else I am so 
 sharply taunted, so cruelly threatened, yea pres- 
 ently sometimes with pinches, nips, and bobs, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 113 
 
 other ways which I will not name for the honor 
 I bear them, so without measure misordered, that 
 I think myself in hell till the time come that 
 I must go to Mr. Elmer, who teacheth me so 
 gently, so pleasantly, with such fair allurements 
 to learning, that I think all the time nothing 
 whilst I am with him. And when I am called 
 from him I fall a weeping, because whatsoever 
 I do else but learning, is fall of grief, trouble? 
 fear, and whole misliking unto me. And thus 
 my book hath b('en so much my pleasure, and 
 bringeth daily to me more pleasure and more, 
 that in respect of it, all other pleasures in 
 very deed be but trifles and troubles unto me !* 
 I remember this talk gladly, both because it is 
 so worthy of memory, and because, also, it was 
 the last talk that ever I had, and the last time 
 that ever I saw that noble and worthy lady." 
 
 The reader must remember that in Lady 
 Jane's time it was customary to correct chil- 
 dren and even grown up young ladies very 
 harshly. But the Marquis of Dorset was a 
 severe man, selfish, avaricious, and formed of 
 a temper anything but pleasant. Any man who 
 will mistreat his mother will mistreat a child, 
 and the marquis treated his mother shamefully. 
 
114 THE LIFE OF 
 
 He seems to have been ready at all times to 
 barter Lady Jane away withoat consulting ber 
 feelings, and it is a wonder bow sbe was so 
 gentle and lovely witb sucb treatment as sbe 
 received at bome. Perbaps it was because sbe 
 was so large a portion of ber life absent from 
 bome, and under tbe guardianship of tbe gentle 
 and good. 
 
 Early in tbe next year Roger Ascbam wrote 
 Lady Jane a letter, wbicb is still preserved. 
 Tbe following is a copy: — • 
 
 "In tbis my long peregrination, most illustri- 
 ous lady, I bave travelled far ; bave visited tbe 
 greatest cities; and bave made tbe most dili- 
 gent observations in my power upon tbe man- 
 ners of nations, tbeir institutions, laws, religion, 
 and regulations; nevertheless, in sucb variety 
 there is nothing that has raised in me greater 
 admiration than what I found in regard to your- 
 self during the last summer, to see one so youno- 
 and lovely, even in the absence of her learned 
 preceptor, in tbe noble hall of her family, at tbe 
 very moment when all her friends and relatives 
 were enjoying bunting and field sports- -to find, 
 I repeat, oh, all ye gods! so divine a maid dili- 
 gently perusing tbe divine Phaedon of Plato; 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 115 
 
 in this more bappy, it may be believed, than in 
 her noble and royal lineage. 
 
 *'Go on thus, oh best adorned virgin, to the 
 honor of thy country, the delight of thy parents, 
 thy own glory, the praise of thy preceptor, the 
 comfort of thy relatives and acquaintances, and 
 the admiration of all. Oh happy Elmer! to 
 have such a scholar, and to be her preceptor. 
 I congratulate both you who teach, and she 
 who learns. 
 
 " These are the words of John Sturmius unto 
 myself as my reward for teaching the most illus- 
 trious Lady Elizabeth ; but to you two I can 
 repeat them even with more truth ; to you two 
 I concede this felicity, even though I should 
 have to lament want of success where I had ex- 
 pected to reap the sweetest fruits from m}^ labor. 
 
 *' ' But let me restrain the sharpness of my 
 grief, which prudence makes it necessary I 
 should conceal even to myself. This much I 
 may say, that I have no fault to find with the 
 Lady Elizabeth, whom I have always found 
 the best of ladies, nor indeed with the Lady 
 Mary; but if ever I shall have the happiness 
 to meet my friend Elmer, then shall I repose ir 
 his bosom my sorrows abundantly.' 
 
116 THE LIFE OF 
 
 "Two things I repeat to thee, my good El- 
 mer — for I know that thoa wilt see this letter — 
 that by your persuasion and entreaty the Lady 
 Jane Grey, as early as she can conveniently, 
 may write to me in Greek, which she has al- 
 ready promised to do. I have even written 
 lately to John Sturmius, mention mg this prom- 
 ise. Pray let your letter and hers fly together 
 to us. The distance is great, but John Hales 
 will take care that it shall reach me. If she 
 even were to write to Sturmius himself in 
 Greek, neither you nor she shall have cause 
 to repent your labor. 
 
 " The other request is, my good Elmer, that 
 you would exert yourself so that we might 
 conjointly preserve this mode of life amongst 
 us. How freely, how sweetly, and philosophi- 
 cally, then, should we live! Why should we, 
 my good Elmer, less enjoy all these good things, 
 which Cicero, at the conclusion of his third 
 book, De Finitus, describes as the only ration- 
 al mode of life? Nothing in any tongue, no- 
 thing in any times, in human memory, either 
 past or present, from which something may not 
 be drawn to sweeten life ! 
 
 " As to the news here, most illustrious lady, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 117 
 
 I know not what to write. That which is writ- 
 ten of stupid things, must itself be stupid ; and, 
 as Cicero complained of his own times, there is 
 little to amuse, or that can be embellished. Be- 
 sides, at present all places and persons are oc- 
 cupied with rumors of wars and commotions, 
 which for the most part are either mere fabrica- 
 tions, or founded upon no authority ; so that 
 anything respecting continental politics would 
 neither be interesting nor useful to you. 
 
 " The general council of Trent is to sit on the 
 first of May : Cardinal Pole, it is asserted, is to 
 be the president. Besides, there are tumults this 
 year in Africa ; then preparations for a war 
 against the Turks : and then the great expec- 
 tations of the march of the emperor into Hun- 
 gary, of which, though no soldier, I shall, God 
 willing, be a companion. Why need I write to 
 you of the siege of Medgeburg, and how the 
 Duke of Mechlenburg has been taken ; or of 
 that commotion which so universally at this 
 moment afflicts the miserable Saxony ? To 
 write of all these things I have neither leisure 
 nor would it be safe ; but on my return, which I 
 hope is not far distant, it shall be my great hap- 
 piness to relate all these things to you in person. 
 
118 THE LIFE OF 
 
 "Thy kindness to me, oh most noble Jane 
 Grey, was always most grateful to me when 
 present with you ; but it is ten times more so 
 during this long absence. To your noble pa- 
 rents I wish length of happiness; to you a 
 daily victory in letters and in virtue; to thy 
 sister Katharine, that she may resemble thee; 
 and to Elmer I wish every good that he may 
 wish to Ascham. 
 
 "Further, dearest lady, if I were not afraid 
 to load thee with the weight of my light saluta- 
 tions, I would ask thee, in my name to salute 
 Elizabeth Astley, who, as well as her brother 
 John, I believe to be of my best friends; and 
 whom I believe to be like that brother in all 
 integrity and sweetness of manners. 
 
 '* Salute, I pray thee, my cousin Mary Laten, 
 and my wife Alice, of whom I think often er 
 than I can now express. Salute, also, that 
 worthy young man Garret, and John Haddon. 
 
 " Farewell, most noble lady in Christ. 
 
 ''R. A. 
 
 " AuGusTAE, 18th January, 1851." 
 
 It would be a singular sight, even in this 
 enlightened age — that of a girl of fourteen 
 years corresponding with the first scholars of 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 119 
 
 Europe, and in Greek ! Ascliam, BuUinger, and 
 Sturmius, all distinguislied men, received her let- 
 ters with the greatest pleasure, and answered 
 them as if it were a wonderful privilege. In the 
 following month of June, Lady Jane commenced 
 the study of the Hebrew language, and in the 
 same month wrote an epistle to the celebrated 
 Bullinger, at Zurich. Bullinger was imbued 
 with the principles of the reformatiouj and was 
 well known to the Dorset family. The letter 
 of Lady Jane is unaffected, the style pure, and 
 the sentiments religious. During a part of the 
 year 1551, Lady Jane resided in Cambridge, 
 though the greater portion seems to have been 
 spent at Bradgate. On the 11th of October her 
 father, the Marquis of Dorset, was raised to the 
 peerage. The title of the Suffolk family had 
 become extinct by the death of Henry and 
 Charles Brandon, and it was bestowed upon the 
 Marquis of Dorset, because his wife was sister 
 to the Suffolks. From this time, therefore, we 
 shall mention Lady Jane's parents by their new 
 titles — the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk. 
 
 The family now came to London, and Lady 
 Jane was presented at court. Mary of Lorraine, 
 the queen-dowager of Scotland, had just arrived 
 
120 THE LIFE OF 
 
 from France, and on the occasion of her visit 
 Lady Jane publicly took part in the ceremonies 
 in honor of the queen. The first interview- 
 between the queen and King Edward took 
 place on the fourth of November, and Lady 
 Jane was a witness to the interesting scene. 
 The reception took place at Whitehall, and 
 the Duchess of Suffolk rode in the carriage 
 thither with Queen Mary, and her daughter, 
 Lady Jane Grey, followed in her train. That 
 day the royal couple dined alone together, and 
 Lady Jane, her mother, and many other distin- 
 guished ladies, retired to the queen's great cham- 
 ber, where they all partook of a grand entertain- 
 ment. That night her majesty returned to her 
 apartments in the bishop's palace, but two days 
 afterwards further honors were conferred on 
 her. A long train of the nobility followed her 
 through Bishopsgate street as far as Shoreditch 
 church, and Lady Jane's mother, the Duchess of 
 Suffolk, was a very prominent personage in the 
 procession, adding much to its splendor. 
 
 On ISTew Year's da}^, 1552, the Duchess of 
 Suffolk made Edward the king a present of a 
 purse knit of gold and silver, and containing 
 forty pounds sterling. The young monarch gave 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 121 
 
 her in return three gilt bowls with covers. 
 Edward often saw Lady Jane, and loved her, 
 but rather as a brother than as a suitor. It 
 was about this time that Lady Jane wrote a 
 second letter to Bullinger, the scholar and 
 reformer. 
 
 The health of Edward declining at this time, 
 it was proposed that he should travel over the 
 kingdom, in the hope of diverting his mind from 
 weighty matters which pressed upon him. Just 
 previous to his starting, the Princess Mary came 
 to court and had an interview with her half- 
 brother. The King started for Guildford the 
 latter part of June, and in July Lady Jane 
 Grey took occasion in the absence of the court 
 to pay a visit to the Princess Mary at Newhall. 
 The princess seems to have received her in a 
 cordial manner, though they did not agree upon 
 religious subjects. The following anecdote is re- 
 corded as having occurred during this visit. The 
 Princess Mary was at heart a Catholic, though 
 she made pretences of being, if not a Protestant, 
 at least very liberal in her religious belief. She 
 had a domestic chapel at Newhall, and one day 
 •when Lady Jane Grey was walking through it 
 
 in company with Lady Whai'ton, the latter curt- 
 F 
 
122 THE LIFE OF 
 
 sied to tlie host on the altar. Lady Jane ob- 
 served the act of reverence and asked, 
 
 " Is Lady Mary present in the chapel ?" 
 
 " No," replied Lady Wharton. 
 
 " Why, then, do you curtsey ?" asked Lady 
 Jane. 
 
 "I curtsey to Him that made me," replied 
 Lady Wharton. 
 
 "Kay," said Jjady Jane," but did not the 
 baker make him ?" 
 
 This dialogue was repeated to the Princess 
 Mary, who was offended with Jane, and it is 
 said never afterwards loved her. We may be 
 sure of this fact, but we doubt if ever before 
 she entertained much affection for her lovely 
 cousin. She did at one time, to be sure, pre- 
 sent her with a costly dress, yet Lady Jane 
 said, when the dress was sent to her, — 
 
 " ISTay, it were a shame to follow my Lady 
 Mary, who leaveth God's word, and leave my 
 Lady Elizabeth, who followeth God's word." 
 The Princess Elizabeth for several years had 
 endeavored by a sober and severe life to expiate 
 her sad imprudencies with Lord Seymour. It 
 may have been that the dreadful fate of the 
 only man whom she truly loved made so deep 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 123 
 
 an impression upon lier mind, that slie was 
 desirous of quitting the vanities of life. Sev- 
 eral years before, Mary gave to Lady Jane a 
 gold necklace set with pearls. Alas! the fair 
 neck around which the golden gift was placed, 
 was destined to be severed by the same hand 
 which offered the splendid toy ! It is quite 
 evident that Lady Jane never looked upon 
 Mary with much affection. Her conduct, in- 
 deed, had not been attractive, and her sym- 
 pathies for Catholicism might have rendered 
 her odious in the sight of the pious and en- 
 lightened Lady Jane. 
 
 The king continued absent on his journey, 
 and Lady Jane Grey returned to her studies. 
 The good Aylmer was her guide and instructor, 
 and she was a most apt pupil. Not only was 
 she thoroughly acquainted with the learned lan- 
 guages, but general science attracted her close 
 attention. She was also deeply versed in theol- 
 ogy, so much so that she was a match for almost 
 any religious disputant. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DUKE OF SOMERSET. INSURRECTIONS. RISK OF THE KARL OF WAR- 
 WICK. MADE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. DOWNFALL OF SOM- 
 ERSET. — Northumberland's ambition. — ms designs upon the 
 
 CROWN. 
 
 The Duke of Somerset, when lie had sacri- 
 ficed the life of his own brother to his ambition, 
 became still more desirous of enlarged power and 
 influence. A great commotion raged through- 
 out England among the lower classes, on ac- 
 count of a pecuniary panic which was prevalent 
 in the country. The duke, hoping to add to 
 his popularity with the masses, took the side 
 of the people. The landholders in many in- 
 stances had inclosed the commons, which the 
 poor people had been accustomed to graze their 
 cattle upon, or otherwise make nse of, and the 
 protector somewhat rashly issued a proclama- 
 tion insisting that all commons which had been 
 inclosed should at once be thrown open to the 
 public. But few obeyed this proclamation, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 125 
 
 the masses determined to rectify the evil by 
 mob-law, and insurrections were common over 
 the kingdom. The landed proprietors and the 
 nobility, by this act of Somerset, were alienated 
 from him, and resolved to affect the ruin of so 
 bold and despotic a man. Though themselves 
 guilty of usurpation of lands, they yet saw that 
 the duke had assumed a power which he could 
 not legally hold. 
 
 Eeli^ous revolts soon agitated the kingdom, 
 which had their seat in the v/est, and also in 
 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The people 
 who revolted were principally of the laboring 
 classes, and they generally revolted against the 
 oppression of the wealthier classes rather than 
 Protestantism, though in certain parts great dis- 
 satisfaction was felt at the religious state of the 
 government. The protector had been unfortu- 
 nate in his wars, in his statesmanship; had been 
 personally extravagant, building himself a most 
 costly palace at a time when the nation was 
 almost bankrupt ; and a storm had now arisen 
 which he could not withstand. In his war with 
 Scotland he had been unsuccessful ; in his con- 
 flict with France he had been defeated ; the old 
 nobility had from the first hated him ; and now 
 
126 tHE LIFE OF 
 
 in a time of unprecedented depression in pecuni- 
 ary matters, his extravagance was such as to 
 disgust the nation. Conceited, vain, and ambi- 
 tious, he caused himself to be styled " Duke of 
 Somerset by the grace of God," after the most 
 royal manner. At this time there was a man 
 in England who had the acuteness to perceive 
 that Somerset's fall was inevitable, and he deter- 
 mined to profit by it. He was a man of fearful 
 ambition, who would not scruple at any act by 
 which he might advance his fortunes; a man 
 who knew passing well how to cajole and flat- 
 ter, indeed how to control men, and yet he was 
 by no means possessed of the highest talent, and 
 had little personal courage. He was a renowned 
 soldier, possessed no settled religious principles, 
 but discovering how firm the young king was 
 in his devotion to the Eeformation, he became a 
 Protestant. 
 
 This man, who exercised such a sad influence 
 over the fortunes of Lady Jane Grey, was the 
 Earl of Warwick, afterwards made Duke of Nor- 
 thumberland. He was born in 1502, and was in 
 early life attached to Cardinal Wolsey. He 
 achieved many victories by land and sea, and 
 now, seeing plainly that Somerset was hated by 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 127 
 
 the nobility, and was losing his popularity with 
 the people, he began to play a bold game for 
 power. He endeavored to win the affections of 
 the king, and, being one of the council, soon 
 came to be Somerset's only great rival. But 
 Somerset was growing unpopular, his star was 
 setting in the west, while that of Warwick had 
 but just arisen. The latter part of the year 1549, 
 the enemJes of Somerset were so bold in their 
 measures against him, that he became alarmed, 
 and surrounded himself with soldiers well 
 equipped for defence. He was at Hampton Court, 
 and the king was with him. Somerset carried the 
 king to Windsor, while the council, animated by 
 Warwick, called upon the nobility throughout 
 the kingdom to come to their assistance. Som- 
 erset first determined to defy his enemies, and, 
 by force, if necessary, retain possession of the 
 monarch, but he very soon wrote a letter to the 
 council, in which he stated, that provided they 
 intended no harm to the king, they would find 
 him, the protector, ready to agree to their re- 
 quirements. They saw, at once, that Somerset 
 was at their feet. Warwick had triumphed. 
 The council published a proclamation, in which 
 they stated clearly the misconduct of the protec- 
 
128 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tor, who, at last, wrote privately t. iiis great 
 enemy, Warwick, and begged of lain,, to save 
 him, reminding him of their friendship in older 
 days. On the 18th of October, Somerset was 
 placed under arrest, and the misdemeanors of 
 which he was guilty, were drawn up against him 
 in writing, and he was carried to the Tower. 
 Thus Warwick was left at the head of the gov- 
 ernment, and, of course, had constant access to 
 the king, whom he soon completely controlled. 
 In 1550, Somerset made a humble confession, 
 that he had been guilty of the misdemeanors 
 charged against him, on his knees before the 
 king, in the hope that he would be dealt merci- 
 fully with. He was deprived of all his offices, 
 of all personal property, and of two thousand 
 pounds a year from the revenue of his lands. 
 He complained of the severity of this heavy fine, 
 but when the council replied harshly to him, he 
 confessed that it was just. As a reward for his 
 abject humility, he was, on the sixth of Febru- 
 ary, released from the Tower. He conducted 
 himself so humbly that he was again sworn in 
 member of the privy council. The Earl of War- 
 wick was made lord admiral, and great master 
 of the household. An apparent reconciliation 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 129 
 
 took place between Warwick and Somerset ; 
 Lord Lisle, Warwick's eldest son, marrying Lady 
 Anne, daughter of Somerset. But tlie late lord 
 protector could not be content with his present 
 humble position, and took secret measures for re- 
 gaining his old position. He conceived the idea 
 of getting the king into his hands, and making 
 a stand in the provinces. In October, Warwick 
 was made Duke of Northumberland, and shortly 
 after, the nation was shocked by the news that 
 Somerset was again arrested, and, this time, on a 
 charge of high treason. It was charged that he 
 had intended to raise a revolt against the gov- 
 ernment in conjunction with other noblemen, 
 that he designed taking possession of the king ; 
 and to prove these charges, the confessions of one 
 of his tools were taken as evidence. The trial 
 took place on the first of December, the duke 
 being brought from the Tower to Westminster, 
 with the axe of the Tower carried before him. 
 The trial was a most unfair one, yet fairer than 
 the trial which Somerset had acceded to his own 
 brother. Admiral Seymour. He denied the 
 charge against him, though he confessed that he 
 had, at one time, prepared to kill Northumber- 
 land, but had afterwards given up the idea. The 
 f 9 
 
130 THE LIFE OF 
 
 charge of treason fell through, but he was found 
 guilty of felony, and sentenced to be beheaded. 
 He was carried back to the Tower, unaccom- 
 panied by the terrible axe, inasmuch as he had 
 been acquitted of the charge of treason. 
 
 The execution took place on Friday, the 22 d 
 of January, and the king, in his journal, thus 
 early makes a note of his uncle's death : 
 
 " The Duke of Somerset had his head cut off 
 upon Tower-hill, between eight and nine o'clock 
 in the morning." 
 
 Early in the morning, London was astir, for 
 though the Duke of Somerset had been a proud, 
 ambitious and extravagant man, yet the people 
 could not entirely lose their old love for him, 
 and now that his day of doom had come, their 
 sympathies were deeply roused. The Lord- 
 Mayor of London and the constables required 
 that every household remain within doors until 
 after ten o'clock, to prevent a gathering of the 
 people, or an insurrection. Notwithstanding this 
 order, by seven o'clock Tower-hill was covered 
 by an immense multitude of people. The duke 
 was perfectly calm, kneeling down, and repeat- 
 ing a few short prayers. After this, he rose, and 
 walked to the east side of the scaffold, and spoke 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 181 
 
 to the people. He said tliat lie had never by 
 word or deed offended against the king, and that 
 he did not repent at any of his doings while 
 lord protector. He certainly must have forgot- 
 ten his base treatment of his brother Seymour, 
 or else he spoke hypocritically. While he was 
 speaking, a great noise was heard, and a man 
 was seen to ride swiftly towards the Tower. Im- 
 mediately there rose a great cry of "A pardon ! 
 a pardon ! God save the king !" The duke in- 
 formed the people that they were mistaken, 
 though, at first, it is likely that he himself had 
 faint hopes that the horseman might bear news 
 of a reprieve. He requested the multitude to be 
 quiet lest their tumult should disturb his calm- 
 ness, which was so desirable at such an hour. 
 He then knelt down again, and prayed with 
 seeming fervency, the people watching him with 
 swelling hearts, and some with streaming faces. 
 He then stood up before them, and with a 
 clear, calm face bade the sheriffs farewell, then 
 the Lieutenant of the Tower, and all others on 
 the scaffold with hira. He gave the executioner 
 some money, and then took off his gown, and 
 knelt down on the straw, untying his shirt- 
 strings, and turning his collar down from his 
 
132 THE LIFE OF 
 
 neck, that his head might be severed easily and 
 quickly. When he laid his neck upon the block 
 his cheeks grew red, but immediately a cap was 
 put over his face. He repeated the name of 
 Jesus slowly, and, at the third time, the axe 
 descended, and he was instantly killed. Hun- 
 dreds of the spectators rushed up and dipped 
 their handkerchiefs in the blood, that they might 
 keep them in memory of the beheaded duke. 
 This proves pretty clearly that the people yet 
 loved him ; still they remembered how a few 
 years before, he had sacrificed the life of his 
 brother without the least hesitancy or apparent 
 compunction of conscience. The fate of the 
 duke, therefore, seemed to be a judgment of 
 God, and whether or not he deserved his fate on 
 account of treason to the state, or felonj^, it is 
 pretty certain that he deserved it on account of 
 his own criminality in other transactions. Sev- 
 eral persons perished with the Duke of Somer- 
 set as his accomplices, and among them Sir 
 Ralph Yane, who, well knowing that the Duke of 
 Northumberland was at the bottom of their mur- 
 der, said boldly, that as often as Northumberland 
 laid his head on his pillow he would find it wet 
 with their blood. Whether or not it was so, the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 133 
 
 duke was destined to feel the retributive hand 
 of Providence a few years later. 
 
 Parliament met the day after the execution of 
 Somerset, and it was found that the members 
 could hardly be counted on as the hearty sup- 
 porters of the existing government. 
 
 The truth was, that the Duke of Northumber- 
 land by his execution of Somerset had outraged 
 the feelings of the nation, and they soon learned 
 to hate while they feared him. He met with 
 bold opposition in parliament, and out of it, and 
 if he now would, he might have learned a lesson 
 which would have saved his life. But his am- 
 bition was so towering, that opposition only 
 whetted his appetite for more power, and his 
 schemes grew still bolder and more magnificent. 
 He, at one time, purposed to marry his son. Lord 
 Guildford Dudley, to the daughter of the Earl of 
 Cumberland, and, it is said, the king planned 
 the match, and if so, it renders probable the 
 story, that he was himself attached to Lady Jane 
 Grey, and intended to make her his wife. But 
 Northumberland soon dropped this project for a 
 new vision opened upon his ambitious eyes. 
 The king, for some time, had been declining in 
 health, and was now so seriously ill as to alarm 
 
134 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the nation. His constitution ever was delicate ; 
 in tlie spring of tlie previous year, he was at- 
 tacked by the measles and small-pox, and being 
 ill for a long time, his frame was very much en- 
 feebled, and it seemed impossible for him to re- 
 gain even his accustomed robustness. In the 
 spring of 1553, he caught a violent cold, which 
 was aggravated by injudicious treatment, and a 
 disease of the lungs was the consequence. Some 
 declared that he was under the influence of slow 
 but subtle poisons, administered to him by 
 persons at court, but there is not the slightest 
 foundation for a belief in any such story. Un- 
 doubtedly, that slow but terrible disease, the 
 consumption, was fastened upon the young, but 
 wise and pious king, and the Duke of Northum- 
 berland saw that he probably had not long to 
 live. It was this state of things which aroused 
 the fiery ambition of his nature, and led him to 
 project schemes which were destined to prove the 
 ruinof not only himself, but of many others, among 
 whom, stands first and fairest, the gentle Lady 
 Jane Grey. The duke saw that the young king 
 was warmly devoted to Protestantism, knew that 
 Edward was well aware of the Princess Mary's 
 half-concealed love for the Catholic religion, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 135 
 
 he trusted that he could persuade him to over- 
 turn the will of Henry YIIL, and leave the 
 crown to Lady Jane Grey. It was a wild and 
 unrighteous project, which was probably entirely 
 concealed from the duke's best friends until 
 ripe for execution, and kept carefully away from 
 Lady Jane until after the death of the king. 
 Northumberland proposed that his son, Lord 
 Lord Guildford Dudley, should marry Lady 
 Jane, and thus he would be father to the Queen 
 of England, provided his plan should succeed. 
 
CHAPTER YIL 
 
 LADY JANE GREY. — DESCRIPTION OF HER PERSON. HER LEARNING 
 
 AND VIRTUES. NORTHUMBERLAND'S PROJECTS. IMAGINARY CON- 
 VERSATION BETWEEN ROGER ASCHAM AND LADY JANE. HER MAR- 
 RIAGE WITH LORD GUILDFORD DUDLEY. EDWARD VI. A VICTIM TO 
 
 NORTHUMBERLAND. MAKES HIS WILL IN FAVOR OF LADY JANE 
 
 GREY. TROUBLES WITH THE COUNCIL. INNOCENCE OF LADY JANE. 
 
 Lady Jane Grey was now sixteen years old, 
 and, perhaps, one of the most beautiful women 
 in England. Her beauty was of a style some- 
 what rare in that age. She was not command- 
 ing, imperious and passionately beautiful. Her 
 beauty was surmounted by the most exquisite 
 loveliness of character. She was gentle, kind 
 and affectionate ; though a learned scholar, she 
 was no mere " blue-stocking." A painting of 
 her at this time, which is still preserved, repre- 
 sents her as having a very fair, broad and beau- 
 tiful brow, eyebrows of jet, a small and exquisite 
 mouth, ancTa face on which sits the very spirit 
 of meekness and subdued beauty. She wears ^ 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 137 
 
 very large head-dress, whicli almost entire- 
 ly covers her hair from sight. A few locks are 
 seen upon the temple. Around her neck there 
 is a high collar or partlet, as it was called, stand- 
 ing upright, and very richly embroidered. The 
 neck and a slight glimpse of the bosom are to be 
 seen — in the latter, there is a beautiful bouquet 
 of flowers. Growns at this time were generally 
 cut square in the neck, and were often splendidly 
 enriched by costly sleeves and a habit-shirt, the 
 collar of which standing upright was ingeniously 
 and handsomely embroidered. 
 
 A Holbein painting of Lady Jane represents 
 her without her partlet, her neck and bosom 
 almost bare, with the exception of necklaces and 
 jewels. Her hair in this painting is surmounted 
 by a low head-dress, and falls down upon the 
 back of her neck. In both pictures, the face is 
 very sweet and beautifal, and in the latter, there 
 is a pensiveness which would almost make one 
 suppose that, when it was taken, she anticipated, 
 by presentiment, her sorrowful fate. 
 
 Burton, an ancient writer, says of Lady Jane : 
 ^' That most admired Princess, Jane Grey, who 
 being but young, attained to such excellent learn- 
 ing, both in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues, 
 
188 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and also in tlie study of divinity, by the instruc- 
 tion of Mr. Aylmer, as appeareth by her many 
 writings, letters, etc., that as Mr. Fox saith of 
 her, had her fortune been answerable to her 
 bringing up, undoubtedly she might have been 
 compared to the house of Yespasiaus, Lemproni- 
 aus, and Cornelia, mother of the Gracchi, in 
 Eome ; and, in these days, the chiefest men in 
 the universities.'' 
 
 Fox says : 
 
 " She hath the innocencv of childhood, the 
 beauty of youth, the solidity of middle, the grav- 
 ity of old age, and all at sixteen ; the birth of a 
 princess, the learning of a clerk, the life of a 
 saint, yet the death of a malefactor for her pa- 
 rents' offences. I confess I never read of any 
 canonized saint of her name ; a thing whereof 
 some papists are so scrupulous, that they count 
 it an unclean and unhallowed thing to be of a 
 name whereof never any saint was — but let this 
 worthy lady pass for a saint ; and let all great 
 ladies which bear her name imitate her virtues ; 
 to whom I wish her inward holiness, but far 
 more outward happiness." 
 
 Still another writer says : 
 
 "She had a perfection noble and holy, a 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 189 
 
 strength, remarkable in one of her sex, a lady in 
 
 all goodness so perfect that whosoever could gain 
 
 but some part of her shadow, might have enough. 
 
 in latter days to boast, and rank themselves with. 
 
 the most virtuous." 
 
 Fuller says : 
 
 " No lady which led so many pious, lived so 
 
 * 
 few pleasant days ; her soul was never out of the 
 
 nonage of afflictions, till death made her of full 
 years to inherit happiness ; so severe was her 
 education. Whilst a child, her father's house 
 was a house of correction ; nor did sbe write 
 woman sooner than she did subscribe wife, and, 
 in obedience to her parents, was unfortunately 
 matched to the Lord Guildford Dudley, wbose 
 worse fault was that he was son to an ambitious 
 father " 
 
 Sir Thomas Chaloner, in an elegy upon her 
 death, commends her beauty, but much more 
 her charming conversation. He says, she was 
 well versed in eight languages ; had natural wit, 
 and that much improved by art and study ; that 
 she played instrumental music well ; wrote an 
 excellent hand ; yet was mild, humble and mod- 
 est, " and never showed an elated mind until 
 she manifested it at her death." Lady Jane not 
 
140 THE LIFE OF 
 
 only played on instruments, but liad a very sweet 
 voice, and sang beautifully, according to contem- 
 porary writers. 
 
 Bishop Latimer says : 
 
 " She was handsome, learned beyond imagina- 
 tion, of a most acute wit, and for prudence even 
 at her age superior to her sex ; extremely pious ; 
 devoted to the reformed faith ; and so far from 
 aspiring to the honor, that she took the regalia 
 with tears." 
 
 And Burnet says : 
 
 " With all her advantages of birth and parts, 
 yet she was so humble, so gentle, and pious, that 
 all people both admired and loved her, and none 
 more than the youthful Edward." 
 
 The young king continued to grow worse, and 
 the Duke of Northumberland resolved upon car- 
 rying out his daring projects in reference to the 
 crown. The Parliament met in March of this 
 year (1653), but sat only four weeks, leaving 
 JSTorthumberland in possession of the govern- 
 ment. The monarch was in such ill health that 
 his will was completely sjubjected to that of the 
 duke, and the kingdom was virtually ruled by 
 Northumberland. Foreseeing the death of Ed- 
 ward, he determined to snatch the crown away 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 141 
 
 from tlie Princess Mary, whose it woald be law- 
 fully and justly by right of succession, and re- 
 tain it in his own family. To do this, it would 
 be necessary to make a tool of the king, and, 
 also, of Lady Jane Grrey. It would be necessary, 
 first, to marry Lady Jane to his son, secondly, to 
 strengthen his own position by other marriages, 
 allying himself to eminent families, thirdly, to 
 coax Edward to bequeath the crown to Lady 
 Jane, or force him to do it, and finally, to con- 
 ceal carefully his intentions from the virtuous 
 and innocent Lady Jane, whose whole nature 
 would rebel against the idea of an unjust usur- 
 pation of the crown until the last moment, when 
 through her love for her friends, and, especially, 
 her fear of her parents, and her devotion to Pro- 
 testantism, she could be forced into accepting the 
 responsible part which was to be allotted to her 
 in this unfortunate drama. If Northumberland's 
 energy and talent had equalled his ambition, 
 there is no doubt but he might have succeeded 
 in his plans, for the cause of the Reformation 
 was loved by a large portion of the people, and 
 Lady Jane Grey was looked upon with affection 
 everywhere. 
 
 Northumberland determined to marry his 
 
142 THE LIFE OF 
 
 daughter, Lady Katharine, to Lord Hastings, 
 eldest son of the Earl of Huntingdon ; Lord 
 Herbert eldest son of the earl of Pembroke, to 
 Lady Katharine Grey, younger sister to Lady 
 Jane ; and his fourth son, Lord Guildford Dud- 
 ley, to Lady Jane Grey. In the age of which 
 we write it was not customary for parents to 
 consult their children in reference to their mat- 
 rimonial projects, and it is not probable that 
 Lady Jane was consulted in reference to the 
 marriage with Lord Guildford, her father, the 
 duke of Suffolk, and Northumberland arrang- 
 ing the union with all its preliminaries. But 
 the light of history is clear enough for us to 
 discover that Lady Jane soon loved Dudley. 
 He was scarcely twenty years of age, tall and 
 graceful, and quite handsome, and well calcu- 
 lated to win the heart of the Lady Jane, who 
 was almost a girl, and naturally very affec- 
 tionate. The families had long been intimate, 
 and it is likely that Guildford and Jane were 
 well acquainted with each other ; and possibly 
 they were, before the marriage was spoken of, 
 attached to each other. The courtship, how- 
 •ever, was of short continuance, being consum- 
 mated quickly by marriage. It cannot be de- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 143 
 
 nied that the marriage was planned by Nor- 
 thumberland and the Duke of Suffolk, and, at 
 least on their part, was a match of ambition, but 
 Guildford and Jane as yet knew nothing of the 
 proposed after-usurpation of the crown. 
 
 Walter Savage Landor — one of the most beau- 
 tiful of the English authors — in his ^''Imaginary 
 Conversations " has one imaginary interview be- 
 tween Lady Jane, at this time, and ' her old 
 friend Eoger Ascham. Although purely ficti- 
 tious, we will quote it here : — 
 
 Ascham, — Thou art going, my dear young 
 lady, into a most awful state; thou art pp,ssing 
 into matrimony and great wealth. God hath 
 willed it; submit in thankfulness. Thy affec- 
 tions are rightly placed and well distributed. 
 Love is a secondary passion in those who love 
 most, a primary in those who love least. He 
 who is inspired by it in a high degree is in- 
 spired by honor in a higher; it never reaches 
 its plenitude of growth and perfection but in 
 the most exalted minds. Alas ! alas ! 
 
 Jarm. — What aileth my virtuous Ascham? 
 Why do I tremble? 
 
 Ascham. — I remember a sort of prophesy, 
 made three years ago ; it was the prophecy of 
 
144 THE LIFE OF 
 
 thy condition, and of my feelings on it. Eecol- 
 lectest tliou who wrote, sitting npon the sea- 
 beach, the evening after an excursion to the 
 Isle of Wight, these verses? 
 
 " liivisibly bright water ! so like air, 
 On looking down I feared thou couldst not bear 
 My little bark, of all light barks most light, 
 And looked again and drew me from the sight 
 And held the bench, not to go on so fast." 
 
 Jane. — I was very childish when I composed 
 them, and if I had thought any more about the 
 matter, I should have hoped that you would 
 have been too generous to keep them in your 
 memory as witnesses against me. 
 
 Ascham. — Nay, they are not so much amiss 
 for so young a girl, and there being so few of 
 them, I did not reprove thee. Half an hour I 
 thought might have been spent more unprofita- 
 bly; and I now shall believe it firmly, if thou 
 wilt be led by them to meditate a little on the 
 similarity of situations in which then thou wert, 
 to what thou art now in. 
 
 Jane. — I will do it and whatever else you 
 command, for I am weak by nature and very 
 timorous, unless where a strong sense of duty 
 holdeth and supporteth me. There God acteth, 
 and not his creatures. There were with me at 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 145 
 
 sea tliose who would have been attentive to me if 
 I had seemed to be afraid, even though worship- 
 ful men and women were in the company ; so 
 that something more powerful threw my fear 
 overboard. Yet I never will go again upon the 
 water. 
 
 Ascham. — Exercise that beauteous couple, that 
 mind and body, much and variously, but at 
 home, at home, Jane 1 in-doors, and about things 
 in- doors, for God is there too. We have rocks 
 and quicksands on the banks of our Thames, O 
 lady, such as ocean never heard of; and many 
 — who knows how soon! — may be ingulphed 
 in the current under their garden- walls. 
 
 tTane. — Thoroughly now do I understand you. 
 Yes, indeed, I have read evil things of courts, 
 but I think nobody can go out bad, who enter- 
 eth good, if timely and true warning shall have 
 been given. 
 
 Ascham. — I see perils on perils which thou 
 dost not see, albeit thou art wiser than thy 
 poor old master. And it is not because love 
 hath blinded thee, for that surpasseth his sup- 
 posed omnipotence ; but it is because thy tender 
 heart, having always leant affectionately upon 
 good, hath felt and known nothing of evil. I 
 ^ 10 
 
146 THE LIFE OF 
 
 once persuaded thee to reflect mucli ; let me 
 now persuade thee to avoid the habitude o^^ 
 reflection, to lay aside books, and to gaze care- 
 fully and steadfastly on what is under and be 
 fore thee. 
 
 Jane, — I have well bethought me of my duties. 
 how extensive they are ! What a goodly and 
 fair inheritance ! But tell me, would you com- 
 mand me never more to read Cicero, and Epicle- 
 tus, and Polybus ? The others I do resign : 
 they are fit for the arbor and the gravel- walk : 
 yet leave unto me, I beseech you, my friend 
 and father, leave unto me for my fireside and 
 for my pillow, truth, eloquence, courage, con- 
 stancy. 
 
 Ascham. — Read them on thy marriage-bed, 
 on thy child-bed, on thy death-bed. Thou spot- 
 less, undrooping lily, they have fenced thee 
 right well. These are the men for men ; these 
 are to fashion the bright and blessed creatures 
 whom God shall one day smile upon in thy 
 chaste bosom. Mind thou thy husband. 
 
 Jane. — I sincerely love the youth who hath 
 espoused me ; I love him with the fondest, the 
 most solicitous affection. I pray to the Al- 
 mighty for his goodnosss and happiness, and do 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 147 
 
 forget at times, unworthy suppliant, the prayers 
 I should have offered for myself Never fear 
 that I will disparage my kind religious teacher, 
 by disobedience to my husband in the most 
 trying duties. 
 
 Ascham. — Gentle is he, gentle and virtuous ; 
 but time will harden him : time must harden 
 even thee, sweet Jane ! Do then complacently 
 and indirectly lead him from ambition. 
 
 Jane. — He is contented with me and with 
 home. 
 
 Ascham. — Ah, Jane ! Jane ! Men of high es- 
 tate grow tired of contentedness. 
 
 Jane. — He told me he never liked books unless 
 I read them to him : I will read them to him 
 every evening : I will offer new worlds to him, 
 richer than those discovered by the Spaniards : 
 I will conduct him to treasures, what treasures I 
 on which he may sleep in innocence and peace. 
 
 Ascham. — Eather do thou walk with him, ride 
 with him, play with him, be his fairy, his page, 
 his everything that love and poetry have invent- 
 ed ; but watch him well, sport with his fancies, 
 turn them about like the ringlets round his cheek: 
 and if ever he meditateth on power, go toss up 
 thy baby to his brow, and bring back his 
 
148 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tliouglits into his heart bj the music of thy dis- 
 course. Teach him to live unto God, and unto 
 thee ; and he will discover that women, like the 
 plants in woods, derive their softness and tender- 
 ness from the shade." 
 
 During the last week of May, the marriage of 
 Lady Jane Grey with Lord Guildford Dudley 
 was celebrated at Durham House, in the Strand, 
 the residence of the Duke of North umbei^land. 
 No more appropriate time could have been 
 chosen for the marriage of the innocent and love- 
 ly Lady Jane, than that of the English May. At 
 the same time and place, two other marriages 
 were solemnized — those of Lady Katharine Grey 
 with Lord Herbert, and Lady Katharine Dudley 
 with Lord Hastings. The marriage ceremonies 
 of these illustrious weddings were conducted 
 magnificently, and a vast deal of show and pa- 
 geantry were thrown about them. It was very 
 proper that the day should be shrouded in so- 
 lemnity, but the splendor of the occasion would 
 have passed unheeded, could those who took 
 part in the grand ceremonies only have looked 
 forward a few months into the future. The 
 young king was pleased with the match of Lady 
 Jane, and it is said, that the last smiles which 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 149 
 
 graced his face were those seen there on this occa- 
 sion. The court had already begun to put on the 
 hue of mourning, in its tone of feeling, in anticipa- 
 tion of Edward's death, but now, for a few days, 
 there was pomp and ceremony and general glad- 
 ness. Edward ordered the master of the ward- 
 robe to give to Lady Jane much wedding apparel, 
 as well as many jewels. Lady Jane, attired in a 
 dress embroidered with gold, between two pages, 
 and followed by a train of maidens, entered the 
 wedding apartment. When the ceremony was 
 performed, and it was known to the people in 
 the streets, there was a general rejoicing. Nor- 
 thumberland was hated by the people for his 
 terrible ambition, but they loved Lady Jane, and 
 could not dislike the young and harmless Dud- 
 ley, her husband. The nuptials were celebrated 
 at court with great splendor, and for several 
 days there was general rejoicing and festivity. 
 
 As soon as the marriage ceremonies were fair- 
 ly over. Lord Guildford and Lady Jane, the 
 summer beins^ ODcned, retired to Sion House, a 
 seat of the Dudley family, to enjo}'' their honey- 
 moon. The spot was very beautifid, and the 
 season of the year was also charming, and with- 
 out doubt the youthful couple here tasted a 
 
150 THE LIFE OP 
 
 happiness wMcli was destined to be their last 
 upon earth. Lady Jane wrote a third letter to 
 Bullinger from this place, and it is preserved to 
 this day in the library at Zurich. 
 
 Northumberland, who was constantly by the 
 side of the king, saw that he now was declining 
 so rapidly that he must execute his long contem- 
 plated schemes of aggrandizement and power. 
 He first took care to gain the consent of the 
 Duchess of Suffolk to transfer her own right of 
 succession to her daughter Lady Jane. This was 
 easily accomplished, though it was an unwar- 
 ranted and effeminate proceeding. There now 
 stood, in the event of Edward's death, which was 
 absolutely certain, between Lady Jane Grey, 
 Northumberland's daughter-in-law, but two per- 
 sonages — the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth. Ac- 
 cording to all the acknowledged principles of 
 hereditary right, the first right of succession be- 
 longed to the Princess Mary, who was Henry 
 VIIL's eldest living child. But by her father's 
 act, by act of Parliament, she had, together with 
 the Princess Elizabeth, been bastardized. Henry 
 had, however, in his will, made in 1544, given 
 to Mary the right of succession. He passed by 
 the right of the descendants of his older sister 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 151 
 
 Margaret to tlie crown, and placed next in order, 
 as to the right of succession, the descendants of 
 his younger sister Mary, Duchess of Suffolk. 
 ISTorthumberland saw that it would not do for 
 him, upon the death of the king, to place Lady 
 Jane upon the throne without special authority, 
 for if the right really lay in the Brandon branch, 
 the Duchess of Suffolk was the proper person to 
 wear the crown. He, therefore, began to work 
 upon the mind of the king to induce him to will 
 his crown to Lady Jane Grey. 
 
 The king was a warm-hearted Protestant, and 
 lying at the point of death, was an easy subject 
 for an artful man to practise upon. The duke 
 represented to him, that in case he did not make 
 a will leaving the crown to Lady Jane, it would 
 surely fall to the Princess Marj^, who was a big- 
 oted Eoman Catholic, and who would persecute 
 those persons who were attached to the princi- 
 ples of the Eeformation. The Princess Elizabeth, 
 who was a Protestant, must also be set aside, be- 
 cause her father had by act of Parliament bas- 
 tardized her, and if this act of bastardy were not 
 acknowledged to be of force, neither could the 
 same act against Lady Mary be binding ; so, ac- 
 cording to the reasoning of Northumberland, no 
 
152 THE LIFE OF 
 
 other course was open but to will the crown to 
 Lady Jane Grey. Yet a more reckless usurpa- 
 tion of the crown scarcely ever occurred. In 
 the hearts of the people everywhere, Catholic or 
 Protestant, there was a strong devotion to the 
 principles of hereditary right, and they would 
 not see the Princess Mary wronged. The same 
 feeling was in the heart of Lady Jane Grey, who 
 knew nothing of the mighty plans which were 
 in embryo, and which concerned herself more 
 closely than any other person in the kingdom. 
 It is not known whether the king was convinced 
 by the arguments of Northumberland, or so sur- 
 rounded by his servants as to lack the courage 
 to deny him his wish, but he consented to make 
 a will. He at first supposed, of course, that he 
 was to bequeath the crown to Lady Suffolk, but 
 upon being told that she consented to relinquish 
 her right to her daughter Jane, Edward made no 
 objection to the change. Had he been usually 
 well, he must have detected the utter madness 
 of this scheme, for the Duchess of Suffolk was 
 yet liable to bear children, and in case she were 
 to have a son, he would indisputably have a right 
 to the throne. Thus deliberately was an avenue 
 left open to civil war. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 153 
 
 The king j&rst sketched with his own hand a 
 draft of the proposed entail of the crown, and 
 on the 11th of June sent for Sir Edward Mon- 
 tague, chief justice of the common pleas, Sir 
 Thomas Bromley, a puisne justice of the same 
 court. Sir Eichard Baker, chancellor of the aug- 
 mentations, and Goswold and Gryffyn, the at- 
 torney and solicitor-general, to attend the coun- 
 cil at court. Y/'hen they came he stated to 
 them what he had done, gave the reasons for 
 the proceeding, and wished them to draw up an 
 assignment of the crown to Lady Jane. They 
 replied that the act of Parliament settled the 
 succession, and they had no power over it. On 
 the 14:th of June they again met the council, 
 when they declared to the king that they could 
 not execute his wish without subjecting them- 
 selves to the charge of treason. Northumber- 
 land v/as beside himself with rage, and swore 
 that he was ready to fight any man in so just a 
 cause, and declared afterwards he was ready 
 to have beaten these men. Such was the earn- 
 estness of the king, and the terrible anger of 
 Northumberland, that they at last consented to 
 draw up an assignment of tlie crown. There 
 was one exception. Hales, tbongh a Protestant, 
 
154 THE LIFE OF 
 
 was so fully imbued with a sense of the injustice 
 of the proceeding, that he refused to have anj' 
 part in the matter. The will was prepared, 
 engrossed on parchment, and had the great seal 
 affixed to it. On the 21st of June it received the 
 signature of the lords in council, of almost all 
 of the judges, and of the attorney and solicitor- 
 general. Twenty-four members of the council 
 pledged their oaths to defend to the uttermost 
 the will of the king, and if any man should ever 
 attempt to alter it, to punish him as an enemy 
 of the kingdom. The will in question asserted 
 that Mary and Elizabeth were rendered incapa- 
 ble of inheriting the crown. It also declared 
 that the descendants of Mary, sister of Henry 
 VIII., were of the whole blood to Edward by 
 the father's side, that they were " natural born 
 within the realm, very honorably brought up, 
 and exercised in good and godly learning, and 
 other noble virtues, so that there is great trust 
 and hope to be had in them that they be and 
 shall be very well inclined to the advancement 
 and setting forth of our common wealth." 
 
 The conclusion of the will was as follows : — 
 " The king doth, therefore, upon good delib- 
 eration and advice, herein had and taken, by 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 155 
 
 tliese presents declare, order, assign, limit, and 
 appoint, that if it shall fortune us to decease, 
 leaving no issue of pur body lawfully begotten, 
 that then the said imperial crown and realm 
 shall be unto the eldest son of the said Lady 
 Frances, wife of the Duke of Suffolk and grand- 
 daughter of Henry YIII., lawfully begotten, 
 being born into the world in our life-time, and 
 to the heirs male of the said eldest son," etc., 
 etc., and in default of which, " to the Lady 
 Jane, eldest daughter of the said Lady Frances." 
 
 Archbishop Cranmer for a time refused to 
 sign this will, indeed absented himself from 
 council to avoid being asked, but the king sent 
 to him and begged of him earnestly to do so, 
 and he at length consented, though much against 
 his own will. It was not that he loved Mary, 
 or was particularly unwilling to bastardize her, 
 but he had an affection for Elizabeth, who he 
 well knew was at heart a warm Protestant. 
 There were other notable men who signed the 
 will with more or less unwillingness, and a few 
 who would not consent to do it at all. 
 
 Edward now began to exhibit symptoms of 
 immediate death. His breathing, which for a 
 long time had been difficult, now grew still 
 
156 THE LIFE OF 
 
 worse ; his pulse was scarcely perceptible ; his 
 limbs swelled to an unusual size, and his coun- 
 tenance wore the livid hue of death. There 
 was no feeling of disappointment in those around 
 the orphan-king; indeed, the feeling of sorrow 
 had lost its poignancy, from the fact that his 
 death had been considered as a settled event, 
 soon to occur, for many months. The majority 
 of the court were creatures of Northumberland, 
 and they well knew that their master expected to 
 found his fortunes upon the decease of the king ; 
 — it could not be expected that they should 
 mourn Edward's demise. But there was a large 
 class who felt the most poignant sorrow at the 
 calamity which in a few days was to befall the 
 nation. They were men who loved the principles 
 of the Eeformation, and who also loved justice. 
 Edward was, though young, a true-hearted Pro- 
 testant, and if he had lived, would have been a 
 friend to liberty, literature, and an enlightened 
 religion. The greatest possible contrast existed 
 between his reign and that of his father, Henry 
 YIII. The one was ferocious, blood-thirsty, and 
 irreligious, though pretending to a love for good 
 things. The other was mild almost to ineffi- 
 ciency, gentle as a girl, full of lovely piety, and 
 
LADY JAN 10 GREY. 15 V 
 
 fond of classic literature. Under Henry tlie 
 nation held its breath for fear; under Edward 
 it was free and happy, notwithstanding the in- 
 numerable insurrections and commotions, which 
 were partly a result of Henry's previous tyranny, 
 and the wretched statesmanship of Edward's 
 ministers. 
 
 When the month of July was ushered in, it 
 became certain that Edward could survive but cr 
 few days. His physicians declared that they 
 could do no more for him. He was given over 
 to the care of a miserable female quack, and 
 sunk with alarming rapidity to his grave. The 
 6th day of July was his last day upon earth. 
 In the evening of that day, Avhile engaged in 
 prayer, calm and fearless as a saint, the gentle 
 prince expired, having lived nearly sixteen years, 
 and reigned six years and five months 
 
CHAPTER YIIL 
 
 THE PRINCESS MARY. HER EARLY MORTIFICATIONS. HER DISGRACE, 
 
 FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS AT MARRIAGE. NORTHUMBERLAND'S TREAT- 
 MENT OF MARY. ^REMARKS UPON HER CHARACTER. 
 
 It will be proper for us here to give a short 
 sketch of that princess who was the legitimate 
 successor to Edward YI,, and by whose hand 
 Lady Jane Grey met her fate. Unless Queen 
 Mary's previous history is taken into account, 
 the reader will scarcely be able to understand 
 the secret of her severe, and oftentimes heartless 
 conduct. The Prmcess Mary was born at Green- 
 wich Palace on February 18th, 1516, and was 
 consequently, upon the death of Edward, nearly 
 thirty-eight years of age. She was the daughter 
 of Henry YIII. by Katharine of Arragon. When 
 only six years old she was betrothed to the Em- 
 peror Charles Y., and she was, accordingly, edu- 
 cated for a brilliant position. Three years after 
 tl»is. rumors came to Ensrland th:l. the emperor 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 169 
 
 meant to desert Mary, and was already engaged 
 to Isabel of Portugal. Mary grew pale with jeal- 
 ousy, tliougli only eight years of age, which 
 certainly indicated a frightful precocity of the 
 passions. A year after the emperor married 
 Isabel. This was the first of a long series of dis- 
 appointments in her life, every one of which was 
 calculated to inflict the severest wound upon a 
 woman's nature. At this period of her life she 
 was the heiress to the crown of England, and was 
 called the Princess of Wales. She was a lovely 
 child, being obedient, intelligent, and cheerful in 
 her disposition. Francis I. of France at this 
 time entered into negotiations respecting Mary, 
 but finally married Eleanora. He professed after 
 this a desire to marry his son Henry to the prin- 
 cess Mary, but about this time, the doubts in 
 reference to her legitimacy were first broached, 
 and her matrimonial projects were rendered 
 hopeless. Henry VIII. separated from his wife, 
 and declared Mary to be the offspring of an in- 
 cestuous marriage. Ko keener mortification 
 could it possibly have been Mary's lot to feel, 
 and it is a wonder that she did not go mad. 
 To add to her sorrow, she was torn from her 
 mother's arms, to behold her again no more. 
 
160 THE LIFE OF 
 
 This cruel act could only liave been perpetrated 
 by a monster. Her mother wrote to her, for she 
 was truly a blessed woman, and endeavored to 
 cheer her with hopes of brighter days in the 
 future. It was not until the birth of Elizabeth 
 that Henry completely disinherited Mary. At 
 the age of seventeen, Mary came to court to wit- 
 ness the ceremonies surrounding the birth of 
 Elizabeth. Henry required that she should greet 
 the new born princess according to her rank, as 
 heir to the crown, but she refused. " Sister, I 
 will call the babe," said she, " but nothing more." 
 Henry threatened, but Mary was firm, for she 
 would not consent, at that time, to acknowledge 
 her mother's disgrace. The privy council com- 
 manded her to lay aside the title of princess, and 
 demanded that her own servants should not ad 
 dress her by any title. During this year, James 
 V. became suitor for the hand of Mary, not with 
 standing her situation, but his suit was refused 
 by the king peremptorily. In the beginning of 
 1534, her disgrace was made complete by act of 
 Parliament, which took away from her her rights 
 and titles, and declared her to be an illegitimate 
 child. Her establishment was broken up, and 
 fane was taken from her dear old fnVnd the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 161 
 
 Countess of Salisbury, and was transferred to an 
 apartment in the household of the princess Eliz- 
 abeth. This was heaping insult upon injury. 
 If the heart of Mary was not soured by such 
 cruel treatment, by such misfortunes which 
 thickly clustered in her path, she was an ex- 
 ception, and a remarkable one, among her sex. 
 
 When Mary was twenty years old her mother 
 died. She begged the privilege of kissing her 
 lips in death, of taking one farewell look of the 
 being who had brought her into the world, but 
 her wish was cruelly refused. This treatment pro- 
 ceeded from a man who professed dissatisfaction 
 with the Eomish religion, and it only tended to 
 render Mary still more intense in her devotion 
 to that church which had defended her, and 
 boldly declared the wrongs which her mother 
 had suffered. 
 
 The death of a male heir at this time gave 
 the friends of Mary more hope, and the new 
 queen, Jane Seymour, seems to have looked 
 upon her with some affection. Mary began to 
 hope for a place again in her father's heart, but 
 the king told her that the price of her res- 
 toration to court must be her acknowledgment 
 that her mother's marriage was incestuous. At 
 
 11 
 
162 THE LIFE OF 
 
 first slie bitterly rebelled against such a require- 
 ment, but upon consideration she thought it 
 politic to sign her own disgrace, hoping that 
 when she was received into the society of her 
 father, she might win him to grant her a portion 
 of her natural rights. She loved the king, it is 
 said, — though how this can have been true we 
 cannot conceive, — and was exceedingly desirous 
 of seeing him. She was, also, without any judi- 
 cious friend to guide her, and finally consented 
 to acknowledge that the marriage of her mother 
 was incestuous, and consequently that her own 
 birth was illegitimate. It is impossible to apol- 
 ogize for this disgraceful act. Mary believed 
 the marriage of her mother to have been a most 
 righteous, though very unfortunate one, had not 
 the slightest doubts in reference to her own 
 legitimate birth, yet she deliberately consented 
 to belie her own dearest convictions, to cover 
 with shame the memory of a pious mother, for 
 the sake of peace with the king. "We can ac- 
 count for this act only upon the ground that by 
 repeated misfortunes and mortifications Mary's 
 heart had become hardened, and that she did 
 not look upon the disgrace of illegitimacy with 
 so much horror as she had done a few years 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 163 
 
 before. The following is a copy of the remark- 
 able acknowledgment of her own degrada- 
 tion : — • 
 
 "lady Mary's submission. 
 « 
 "The confession of me, the Lady Mary, made 
 
 upon certain points and articles under written, 
 in the which, as I do now plainly and with all 
 mine heart confer and declare mine inward sen- 
 tence, belief, and judgment, with a due conform- 
 ity of obedience to the laws of the realm, so 
 minding ever to persist and continue in this 
 determination, without change, alteration, or va- 
 riance, I do most humbly beseech the king's 
 highness, my father, whom I have obstinately 
 and inohedienily offended, in the denial of the 
 same heretofore, to forgive my offences therein, 
 and to take me to his most gracious mercy. 
 
 " First, I confess and acknowledge the king's 
 majesty to be my sovereign lord and king, in the 
 imperial crown of this realm of England, and to 
 submit to his highness, and to all and singular 
 laws and statutes of this realm, as becometh a true 
 and faithful subject to do, which I shall obey, 
 keep, observe, advance, and maintain, according 
 to my bounden duty, with all the power, force, 
 
164 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and qualities that God hath indued me, during 
 my life. (Signed) Mary. 
 
 "Item. I do recognize, accept, take, repute, 
 and acknowledge the king's highness to be su- 
 preme head in earth under Christ, of the Church 
 of England, and do utterly refuse the bishop of 
 Eome's pretended authority, power, and jurisdic- 
 tion, within this realm heretofore usurped, ac- 
 cording to the laws and statutes made in that 
 behalf, and of all the king's true subjects hum- 
 bly received, admitted, obeyed, kept, and ob- 
 served; and also do utterly renounce and for- 
 sake all manner of remedy, interest, and advan- 
 tage which I may by any means claim by time, 
 or in any wise hereafter, by any manner, title, 
 color, mean, or case that is, shall or can be de- 
 vised for that purpose. (Signed) Mary. 
 
 " Item. I do freely, frankly, and for the dis- 
 charge of my duty towards God, the king's 
 highness, and his laws, without other respect, 
 recognize and acknowledge that the marriage 
 heretofore had between his majesty and my 
 mother, the late princess-dowager, was by God's 
 law and man's law, incestuous and unlawful. 
 (Signed) " Mary.**' 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 165 
 
 Mary's household was now established upon a 
 comfortable footing, and in the autumn overtures 
 were made for her marriage with Henry, Duke 
 of Orleans. The king even hinted that she 
 might be restored to her right of succession. It 
 is supposed by some historians that at this time 
 Mary loved the celebrated Eeginald Pole, and 
 that she intended one day to marry him. But 
 Henry continued to negotiate for her marriage 
 with foreign princes, all of his plans proving 
 unsuccessful. A life more mortifying cannot 
 be conceived than that which the Lady Mary 
 led, for she was literally a-begging over Europe 
 for a husband. When she was twenty -two years 
 old an attempt was made to marry her to the 
 Duke of Cleves, and her portrait was sent into 
 Saxony for the purpose, but all negotiations 
 failed of their intent. The next proposed alli- 
 ance was with the Duke of Bavaria, but by 
 Henry's treatment of Anne of Cleves, this match 
 was broken off. In the year 1540 Mary's old 
 schoolmaster, a zealous Catholic, suffered mar- 
 tyrdom for his religion. Then her dear old 
 friend, the Countess of Salisbury, met with a 
 horrible end. The result was that Mary im- 
 bibed a hatred of the Eeformers which she was 
 
166 THE LIFE OF 
 
 destined one day to gratify by still more horri- 
 ble deeds. 
 
 When Henry YIII. married Katharine, he 
 restored his daughter Mary to her royal rank, 
 and when he died, in his will he restored her to 
 her proper place in the succession, and gave her 
 a marriage portion of £10,000. 
 
 When Dudley — afterwards Northumberland 
 — came to power, he commenced a system of 
 persecution against the Princess Mary on ac- 
 count of her devotion to the Romish religion. 
 Her chaplains were arrested, and the council 
 determined that she should not perform mass 
 in her chapel. But Mary was now bigoted in 
 her devotion to her religion, and would not give 
 up her religious rights. She came to, court and 
 had an interview with Edward, declaring her 
 willingness, if need be, to lay down her life. 
 She was now nervous, querulous, soured, and 
 possessed of a temper which she could not at all 
 times control. She therefore endured the vexa- 
 tious proceedings of Northumberland with much 
 impatience. It was her conduct at this time 
 which led Edward to consent to will the crown 
 to Lady Jane Grey, who was a sincere Pro- 
 testant. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 167 
 
 When Edward expired, the Princess Mary was 
 nearly thirty-eight years of age, and unmarried. 
 At the early age of six years she had been 
 betrothed, and at eight was cast off by her royal 
 lover. Thus it will be seen that she scarcely 
 entered upon life before she was doomed to 
 mortification. By the injudicious treatment of 
 her teachers, she was at eight led to love a man 
 much her senior in years, so that his breach of 
 engagement actually had a bad effect upon her 
 health ! Doomed next to be separated from 
 her mother, and still later to be accused of ille- 
 gitimacy, and forced — she, the proud daughter 
 of a king — to acknowledge her shameful condi- 
 tion, and, through her whole life, to negotiations 
 for marriage with an indefinite number of per- 
 sons, all of which projects fell short of success — 
 is it any wonder that now we behold her a bro- 
 ken-hearted, crushed, almost ruined woman? 
 The father of Lady Jane Grey had used his 
 talents and influence to crush Katharine of Ar- 
 ragon, mother to the Princess Mary. He had 
 favored the divorce, favored the degradation of 
 that pious queen and her innocent daughter, 
 and Mary hated him, and hated his children 
 Northumberland, too, had taken every sure 
 
168 THE LIFE OF 
 
 method of rousing lier vindictiveness, whenever 
 she could exercise it with safety. He had arrest- 
 ed her chaplains, interfered in her style of wor- 
 ship, and in short rendered himself odious to 
 her. Lady Jane Grey was his daughter-in-law 
 — that alone were enough to decide her fate, in 
 case she fell into Mary's power on a charge of 
 treason, especially if on a charge of usurpation 
 of the crown, which was a right now belonging 
 to Mary. 
 
 It is impossible to excuse the conduct which 
 characterized the whole of Queen Mary's reign, 
 and the present chapter is not an apology for 
 her blood-thirsty persecutions, but merely an at- 
 tempt to show the reader how Mary had become 
 hardened — how she had lost that loveliness of 
 character which was in reality hers when she 
 was young. She was now, it cannot be denied, a 
 cold-hearted, bigoted woman. Insulted, spurned, 
 trodden under foot all her life, she felt willing 
 to revenge herself upon the world for its cruel 
 treatment of herself. That she was a pious 
 woman we believe, but she was astonishingly 
 bigoted and fanatical, and consequently a most 
 dangerous person to sit upon the throne of Eng- 
 land. More precocious in her passions than 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 169 
 
 her intellect, she was, at the age of thirtj-eight, 
 
 an unpleasant woman, to say the least, for an 
 
 intimate companion, and well fitted to act the 
 
 part of a persecutor. Yet Mary must not be 
 
 made responsible for all the terrible deeds which 
 
 occurred during her reign. In many, perhaps 
 
 the majority of instances, she was persuaded by 
 
 cruel ministers to destroy life, and often she 
 
 may be said scarcely to have known anything 
 
 of the diabolical tortures to which some of the 
 
 Protestants were put. There were occasions, 
 
 too, in which she exhibited signs of the most 
 
 tender feeling, proving that the heart which in 
 
 her youth was filled with the gentlest attributes, 
 
 could not ever quite lose its original character. 
 
 But we must hurry on to the course of our 
 
 narrative. 
 H 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 BEATH OF EDWARD VI. — LADY JANE GREY APPRIZED OP HIS DEATH 
 
 AND WILL. ^REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE CROWN. WEEPS AND 
 
 FAINTS. IS FOBCED TO ACCEPT IT. GOES TO THE TOWER MARY 
 
 IS SURROUNDED IN THE COUNTRY BY FRIENDS. PROCLAMATION 
 
 OF LADY JANE. ADVANCE OF MARY UPON LONDON. THE NOBILI- 
 TY AND COUNCIL FLOCK TO HER STANDARD. LADY JANE GLADLY 
 
 GIVES UP THE CROWN. ARREST OF LADY JANE AND HER HUSBAND. 
 
 The first thing which Northumberland at- 
 tempted to do after the death of the king, was 
 to conceal that fact from the nation for a few 
 days, to enable him the more surely to estab- 
 lish Lady Jane Grey upon the throne, and to 
 take possession of the Princess Mary, who had 
 been summoned to attend the death-bed of the 
 king. As soon as Edward had expired, the 
 Duke of Northumberland, accompanied by the 
 Duke of Suffolk, Earl of Pembroke, and other 
 noblemen, proceeded to Sion House, and ac- 
 knowledged Lady Jane Grey to be their queen. 
 This seems to have been the first time that Lady 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 171 
 
 Jane liad any definite idea in reference to the 
 bestowment of the crown upon herself. Until 
 now, she had been kept in perfect ignorance of 
 the ambitions designs of Northumberland and 
 her father, the Duke of Suffolk. True to her 
 conscientious nature, she refused to take the 
 crown thus offered to her ! To her there was 
 no pleasure in the contemplation of a brilliant 
 career as Queen of England. She was too gen- 
 tle, too pious for a courtly life. And when they 
 came to press upon her that crown, which was to 
 her a crown of thorns, she was with her young 
 lord, enjoying his caresses amid the retired but 
 beautiful lands of Sion House. Her father ex- 
 plained to her that Edward YL, who had just 
 expired, had bequeathed the crown to her, that 
 the privy council were unanimously of opinion 
 that she was the lawful heir to the throne, and 
 that the people of London were of the same 
 opinion. The young bride was at first aston- 
 ished by their representations, and when Nor- 
 thumberland, her father, and other distinguished 
 noblemen fell at her feet, was almost bewildered. 
 But she soon calmly answered them in nearly 
 the following words : — 
 
 " The laws of the kingdom and natural right 
 
172 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Btand for the king's sisters, and I will beware of 
 burthening a weak conscience with a yoke 
 which belongeth to them; I understand the 
 infamy of those who permit the violation of 
 right, to gain a sceptre ; and it is mocking God 
 and deriding justice, to scruple at the stealing of 
 a shilling, and not at the usurpation of a crown. 
 Besides, I am not so young, nor so little read in 
 the guiles of fortune, to suffer myself to be taken 
 by them. If she enrich any, it is but to make 
 them the subject of her spoil; if she raise others, 
 it is but to pleasure herself with their ruins ; 
 what she adorned but yesterday, is to-day her 
 pastime ; and if I now permit her to adorn and 
 crown me, I must to-morrow suffer her to crush 
 and tear me to pieces. Nay, with what crown 
 doth she present me ? A crown which hath been 
 violently and shamefully wrested from Katha- 
 rine of Arragon, made more unfortunate by the 
 punishment of Anne Boleyn, and others that 
 wore it after her; and why, then, would you 
 have me add my blood to theirs, and be the 
 third victim from whom this fatal crown may 
 be ravished, with the head that wears it ? But 
 even in case that it should not prove fatal unto 
 me, and that all its venom were consumed, if 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 173 
 
 fortune should give me warranties of her con- 
 stancy, should I be well advised to take upon 
 me these thorns, which would not fail to tor- 
 ment me, though I were assured not to be stran- 
 gled with it? My liberty is better than the 
 chain you offer me, with what precious stones 
 soever it be adorned, or of what gold soever 
 framed. I will not exchange my peace for hon- 
 orable and precious jealousies, for magnificent 
 and glorious fetters, and if you love me sincerely 
 and in good earnest, you will rather wish me a 
 secure and quiet fortune, though mean, than an 
 exalted condition exposed to the wind, and fol- 
 lowed by some dismal fall." 
 
 We are sure that the reader will coincide with 
 us in the opinion that a more touching and elo- 
 quent reply could not have been made by Lady 
 Jane. Her prophetic words in reference to her 
 "dismal fall" were remembered long after her 
 mistake had been expiated upon the scaffold. 
 
 Northumberland and the Duke of Suffolk 
 again represented to Lady Jane, with vehement 
 earnestness, that the crown was *of right hei's, 
 and also laid fully before her the dreadful con- 
 sequences which would result to the Protestant 
 party if she refused to accept it, and thus con- 
 
174 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tribute to the rise to power of a vindictive 
 Catholic. Lady Jane had been educated to be- 
 lieve that to disobey a father's command was an 
 almost atrocious act. She had been accustomed 
 always to obey, to give up her own will to that 
 of others. Her parents were always severe in 
 their education, and she was poorly fitted to 
 withstand the express command of her father. 
 He did not now hesitate to insist that she take 
 the crown. But finally her own husband used 
 his eloquence to persuade her to mount the 
 throne. It is probable that before this he was 
 aware of Lady Jane's brilliant prospects ; at any 
 rate, now his heart was fired with ambition, 
 and he sank upon his knees before his young 
 and gentle bride, and begged of her not to 
 refuse the gorgeous bauble. It is said that at 
 last not merely eloquence was used by her 
 friends to persuade her to take the fearful step, 
 but that threats were used until she, exhausted 
 with weeping and frightful agitation, sank to 
 the floor in a fainting fit. 
 
 Lady Jane was cnly sixteen ; gentle, broken 
 in spirit ; and now her tather commanded, her 
 husband entreated, her councillors advised, that 
 she consent to become the Queen of England. 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 175 
 
 Her love for Protestantism was touched ; she was 
 threatened with the loss of the love of her dear- 
 est friends — is it strange that she became a pas- 
 sive victim in their hands ? Such was the 
 fact. From this time to her death she was really 
 a prisoner — first in the hands of her friends, and 
 lastly in the hands of her enemies. Alas ! her 
 friends were her worst enemies. 
 
 On the 8th of July, Lady Jane appointed Lord 
 Clinton constable of the Tower. This was the 
 first acknowledgment of her power, by herself, 
 and this act was in reality Northumberland's, for 
 he controlled the queen. On the 9th, the supe- 
 rior ofiicers of the guard at Greenwich took 
 oaths of allegiance to Lady Jane. The same 
 day the Bishop of London preached a powerful 
 sermon at St. Paul's, in favor of Lady Jane's 
 acceptance of the crown. In the afternoon of 
 the 10th of July, Lady Jane openly assumed a 
 royal state and the government of the realm. 
 
 But it will be necessary for us to recount the 
 movements of the Princess Mary and her friends 
 at this time. 
 
 Northumberland concealed the death of Ed- 
 ward, and sent for Mary to come and see her 
 dying brother. His object was to gain posses- 
 
176 THE LIFE OF 
 
 sion of her person. She started for Greenwicli, 
 but at Hoddesden she met a messenger who 
 declared to her that Edward was dead. She 
 could hardly believe the man, and very much 
 feared it was a trap laid for her by her enemies. 
 For if she were to assert herself Queen of Eng- 
 land, if it should afterwards appear that Edward 
 was yet alive, she would expose herself to the 
 pains of treason. Sir Nicolas Throckmorton 
 sent the messenger to her ; Sir Eobert, his 
 brother, had long been her devoted adherent, 
 and she said : 
 
 ^' If Eobert had been at Greenwich I would 
 have hazarded all things, and gaged my life on 
 the leap." She staid that night near Cambridge, 
 at the house of a Mr. Huddleston, and in the 
 morning proceeded towards Kenninghall. When 
 upon the summit of a mountain she looked back 
 and saw the house in which she had lodged in 
 flames. Her enemies had done the deed. "Let 
 it blaze," said Mary, " I will build Huddleston a 
 better!" On the 9th, at Kenninghall, Mary ad- 
 dressed a letter to the privy council, offering 
 pardon to them if they would proclaim her their 
 sovereign. This letter was received on the 
 morning of the 10th, and Northumberland at 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 177 
 
 once proclaimed Lady Jane Grey Queen of Eng- 
 land. The custom had always been for a new 
 sovereign to spend the few first days of a reign 
 at the Tower, and Lady Jane left Sion House 
 for Durham House, in London, and from that 
 place proceeded by boats to the Tower. It was 
 between four and five o'clock " in the' afternoon 
 when she entered that palace and prison. She 
 was followed by a numerous retinue, consisting 
 of the nobility of either sex, and her train was 
 borne up by her own mother, assisted by other 
 ladies of the highest rank. The ordnance of the 
 Tower saluted the cavalcade, and when Lady 
 Jane had entered, the Marquis of Winchester 
 brought to her the crown. But she only wept 
 sorrowfully, and lifted not a finger to place it 
 upon her head, but passively waited for others 
 to hold it there. At the outset of her short 
 reign she seems to have been oppressed by a 
 terrible weight of sorrow, so as to render her 
 scarcely capable of any action. It is prob- 
 ble that she foresaw the result of all this 
 pageantry. 
 
 As soon as Lady Jane was crowned in the 
 Tower, a proclamation was issued ; at six o'clock, 
 
 heralds with a trumpet announced the same to 
 ^ 12 
 
178 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the people, claiming their allegiance. The mass 
 of the people an hour before were in utter igno- 
 rance of Edward's death, and they received the 
 proclamation with coolness. It was the same 
 everywhere ; the people were not in favor of 
 the usurpation of the crown, but dared not 
 oppose it.' Lady Jane was beloved, and Protest- 
 antism was beloved, by the English, but they 
 loved dearer yet the right of succession, and 
 could not see that law of right broken. Besides 
 this, the people hated intensely the Duke of 
 Northumberland, and were fully aware that 
 Lady Jane was his victim. The Duke was 
 overbearing in his disposition, ambitious, reck- 
 less, and a tyrant. Oppression from the hands 
 of a legitimate monarch was pleasanter to them 
 than the rule of an upstart, who would make a 
 tool of the Queen Jane. It is said that Lady 
 Jane noticed that in the streets she was not 
 greeted with any enthusiasm, and turning to her 
 husband, called his attention to the perilous fact. 
 From this moment Mary's adherents were hope- 
 ful, for the people at heart were on her side. 
 We give the proclamation of the queen, with 
 the exception of a few unimportant para- 
 graphs : 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 179 
 
 " PROCLAMATION". 
 
 " Jane, by the grace of God Queen of Eng- 
 land, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith 
 and of the Church of England, and also of Ire- 
 land, under Christ on earth the supreme head. 
 To all our loving, faithful, and obedient subjects, 
 to every of them, greeting. Whereas our most 
 dear cousin, Edward the Sixth, late King of 
 England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the 
 Faith, and on earth the supreme head, under 
 Christ, of the Church of England and Ireland, 
 by his letters patent, signed with his own hand, 
 and sealed with his great seal of England, bear- 
 ing date the 21st day of June, in the 7th year of 
 his reign, in the presence of the most part of his 
 nobles, his counsellors, judges, and divers other 
 grave and sage personages, etc., etc. * * * * 
 "^ * * * * Forasmuch as the imperial 
 crown of this realm, by an act made in the 
 thirty-fifth year of the reign of King Henry the 
 Eighth, our projenitor and great uncle, for lack 
 of issue of his body lawfully begot, and foi lack 
 of issue of the body of our said late cousin. King 
 Edward the Sixth, by the same act limited and 
 appointed to remain to the Lady Mary, by the 
 name of the Lady Mary, his eldest daughter, 
 
180 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and to the heirs of her body lawfully begot, and 
 for the default of such issue the remainder there- 
 of to the Lady Elizabeth, by the name of the 
 Lady Elizabeth, his second daughter, and to the 
 heirs of her body lawfully begotten, with such 
 conditions as should be limited and appointed 
 by the said late king of worthy memory, King 
 Henry the Eighth, our progenitor and great 
 uncle, by his letters patents under the great seal, 
 or by his last will in writing, signed with his 
 hand. And forasmuch as the said limitation of 
 the imperial crown of this realm, being limited 
 as is aforesaid, to the said Lady Mary and Lady 
 Elizabeth, being illegitimate and not lawfully be- 
 gotten, for that the marriage had between the 
 said late king, Henry the Eighth, our projeni- 
 tor and great uncle, and the Lady Katharine, 
 mother to the said Lady Mary ; and also the 
 marriage had between the said late king, Henry 
 the Eighth, our progenitor and great uncle, and 
 the Lady Anne, mother to the said Lady Eliza- 
 beth, were clearly and lawfully undone by sen- 
 tences of divorces, according to the word of 
 God, and the ecclesiastical laws, and which said 
 several divorcements have been severally ratified 
 and confirmed bv authority of Parliament, and 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 181 
 
 especially in the thirty -third year of the reign 
 of King Henry the Eighth, our progenitor and 
 great uncle, remaining in force, strength, and 
 effect, whereby as well the said Lady Mary, as 
 also the said Lady Elizabeth, to all intents and 
 purposes are and be thereby disabled to ask, 
 claim, or challenge the said imperial crown, or 
 any other of the honors, castles, manors, lord- 
 ships, lands, tenements, or other hereditaments, 
 as heir or heirs to our said late cousin. King 
 Edward the Sixth, or as heir or heirs to any 
 other person or persons whosoever, as well for 
 the causes before rehearsed, as also for that the 
 said Ladys Mary and Elizabeth were unto our 
 said late cousin but of the half blood, and there- 
 fore by the ancient laws, statutes, and customs of 
 this realm, be not inheritable unto our said late 
 cousin, although they had been born in lawful 
 matrimony, as indeed they were not, as by the 
 said sentences of divorce, and the said statute of 
 the twenty-eighth year of the reign of our king, 
 Henry the i^ighth, our said progenitor and great 
 uncle, plainly appeareth ; and forasmuch, also, as 
 it is to be thought, or at least must be doubted, 
 that if the said Lady Mary or Lady Elizabeth 
 should hereafter have and enjoy the said impe- 
 
182 THE LIFE OF 
 
 rial crown of this realm, and should happen to 
 marry with any stranger out of this realm, that 
 the said stranger, having the government and 
 imperial crown in his hands, would adhere and 
 practise, not only to bring this noble free realm 
 into the tyranny and servitude of the Bishop of 
 Eome, but also to the laws and customs of his 
 or their own native country or countries, to be 
 practised and be put in use within this realm, 
 rather than the laws, statutes, and customs, here 
 of long time used, whereupon the title of inher- 
 itance of all and singular the subjects of this 
 realm do depend, to the peril of conscience, and 
 the utter subversion of the common weal of this 
 realm. Whereupon our said late dear cousin, 
 weighing and consideriDg with himself what 
 ways and means were most convenient to be 
 had for the stay of the said succession in the 
 said imperial crowD, if it should please God to 
 call our said late cousin out of this transitory 
 life, having no issue of his body, and calling to 
 his remembrance that we, and the Lady Katha- 
 rine and the Lady Marie, our sisters, being the 
 daughters of the Lady Frances, our natural moth- 
 er, and then and yet wife to our natural and most 
 loving father, Henry, Duke of Suffolk, and the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 183 
 
 Lady Margaret, daughter of the Lady Eleanore, 
 then deceased, sister to the said Lady Frances, 
 and the late wife of our cousin Henry, Earl of 
 Cumberland, were very nigh of his grace's 
 blood, of the part of his father's side, our said 
 progenitor and great uncle, and being naturally 
 born here within the realm, and for the very 
 good opinion our said late cousin had of our and 
 our said sisters and cousin Margaret's good edu- 
 cation, did therefore, upon good deliberation and 
 advice, herein had and taken, by his said letters 
 patents declare, order, assign, limit, and appoint, 
 that if it should fortune himself, our said late 
 cousin. King Edward the Sixth, to decease, leav- 
 ing no issue of his body lawfully begotten, that 
 then the said imperial crown of England and Ire- 
 land, and the confines of the same, and his title 
 to the crown of the realm of France, and all and 
 singular honors, castles, prerogatives, privileges, 
 preliminaries, authorities, jurisdictions, domin- 
 ions, possessions, and hereditaments, to our said 
 late cousin. King Edward the Sixth, or to the 
 said imperial crown belonging, or in anywise ap- 
 pertaining, should, for lack of such issue of his 
 body, remain, come, and be unto the eldest son 
 of the body of the said Lady Frances, lawfully 
 
184 THE LIFE OF 
 
 begotten, and so from son to son, as he should be 
 of authentic birth, of the body of the said Lady 
 Frances lawfully begotten, being born into the 
 world in our said cousin's lifetime, and to the 
 heirs male of the body of every such son law- 
 fully begotten ; and for default of such son born 
 into the world in his lifetime, of the body of the 
 said Lady Frances, lawfully begotten, and for lack 
 of heirs male of every such son lawfully begot- 
 ten, that then the said imperial crown, and all 
 and singular other the premises should remain, 
 come, and be to us, by the name of the Lady 
 Jane, eldest daughter of the said Lady Frances, 
 and to the heirs male of our body lawfully be- 
 gotten, that then the said imperial crown, and 
 all other the premises, shall i-emain, come, and 
 be to the said Lady Katharine, our said second 
 sister, and to the heirs male of the body of the 
 said Lady Katharine lawfully begotten, with 
 divers other remainders, as by the same letters 
 patent more plainly at large it may and doth 
 appear. Since the making of which letters 
 patent, that is to say, on Thursday, which was 
 the sixth day of this instant month of July, it 
 has pleased God to call to his infinite mercy our 
 said most dear and entirely beloved cousin. 
 
LADY JANE GEEY. 185 
 
 Edward the Sixth, whose soul God pardon, 
 and forasmuch as he is now deceased, having 
 no heirs of his body begotten, and that also 
 there remaineth at this present time no heirs 
 lawfully begotten of the body of our said pro- 
 genitor and great uncle, King Henry the Eighth ; 
 and forasmuch also as the said Lady Frances, 
 our said mother, had no issue male begotten of 
 her body, and born into the world in the life- 
 time of our said cousin, King Edward the Sixth, 
 so as the said imperial crown, and other the 
 premises to the same belonging, or in anywise 
 appertaining, now be and remain to us in our 
 actual and royal possession, by authority of the 
 said letters patent : We do, therefore, by these 
 presents, signify unto all our most loving, faith- 
 ful and obedient subjects, that like as we for our 
 part shall, by God's grace, show ourselves a most 
 gracious and benign sovereign queen and lady to 
 all our good subjects, in all their just and lawful 
 suits and causes, and to the uttermost of our 
 power shall preserve and maintain God's most 
 holy word. Christian polit}^, and the good laws, 
 customs, and liberties of these our realms and 
 dominions : so we mistrust not, but they and 
 ever}^ of them, will again f^r their parts, at a-M 
 
186 THE LIFE OF 
 
 times, and in all cases, show themselves nnto us, 
 their natural liege queen arid lady, most faithful, 
 loving, and obedient subjects, according to their 
 bounden duties and allegiances, whereby they 
 shall please Grod, and do the thing that shall 
 tend to their own preservation and security ; 
 willing and commanding all men of all estates, 
 degrees, and conditions, to see our peace and 
 accord kept, and to be obedient to our laws, as 
 they tender our favor, and will answer for the 
 contrary at their extreme peril. 
 
 "In witness whereof we have caused these 
 our letters to be made patent. 
 
 " Witness ourself, at our Tower of London, 
 this tenth day of July, in the first year of our 
 reign. 
 
 "god save the queen." 
 
 This proclamation was read to the inhabitants 
 of London, and as we have remarked, excited no 
 enthusiasm. It fell coldly upon their ears, for 
 they knew every word came direct from the 
 ambitious brain of Northumberland. They saw, 
 too, that its reasoning was fallacious ; they could 
 not resist the conviction that Mary, however 
 repugnant in her character and religious princi- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 187 
 
 pies to them, was nevertheless the lawful queen 
 of the realm. Yet no opposition was made, 
 with a single exception, to the assumption of the 
 crown by Lady Jane. The exception was the 
 case of a young man apprentice to a vintner, 
 who asserted Mary's rights aloud, and as a pun- 
 ishment for his offence he was set on the pillory, 
 and had both of his ears cut off. 
 
 Queen Jane, though residing in the Tower, 
 made preparations for a removal in a few weeks. 
 She appointed Sir Ambrose Dudley to be keeper 
 of her palace at Westminster, who began to 
 make preparations for the queen's change of 
 residence. On the 11th of July the council 
 wrote to commissioners, then in Flanders to ne- 
 gotiate a treaty of peace, the following despatch : 
 
 "After our hearty commendations, ye shall 
 learn by this bearer, Mr. Shelley, and by such 
 letters as ye shall receive from the queen's high- 
 ness, our sovereign lady. Queen Jane, which 
 copy of such letters as are hers ye are to send to 
 the emperor, which is the cause of this message 
 now sent to you, and what it is that is now to 
 be done by you there ; first, the signification of 
 our lord's death ; next, the possession of the 
 queen's highness in the crown of this realm; 
 
188 THE LIFE OF 
 
 thirdly, the placing of you, Sir Phillip Hobbye, 
 knight; as ambassador there resident ; fourthly 
 and last, the offer for your remaining there to 
 proceed in the treaty of peace, if it shall so like 
 the emperor. Furthermore, ye shall understand 
 that although the Lady Mary hath been neither to 
 write us to remain quiet, j^et nevertheless we see 
 her not so weigh the matter, that if she might 
 she would disturb the state of this realm, having 
 thereunto as yet no manner apparent of help or 
 comfort but only the cognizance of a few lords 
 and base people, all other the nobility and gen- 
 tlemen remaining in their duties to our sovereign 
 lady, Queen Jane. And yet, nevertheless, be- 
 cause the conditions of the baser sort of people 
 is understood to be unruly if they be not gov- 
 erned and kept in order, therefore for the meet- 
 ing with all events, the Duke of Northumber- 
 land's grace, accompanied with the Lord Mar- 
 quis of Northampton, proceedeth with a conve- 
 nient power into the parties of Norfolk, to keep 
 those countries in stay and obedience ; and be- 
 cause the emperor's ambassadors here remaining 
 shall on this matter of the policy not intermed- 
 dle, as it is very likely they will and do dispose, 
 the Lord Cobham and Sir John Mason repair- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 189 
 
 eth to the same ambassadors to give them notice 
 of the Lady Mary's proceedings against the 
 state of this reahn, and to put them in remem- 
 brance of the nature of their office, which is not 
 to meddle in these causes of pohcy, neither di" 
 rectly or indirect!}^, and so to charge them to 
 ■use themselves as they give no occasion of un- 
 kind ness to be ministered unto them, whereas 
 we would be most sorry for the amity which on 
 our part we mean to conserve and maintain. 
 And for that grace the ambassadors here shall 
 advertise thither what is said to them. Ye shall 
 therefore declare to the emperor both the cause 
 of this message to his ambassadors, and what 
 the very message is, using it in such sort as 
 thereby the amity may best be preserved. 
 
 *' The 11th of July, 1553. The Council to the 
 Com mission ers. " 
 
 The queen's despatch (really prepared by the 
 council) was as follows : 
 
 " JANE THE QUEEN. 
 
 "Trusty and well-beloved, — We greet you 
 well. It hath so pleased God of his providence, 
 by the calling of our most dear cousin of famous 
 memory. King Edward the Sixth, out of this 
 
190 THE LIFE OF 
 
 life, to our very natural sorrow, that we be, both 
 by our said cousin's lawful determination in his 
 lifetime, with the assent of the nobility and state 
 of this our realm, and also as his lawful heir 
 and successor in the whole blood royal, pos- 
 sessed of this our realm of England and Ireland. 
 Wherefore we have presently sent to our good 
 brother, the emperor, this present bearer hereof, 
 our trusty servant, Mr. Eichard Shelley, with 
 letters of recommendation and credence from us, 
 thereby signifying unto him as well the sorrow- 
 ful death of our said cousin the king, as also our 
 succession in the crown of this realm, motioning 
 unto our good brother the continuance in such 
 amity and league as our said cousin and prede- 
 cessor had with him, for which purpose we have 
 furthermore signified by our said letters, not 
 only our orders that you, Sir Phillip Hobbye, 
 shall there remain and rest with our said good 
 brother the emperor, as our ambassador resident, 
 praying him to give you credit appertaining to 
 such an office, but also that for the like zeal and 
 desire we have to the weal of Christendom, as 
 our said cousin King Edward had, wherein we 
 do count to follow his steps, we have given 
 order that ye, the whole number of our ambas- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 191 
 
 sadors, shall there remain to continue to dwell 
 in the former commission which ye had from 
 our ancestor the king, if it shall please our said 
 good brother, the copy of which our letters we 
 send to you herewith, • for your more ample 
 understanding of our determination, which con- 
 sidered and pondered we would ye made the 
 most speedy course to our said good brother, 
 and in order to execute the matters contained in 
 the said letters of your part to be declared — first, 
 the signification of the death of our said ancestor 
 and cousin the king, whereof as we by nature 
 must take great grief, so we doubt not but our 
 said good brother will, for friendship and great 
 amity, sorrow and condole with us; next, that 
 you, Sir Phillip Hobbye, have express order 
 there to reside and attend upon our good brother 
 as our minister, for the continuance and the en- 
 tertainment of the intelligence and firm amity 
 heretofore had and concluded betwixt our said 
 ancestor and cousin the king and our said good 
 brother, the maintenance whereof we, with the 
 assent of our nobility and council, do much de- 
 sire, and for our pity will not fail but confirm 
 and maintain the same. In third, ye shall show 
 to our said good brother, that as we do by God's 
 
192 THE LIFE OF 
 
 good providence succeed to our said ancestor 
 and cousin, King Edward tlie Sixth, in this 
 our crown and dominions, so do we also find 
 in our heart and mind the very descent and 
 inheritance of his most Christian devotion and 
 affection to the common weal of Christendoiia, 
 which moveth us, with the advice of our nobil- 
 ity and council, to offer to our said good brother 
 the ministry and office of you our ambassadors, 
 to remain there and proceed in the former com- 
 mission for the consolation of some good peace 
 betwixt our said good brother and the French 
 king, wherein we refer our good purpose and 
 meaning to the mind and contentation of our 
 said good brother. This done, whatsoever our 
 good brother shall answer ye may thereunto 
 reply as ye think expedient, tending to the con- 
 tinuance of our ancestor's amity, with an addi- 
 tion that ye forthwith report unto us. For the 
 rest of the proceeding hereof, ye shall under- 
 stand by the bearer, to whom we would ye 
 should give credit. 
 
 " Given under our signate, at our Tower of 
 London, 11th July, 1553." 
 
 The following address by Queen .Jane to cer- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 193 
 
 tain of her nobility, was prepared by Northum- 
 berland at this time, and the original draft 
 still remains in the British Museum. In cer- 
 tain places, sentences or p*?irts of sentences are 
 lost : — 
 
 " Eight trusty and well-beloved councillors— 
 We greet you well, and desire the same, that 
 whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to call 
 to his mercy out of this life, our dearest cousin 
 the king, your late sovereign lord. By reason 
 whereof, and such ordinances as the said late 
 king did establish in his lifetime, for the securi- 
 ty and welfare of this realm, we are entered into 
 our rightful possession of this kingdom, as by 
 the last will of our said dearest cousin, our late 
 ancestor, and other several instruments to that 
 effect, signed with his own hand, and sealed 
 with the great seal of this realm England * * * 
 in his own presence, and the nobles of this 
 realm for the most part, and all our council 
 and judges, with the * * * * here also sub- 
 scribed their names, as by the same will and 
 testament it may now evidently and doth ap- 
 pear; now, therefore, do you understand that 
 by the * * * and sufferance of the heavenly 
 Lord, and by the assent and consent of the said 
 ^ 13 
 
194 THE LIFE OF 
 
 nobles and councillors, and others before signi- 
 fied, we do tbis day make our entry into our 
 Tower of London, as rightful queen of tbis 
 realm, and bave accordingly set fortb our proc- 
 lamation to all our loving subjects, giving tbem 
 thereby to understand the same as their duty 
 of allegiance which they now of right owe unto 
 us, as most amply shall be shown hereafter, 
 nothing doubting, right trusty and well-beloved 
 councillors, but that you will endeavor your- 
 selves in all things to the uttermost of your 
 power, not only to defend for our use, but also 
 assist us in our rightful possession of this king- 
 dom, and to disturb, repel, and resist the feigned 
 and untrue claim of the Lady Mary, bastard 
 daughter to our great uncle, Henry the Eighth, 
 of famous memory. Wherein as you shall, and 
 that what to your truth and duty appertain- 
 eth, so shall we grant and show unto you and 
 yours accordiugly." 
 
 Neither of the preceding papers purporting to 
 emanate from the queen, really were prepared 
 by Lady Jane, and it is doubtful if she saw 
 them. The ostensible head of the kingdom was 
 in truth an innocent girl, who was a prisoner of 
 the Duke of Northumberland. The duke pro- 
 
LADY JANE GEEY. 195 
 
 fessed to feel thoroughly at his ease in reference 
 to the state of the kingdom, but his dispatches 
 reveal the truth — that he was alarmed, and ex- 
 ceedingly anxious to win confidence from the 
 nobility, and countenance from the German em- 
 peror. His subsequent conduct fully proved 
 that he never had been satisfied with his hopes 
 of success, as well that notwithstanding all his 
 ambition he was really destitute of courage. At 
 every step of the narrative henceforth, we can 
 but mourn that it was Lady Jane Grey's terrible 
 fate to fall into the power of this man. 
 
 In the meantime Mary and her friends exert- 
 ed themselves to the utmost. In Suffolk, Nor- 
 folk, and Cambridgeshire, the great mass of the 
 people, bigh-born and low-born, detested the 
 Duke of Northumberland, and when Mary 
 pledged herself to make no change in the re- 
 ligion and laws of the land, they in a body 
 came over to her cause. On the 12th of July 
 she arrived at Eramlingham, and sent to Norwich 
 to cause her proclamation there. The council 
 had written her, in reply to her letter, that her 
 claim to the crown was invalidated by King Ed- 
 ward's will, and by the general voice of the 
 people. But the council were astonished and 
 
196 THE LIFE OP 
 
 alarmed wlien news of the disaffection in the 
 counties of Norfolk and Suffolk reached them, 
 and when they also heard that Mary was sur- 
 rounded by the Earls of Bath and Sussex, Sir 
 Thomas Wharton, Sir John Mordaunt, Sir Wil- 
 liam Drury, Sir John Shelton, and many other 
 of the nobility and gentry. Korthumberland 
 determined upon raising forces immediately to 
 put down the insurrection, as he termed it. But 
 he knew not what to do, for he was the only 
 fit man to head the army, and yet he dared 
 not leave London, for fear that his enemies 
 would in his absence intrigue against him. He 
 concluded to place the Duke of Suffolk at the 
 head of this army, but the queen besought him 
 with tears, and besought the council, that her 
 father might remain with her, and finally deter- 
 mined if necessary to use her authority, and not 
 suffer him to go. There was no other resource 
 left, and Northumberland himself led the army 
 from London. It consisted of six thousand 
 men, well equipped according to the fashion of 
 those times. Before leaving Queen Jane, Nor- 
 thumberland made an appeal to those he left at 
 the Tower, reminding them of their oaths, and 
 telling them that he was willing to put in jeop- 
 
LADY JANE aREY. 197 
 
 ardy his own life, that her right might be 
 maintained. "The queen," he said, "by your 
 and our enticement, is rather of force placed on 
 the throne, than by her own seeking or re- 
 quest." 
 
 Every one present swore to uphold the rights 
 of Lady Jane, and he proceeded on his way. 
 But as he was passing through the city he could 
 not fail to observe the temper of the people, 
 and he observed to Lord Wilton ; "In all this 
 multitude, my lord, you do not hear one wish 
 us prosperity !" It was true, and he might have 
 foreseen, and perhaps did foresee, his own fate 
 from that hour. 
 
 While Lady Jane was at the Tower, on the 
 12th of July, the Marquis of Winchester deliv- 
 ered to her the crown jewels, gold and silver, 
 and articles for her wardrobe. The following 
 were among the things : a " fysshe of gold, 
 being, a toothpick, a like pendent having one 
 pearl, and three little pearls at it, a dewberry 
 of gold, a collet with five pearls, a tablet with a 
 white and blue sapphire, eight gaurdes of gold 
 and a tassel of Venice gold, five small agates 
 with stars graven upon them, a chain with ja- 
 cinths, table diamonds set in gold," etc., etc. 
 
198 THE LIFE OF 
 
 On the 15tli of July the commissioners in 
 Flanders wrote to the council as follows : — 
 
 " Pleaseth it your good lordships. The four- 
 teenth of this present, Don Diego found me, Sir 
 Phillip Hobbye, and me, Sir Eichard Morysone, 
 walking in our host's garden, and at his first 
 coming to us entered into a long talk how 
 much he was bound to owe his good Avill and 
 service to England, and therefore he could not 
 but at one time both sorrow with us for the 
 loss of our good old master, a prince of such 
 virtue and towardness, and also rejoice with us 
 that our master which is departed, did, ere he 
 went, provide us of a king, in regard we had so 
 much cause to rejoice in ; he made his excuse 
 that he had come to us the day before, laying the 
 stay thereof in De Arras, for, said he, when I 
 told him I would come to you, and show me a 
 partaker of both your sorrows and gladness, with 
 mind to offer to the king's majesty by you, both 
 of as much service as could lie in me, and of as 
 much as my friends and kinsmen were able to 
 do, in case De Arras did think such my ofl&ce 
 would not offend the emperor my master; De 
 Arras' advice was that I should for a season 
 defer my going unto you, which as I did some- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 199 
 
 what against my will, so I and mine were very 
 glad that so I did, for he telleth me now I may 
 come to you and sorrow with you, and rejoice 
 with you, and make all the offers that I can to 
 the king's majesty, for I shall not only not 
 offend him in so doing, but I shall much please 
 his majesty therewith. And therefore, saith he, 
 do I, and sorrow that you lose so good a king, 
 so do I much rejoice that you have so noble and 
 toward a prince to succeed him, and I promise 
 you, by the words of a gentlemen, I would at 
 all times serve his highness myself and as many 
 as I shall be able to bring with me, if the em- 
 peror did call me to serve him. We said we 
 had hitherto received the sorrowful news, but 
 the glad tidings were not as yet come unto us 
 by letters. We were glad to hear this much, 
 and wish we were able to tell him all how 
 things went at home. Saith he, I can tell you 
 this much. The king's majesty, for discharge 
 of his conscience, writ a good piece of his testa- 
 ment with his own hand, barring both his sis- 
 ters of the crown, and leaving it to the Lady 
 Jane, near to the French queen. Whether the 
 two daughters be bastards or no, or why it is 
 done, we that be strangers have nothing to do 
 
200 THE LIFE OF 
 
 witli tliis matter. Ye are bound to obey and 
 serve his majesty, and therefore it is reason we 
 take him for your king whom the consent of the 
 nobles of your countrie have declared for your 
 king, (and saith he) for my part of all others am 
 bound to be glad that his majesty is set in this 
 office. I was his god-father, and would as wil- 
 lingly spend my blood in his service as any 
 subject that he hath, etc., etc." 
 
 Two days later the commissioners wrote an- 
 other communication to the privy council, de- 
 claring that they had had an interview with the 
 emperor, and set forth the substance of the 
 despatches. 
 
 On Sunday, the 16th of July, a sermon was 
 preached in favor of the new reign at St. PauFs 
 by Mr. Eogers — a man who, for his boldness, 
 soon afterwards perished at the stake. That 
 very day the lord treasurer stole out of the 
 Tower to his house in London, to make arrange- 
 ments for the whole council going over to the 
 cause of Mary. They had until now been in a 
 manner prisoners, for they dared not leave the 
 Tower while Northumberland was there. The 
 news of Mary's advance on London strengthened 
 the hopes of her adherents there, and rendered 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 201 
 
 gloomy the partizans of Queen Jane. Fearing 
 that Mary might escape from her castle — which 
 was situated near the German ocean— by sea to 
 the continent, some days before, the govern- 
 ment had sent six ships of war down to the Suf- 
 folk coast, to intercept any vessels containing 
 her ; but these ships, as soon as they arrived at 
 Yarmouth, went over to the side of Mary, and at 
 once added strength to her position. She had 
 now around her an army several thousands 
 strong, and on the 16th all the ships at Harwich 
 declared in her favor. The news of this alarm- 
 ing popularity of Mary's cause could not have 
 failed to carry fear to the heart of the council, 
 and especially the Duke of Suffolk,, who was 
 really, in the absence - of ISTorthumberland, the 
 head of the government. Letters arrived from 
 Northumberland, demanding immediate rein- 
 forcements, and acknowledging that his army 
 was rapidly deserting him. The council was 
 now fully determined upon making some suita- 
 ble excuse for leaving the Tower, and Lady 
 Jane to her fate. Professing to comply with 
 the demand of ISTorthumberland for more troops, 
 they sent a body of men out of London under 
 the charge of the Eajrls of Pembroke and Arun- 
 
202 THE LIFE OF 
 
 del, who were, as they knew, secretly the friends 
 of Mary. Suffolk was completely deceived, for 
 he prepared the following dispatch to be sent by 
 them: — 
 
 " To our trusty and well-beloved Sir John 
 Bridges and Sir Nicholas Poynty, Knights. 
 
 *'JANE THE QUEEN. 
 
 " Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well, 
 because we doubt not but this our most lawful 
 possession of the crown with the free consent 
 of the nobihty of our realm, and other the states 
 of the same, as both plainly known and accepted 
 of you, as our most loving subjects, therefore we 
 do not reiterate the same, but now most earnest- 
 ly will and require, and by authority hereof 
 warrant you to assemble, muster, and levy, all 
 the power that you can possibly make, either of 
 your servants, tenants, officers, or friends, as well 
 horsemen as footmen, repairing to our right 
 trusty and right well-beloved cousins, the Earls 
 of Arundel and Pembroke, their tenants, ser- 
 vants, and officers, and with the same to repair, 
 with all possible speed, towards Buckingham- 
 shire, for the repression and subduing of certain 
 tumults and rebellions mo^ed there against our 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 203 
 
 crown by certain seditious men. For the repres- 
 sion whereof we have given orders to divers 
 others our good subjects, and gentlemen of such 
 degree as you are, to repair in like manner to 
 the same parties. So as we nothing doubt but 
 upon the access of such our loving subjects as 
 be appointed for that purpose to the place where 
 the seditious people yet remain, the same shall 
 either lack heart to abide in their malicious 
 purpose, or else receive such punishment and 
 execution as they deserve, seeking the destruc- 
 tion of their native country, and the subversion 
 of all men in their degrees, by rebellion of the 
 base multitude, whose rage being stirred, as of 
 late years hath been seen, must *Qeeds be the 
 confusion of the common weal. Wherefore our 
 special trust is in your courage, wisdom, and 
 fidelity in this matter, to advance yourselves 
 both with power and speed in this enterprise, in 
 such sort, as by ye the nobility and council shall 
 al'so be prescribed unto you. And for the sus- 
 tentation of your charge in this behalf, by our 
 said commandment, do further give order to your 
 satisfaction, as by their letters also shall appear 
 unto you. And beside that we assure you of 
 our special consideration of this your service to 
 
204 THE LIFE OF 
 
 US and our crown, as expressly to the preser- 
 vation of this our realm and commonwealth. 
 Given under our signet at the Tower of Lon- 
 don, on the 18th day of July, the first year 
 of our reign." 
 
 The efforts of Northumberland's party to sus- 
 tain themselves were made in vain. For the 
 whole English nation regarded the Duke as a 
 dangerous and tyrannical man, and also were 
 convinced that to Mary the throne properly 
 belonged, and now that she had solemnly prom- 
 ised to make no change in the religion of the 
 country, they were contented that she should 
 assume the cit)wn. The privy council was also, 
 at this very time, in secret devoted to Mary, 
 and almost the only personage of influence left 
 at London, who was sincerely devoted to Lady 
 Jane Grey, was her own father, the Duke of 
 Suffolk. 
 
 Northumberland at Cambridge, though at the 
 head of an army, made no stand against the 
 enemy, but endeavored to convince the people 
 by argument that his daughter-in-law was right- 
 fully Queen of England. He asked Dr. Landys, 
 a learned and ardent Protestant, to preach in sup- 
 
LADY JANE- GREY. 205 
 
 port of the claims of Lady Jane, and he did so, 
 attacking with boldness both Mary's character 
 and her title to the throne. In London, Cecil, 
 Cranmer, and the rest of the privy councillors, 
 persuaded Suffolk that it was necessary to raise 
 a large force and put them in their hands, they 
 being just ready to declare for Mary, but care- 
 fully disguising their real sentiments. 
 
 On the 19th day of July a large portion of 
 the council were at Baynard Castle, the seat of 
 the Earl of Pembroke, just out of London. 
 They had persuaded the Duke of Suffolk that 
 it was necessary for them to leave the Tower, 
 but they were no sooner fairly out of his reach, 
 than they concerted a plan for instantly revolu- 
 tionizing London. Early in the morning, news 
 reached London from the lord-lieutenant of 
 Essex, that the Earl of Oxford had deserted to 
 the side of Mary, and the following despatch to 
 the lord-lieutenant was sent from the Tower : — 
 
 "After our right hearty commendations to 
 your lordships, although the matter contained 
 in your letters of the Earl of Oxford departing 
 to the Lady Mary be grievous unto us for 
 divers respects, yet we must needs give your 
 lordship our hearty thanks for your ready ad- 
 
206 THE LIFE OF 
 
 vertisement thereof. Eequiring your lordship 
 nevertheless, like a nobleman, to remain in that 
 promise and steadfastness to our sovereign lady, 
 Queen Jane's service, as ye shall find us ready 
 and firm with all our force to the same. Which 
 neither with honor, nor with safety, nor yet 
 with duty, we may now forsake. 
 
 "From the Tower of London, the 19th of 
 July, 1553." 
 
 During the forenoon, while a portion of the 
 council were in the Tower with Lady Jane, 
 another part were assembled in Baynard Castle. 
 The Earl of Arundel at once moved a resolu- 
 tion of allegiance to Queen Mary ; Pembroke 
 seconded it, and placing his hand upon his 
 sword, boldly declared that he was ready to 
 dispute the matter with any man who dared 
 oppose the authority of Lady Mary. The whole 
 of the party were unanimous in their support 
 of Mary, and news of the transaction flew to the 
 streets of London. The lord mayor and alder- 
 men were sent for, and Mary was proclaimed in 
 the streets. The people rejoiced, for they were 
 delivered from the rule of the detested N"orthum- 
 berland. Undoubtedly, however, there were 
 many who grew sorrowful when they thought 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 207 
 
 of the gentle Lady Jane, who had scarcely an 
 enemy in England. The people loved and 
 pitied her, while they rejoiced in the downfall 
 of her father-in-law. The Earl of Arundel and 
 Lord Paget set off instantly to Mary with the 
 important news of the revolution at London. 
 The happiness of the Londoners seemed half- 
 frantic; caps were thrown into the air; the Earl 
 of Pembroke " threwe awaye. his cape full of 
 angelles ;" money was thrown out of the win- 
 dows to the crowd by the partisans of Mary ; 
 bonfoes raged, and bells pealed for joy. 
 
 The commotion in the streets soon was known 
 to the inhabitants of the Tower. The Duke of 
 Suffolk was so frightened as to act with the 
 most lamentable lack of manliness. As soon 
 as he heard that Mary was proclaimed in the 
 streets, he came out of the Tower, commanding 
 his partisans to throw aside their weapons, for 
 he was but one man, and himself upon Tower 
 Hill proclaimed the Lady Mary to be the law- 
 ful Queen of England! The duke was very 
 much dejected, and went to Lady Jane's apart- 
 ments and told her that she must lay aside her 
 royalty and all its ceremonies, and advised her 
 to bear her sorrowful fortunes with patience. 
 
208 THE LIFE OP 
 
 In her reply we see the sweet humility which 
 ever dwelt in her heart. She said that her 
 fortitude was greater than he had imagined, and 
 that this summons was more welcome to her 
 than that which raised her to the throne. " In 
 obedience to you, my lord," said she, " and to 
 my mother, I acted violence on myself, and have 
 been guilty of a grievous offence ; but the pres- 
 ent is my own act, and I willingly resign to 
 correct another's fault, if so great a fault can be 
 corrected by my resignation and sincere ac- 
 knowledgment." 
 
 As soon as Lady Jane had replied thus, she 
 retired to her private apartment, and in solitude 
 pondered on her dangerous situation. Yet, as 
 all the chroniclers of her times agree in declar- 
 ing, she manifested not the slightest symptom 
 of fear, but wore the same sweet, calm, half-sor- 
 rowful countenance, which ever was the bright- 
 est charm of her personal appearance. 
 
 As soon as Suffolk had deposed Lady Jane, 
 he sent a dispatch to Northumberland, requir- 
 ing him at once to disband his army, and submit 
 to Queen Mary. But that cowardly though am- 
 bitious man, as we shall shortly see, needed no 
 such command to render him willing to give 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 209 
 
 the crown to Mary. The council decided that 
 Lady Jane should give up the title of queen — 
 which she most willingly and joyously had done 
 several hours before — and all the privileges and 
 ceremonials attached to the position which she 
 had innocently usurped. It is said, to illustrate 
 the suddenness of the revolution in London, that 
 on the morning of the momentous 19th, Lady 
 Jane stood god-mother to a child in baptism, 
 and was attended with all the loyal honors due 
 to a queen, but in the afternoon she was not 
 only deposed but virtually a prisoner. At last 
 the order came from Queen Mary for her arrest 
 on a charge of high treason, and she was placed 
 in close confinement. The only thing which 
 seems to have touched her heart, was the cruel 
 separation from her husband. Lord Guildford 
 Dudley. They were both young, handsome, 
 and undoubtedly loved each other, and their 
 separation at such a time, and under such 
 gloomy prospects, must have been heart-rend- 
 ing. Dudley was not exactly to her that he 
 was on her marriage-day, for then his heart was 
 pure, and full of truest love for Lady Jane. 
 Since that day ambition had once got the bet- 
 ter of his love, and though he saw his wife 
 
 14 
 
210 LADY JANE GREY. 
 
 weeping and fainting in lier anguish, and re- 
 fusing to accept the crown, yet he pressed the 
 bitter cup upon her, and would take no denial. 
 Yet she loved him, undoubtedly, notwithstand- 
 ing his cruelty. But what must have been his 
 remorse, after this misfortune came, when he 
 thought of his own agency in the unfortunate 
 usurpation ! 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 DUKK OK NOETHUMBERLAND. SUFFOLK SET AT LIBERTY. — TRIAL OF 
 
 NORTHUMBERLAND. HIS EXECUTION. LADY JANE GREY. HER 
 
 TREATMENT. HER ANGELIC CONDUCT. QUEEN MARY's RELIGIOUS 
 
 PERSECUTIONS. HER CORONATION. 
 
 "When the news of the revolution in London 
 reached Northumberland, at Cambridge, he was 
 struck with terror. Seeing that the people in 
 the streets were enthusiastic in their joy, he con- 
 ceived the insane idea that by hurrahing with 
 them, and joining them in their demonstrations, 
 he might save his own life. A man of his high 
 position, who had usurped the crown, should 
 either have fought to the last against his ene- 
 mies, or have calmly awaited his dreadful fate 
 like a man, with dignity and with courage ; and 
 the world would at least have looked upon him 
 without contempt. But the affrighted man ran 
 into the market-place, and shouted for Queen 
 Mary, tossed his cap high in the air and wept, 
 
212 • THE LIFE OF 
 
 he pretended, for joy ! But the tears were those 
 of fright, of anguish, notwithstanding his pre- 
 tences. Dr. Sandys, the clergyman who only 
 the Sunday before, had preached boldly against 
 Mary, stood by his side. He was a man of real 
 courage and true piety, ready alike for success 
 or for the scaffold. The miserable duke said to 
 him : 
 
 " Queen Mary is a merciful woman, and doubt- 
 less all will receive the benefit of her pardon." 
 
 "Flatter not yourself," replied Dr. Sandys, 
 " for were the queen ever so much inclined to 
 pardon you, those who rule her will destroy 
 you, whoever else is spared." 
 
 Sir John Gates, who had been a tool of Nor- 
 thumberland's, arrested him now, but in the 
 course of a few hours he was set at liberty. 
 When the Earl of Arundel entered the city at 
 the head of a body of troops, he at once arrest- 
 ed Northumberland, Gates, and Dr. Sandys, and 
 committed them to the Tower. Soon after, the 
 Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, the Marquis of 
 Northampton, the Earl of Huntingdon, and 
 others were arrested. 
 
 On the 3d of August, Queen Mary arrived at 
 Wanstead, her seat, and disbanded her army, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 213 
 
 with the exception of a body of horse. The 
 Duchess of Suffolk had been liberated after a 
 few hours' imprisonment, and when she met the 
 queen she fell upon her knees, and begged 
 mercy for her husband, the Duke of Suffolk, 
 saying that he was ill, and would die if shut 
 up in the Tower. The queen was pleased to 
 hear her prayer, and liberated the duke. Thus 
 the couple who had literally forced Lady Jane 
 into acceptance of the crown were free, while 
 the innocent victim of their wicked ambition 
 lay in her dismal place of imprisonment. The 
 duchess had not a word to say for her gentle 
 daughter, no pardon to ask, and she did not 
 hesitate to take part in the public ceremonies of 
 the occasion ! Years afterwards, when Mary 
 slaughtered the saints with an almost diabolical 
 perseverance, the Duchess of Suffolk still re- 
 mained her friend and professed admirer ! 
 
 In the afternoon of the 3d of August, Queen 
 Mary entered the city. She rode upon a white 
 horse, and was dressed in violet velvet, and 
 looked somewhat fair, though near forty years 
 of age. Elizabeth rode next after her sister, the 
 queen. All London was in the streets, and 
 when the queen arrived at the Tower, she re- 
 
214: THE LIFE OF 
 
 leased many prisoners, wlio had long been con- 
 fined there. The majority of them were Cathol- 
 ics, however. It soon became evident that Mary 
 did not intend to fulfil her first promise not to 
 alter the established religious laws of the coun- 
 try. A Protestant came up to London with a 
 petition from his fellow-believers, and was put 
 in the pillory ! This was the prelude to those 
 terrible acts which will ever be associated with 
 the name of Queen Mary. 
 
 About this time letters were received from 
 the commissioners in Flanders, revealing the 
 singular fact that the despatches which were 
 received from them by Northumberland some 
 time previous, were devoid of truth, and intend- 
 ed to deceive, for from the first the emperor 
 had expressed himself utterly opposed to Lady 
 Jane's usurpation of the throne ! 
 
 On the 18th of August, the Duke of Northum- 
 berland had his trial. He acted towards his 
 judges with great humility. It is not a little 
 singular that among his judges were men who 
 had acted with him as councillors to Lady Jane 
 Grey ! He said to the judges that he spoke not 
 anything in defence of himself, yet he wished 
 the opinion of the court on two points : First, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 215 
 
 whether a man, acting by authority of the 
 prince and council, and by warrant of the great 
 seal of England, might properly be charged of 
 treason. 
 
 Secondly, whether any of the persons who 
 acted with him, and of course were equally 
 guilty, might be his judges, or pass upon his 
 trial at his death ! 
 
 The reply of the court was that the seal he 
 used was not the seal of the lawful queen, but 
 the seal of an usurper, and secondly, that any 
 persons who were not attainted of treason, could 
 with the pleasure of the queen, sit upon the tiaL 
 The duke saw that words would avail him noth- 
 ing, and confessed his crimes and begged their 
 pardon. Throughout the trial he conducted 
 himself in the basest manner possible. There 
 is one exception ; for he assured the court what 
 ever might be his own deserts, that Lady Jane 
 not only did not aspire to the crown, but was hy 
 enticement and force made to accept of it. This 
 was the only generous sentiment which fell 
 from the lips of the duke during his trial. For 
 himself, he craved the death which was usually 
 accorded to noblemen, and beseeched that his 
 children might be treated favorably. He also 
 
216 THE LIFE OF 
 
 wished to confer with some eminent divine upon 
 religious matters. He hoped still to save his 
 life by renouncing his Protestantism. 
 
 The rejoicing of the people was great when 
 they heard of the sentence of condemnation 
 against the Duke of Northumberland. They 
 felt that at last justice had overtaken him for 
 his despotic acts. When he was carried back 
 from the court to his prison in the Tower, a 
 woman, probably alluding to the execution of 
 Somerset by Northumberland, saluted him with 
 the words, " Behold the blood which thou didst 
 cause to be unjustly shed does now apparently 
 begin to revenge itself on thee ! " 
 
 On the 19th of August, ISTorthuraberland re- 
 ceived news that it was the intention of the 
 government to proceed at once to his execution, 
 and he immediately wrote the following letter 
 to the Earl of Arundel : 
 
 " Honorable lord, and in this my distress my 
 especial refuge, most woful was the news I re- 
 ceived this evening by Mr. Lieutenant, that I must 
 prepare myself against to-morrow to receive the 
 deadly stroke. Alas, my good lord, is my crime 
 so heinous as no redemption but my blood can 
 
LADY JANE GKEY. 217 
 
 wash away the spots thereof? An old proverb 
 there is, and that most true, that a living dog is 
 better than a dead lion. Oh ! that it would 
 please her good grace to give me life, yea the 
 life of a dog, if I might but live and kiss her 
 feet, and spend both life and all in her honora- 
 ble service, as I have the best part already under 
 her worthy and most glorious father. Oh ! that 
 her mercy were such as she would consider 
 how little profit my dead and dismembered 
 body can bring her, but how great and glorious 
 an honor it will be in all posterities when the 
 report shall be, that so gracious and mighty a 
 queen had granted life to so miserable and 
 penitent an object. Your honorable usage and 
 promise to me since these my troubles, have 
 made me bold to challenge this kindness at your 
 hands. Pardon me, if I have done amiss therein, 
 and spare not, I pray, your bended knees for 
 me in this distress. The God of heaven it may 
 be will requite one day on you or yours. And 
 if my life be lengthened by your mediation and 
 my good lord chancellors, (to whom I have also 
 sent my blurred letters,) I will ever owe it to be 
 spent at your honorable feet. Oh ! good my lord, 
 remember how sweet life is, and how bitter the 
 
218 THE LIFE OF 
 
 contrary. Spare not your speech and pains, for 
 God, I hope, hath not shut out all hopes of com- 
 fort from me in that gracious, princely, and wo- 
 man-like heart ; but that as the doleful news of 
 death hath wounded to death both my soul and 
 body, so a comfortable news of life shall be as a 
 new resurrection to my woful heart. But if no 
 remedy can be found, either by imprisonment, 
 confiscation, banishment, and the like, I can say 
 no more, but God grant me the patience to 
 endure, and the heart to forgive the whole world. 
 " Once your fellow and loving companion, 
 but now worthy of no name but wretchedness 
 and misery. J. D." 
 
 This letter shows very clearly the real char- 
 acter of Northumberland. Although a man of 
 iron nerve and most reckless disposition, yet in 
 view of death his courage all vanishes, and he 
 cries in his agony like a child, for help. How 
 strangely does the conduct of Lady Jane con- 
 trast with his own at this crisis ! She, though 
 young and gentle, has not a word of complaint, 
 not a single thrill of fear; but the old, weather- 
 beaten soldier begs most shamefully for " yea, 
 the life of a dog ! " 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 219 
 
 But tlie base supplication was fruitless, for on 
 the 22d day of August, the lieutenant of the 
 Tower delivered to the sheriffs of London the 
 Duke of Northumberland, Sir John Gates, and 
 Sir Thomas Palmer, for execution. When the 
 duke and Sir John Gates met, the former said: 
 
 " Sir John, God have mercy upon us, for this 
 day shall end both our lives, and I pray you 
 forgive me whatsoever I have offended, and I 
 forgive you with all my heart, although you and 
 your council were a great occasion thereof." 
 
 Sir John replied : 
 
 " Well, my lord, I forgive you all, as I would 
 be forgiven, and yet you and your authority 
 were the original cause of it altogether, but the 
 Lord pardon you, and I pray you forgive me." 
 
 The duke laid aside his gown, and leaning 
 upon the railing, made an address to the multi- 
 tude of people congregated to witness his execu- 
 tion. The day before he heard mass in his 
 prison, and boldly avowed himself a Catholic, 
 thus deserting his old creed. He confessed that 
 he was worthy of death ; that he had helped in 
 the false religion, and for this God had punished 
 the nation by the death of Henry YIII., Ed- 
 ward YI. ; with rebellion, and with sweating 
 
220 THE LIFE OF 
 
 sickness. He was tliankful that now tie was a 
 Christian, though for sixteen years he had not 
 been one. He guarded his hearers against cove- 
 tousness, which was the cause of his fate, and 
 said, " I beseech you all to bear me witness that 
 I die in the true Catholic faith." He then re- 
 peated several Latin psalms, and afterwards said : 
 " Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spir- 
 it," and bending toward the block, said that he 
 deserved a thousand deaths ; when his neck 
 lay upon it, it was instantly severed. Gates 
 and Palmer were immediately after executed. 
 Thus perished the man who was the cause of 
 so much intense suffering to innocent persons, 
 through his inordinate ambition. 
 
 But it is time that we return to Lady Jane 
 Grey and her unfortunate husband. They were 
 now state-prisoners, and confined in separate 
 apartments. Beauchamp's Tower was the gen- 
 eral place of confinement for state-prisoners, but 
 Lady Jane was imprisoned in one of the war- 
 den's houses, inside of the prison walls, kept by 
 a "Master Partridges." It is probable that 
 her comfort was better secured in the warden's 
 house than it could have been in the usual 
 prison apartments. She was allowed to retain 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 221 
 
 two of her female attendants, but the day after 
 she became a prisoner, the Marquis of Winches- 
 ter, the lord treasurer, required of her to deliver 
 up the crown jewels, or those which were in her 
 possession. The sympathy of the nation for 
 Lady Jane was unquestionable, unmistakable. 
 JSTorthumberland was hated ; but for his lovely 
 and innocent victim there was nothing but pity, 
 save in the hearts of a few heartless courtiers, 
 or bigoted and fierce Catholics. The nation 
 loved as its own existence the principle of her- 
 editary right, and never could quietly consent 
 to see Mary defrauded of her throne, yet it 
 blamed not the pious and gentle-hearted Lady 
 Jane Grey for her agency in the unfortunate 
 usurpation. A feeling of sympathy for her, aid 
 even for her husband in a lesser degree, filled 
 the hearts of the people, and i\ was generally 
 hoped that no punishment would be inflicted 
 upon them. The Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, 
 though a hundred times more guilty than Lady 
 Jane, had been set free, why should not the 
 victim of their advice and commands also re- 
 ceive her liberty ! 
 
 The conduct of Lady Jane upon her impris- 
 onment will, as long as the history of England 
 
222 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and the Eeformation is remembered, place lier 
 name upon the scroll of heroes and martyrs who 
 perished bravely and gloriously. History fur- 
 nishes no instance where a girl of sixteen con- 
 ducts herself through trial, imprisonment, and 
 death with greater courage, mildness, and resig- 
 nation than were exhibited by Lady Jane Grey. 
 
 She was young, and loved life and liberty ; 
 she was full of the warmest affections ; yet she 
 parted from the fair husband in whose bosom 
 she had lain, without a murmur, and laid off the 
 habiliments of a queen for a prison-life, without 
 a sigh ! Her conduct during this change was 
 truly remarkable. Fuller says that " she made 
 miser}^ itself amiable by her pious and patient 
 behavior ; adversity, her night clothes, bearing 
 her, as well as her day-dressing, by reason of 
 her pious disposition." 
 
 Burnet says, "she was so humble, so gentle, 
 and pious, that all people both admired and 
 loved her. That she had a mind wonderfully 
 raised above the world, and at the age wherein 
 others are but imbibing the notions of philoso- 
 phy, she had attained to the practice of the 
 highest precepts of it : for she was neither lifted 
 up with the hope of a crown, nor cast down 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 223 
 
 when slie saw her palace made afterwards her 
 prison ; but carried herself with an equal temper 
 of mind in the great inequalities of fortune that 
 so suddenly exalted and depressed her." 
 
 Through all her long imprisonment this an- 
 gelic creature never uttered a complaint of her 
 suffering, and seemed to be wholly concerned 
 for her father and husband, who had forced her 
 to act the part which she did, and which must 
 be expiated by the sacrifice of her life. When 
 London was alive with enthusiasm upon the ad- 
 vent of Mary, Lady Jane was alone in her apart- 
 ment, and listened to the booming of the cannon 
 and the shouts of the populace in silence. It 
 is not strange that her pious heart soon came 
 to the conclusion that this world of bitter dis- 
 appointment was nothing in comparison to that 
 glorious world towards which her meek spirit 
 was hastening. Queen Mary entered the Tow- 
 er and liberated many prisoners there, but she 
 came not to " Master Partridge's " house, where 
 was the young Lady Jane, her cousin. 
 
 Before the coronation of Queen Mary, she 
 issued an order to the lord treasurer which com- 
 menced as follows : 
 
224 THE LIFE OF 
 
 "by the QUEEN". 
 
 " Mary the Queen. 
 
 " Trusty and well beloved, we greet you 
 well. And where upon delivery of certain of 
 our jewels and stuff to your hands by the Lady 
 Jane Grey, the 20th of July last, which she had 
 before received of you the 12 th of the same 
 month, it appeareth that the parcels hereafter 
 mentioned were wanting, and by occasion there- 
 of cannot be found again ; forasmuch as we 
 certainly understood that by your diligence all 
 the rest that she had was recovered, being at 
 the same time in like danger, and upon trust we 
 have ye will not let to use the like travel to 
 recover those parcels to our use as soon as ye 
 can," etc., etc. There follows a list of the lost 
 articles — lost probably in the agitation and con- 
 fusion attendant upon the suddenness of the 
 change of Lady Jane's condition. It seems that 
 every penny in the possession of Lady Jane or 
 her husband, Gruildford Dudley, was taken from 
 them, as if in part to make up to loss of certain 
 articles of state. 
 
 At the time of Northumberland's death the 
 imperial ambassadors urged Queen Mary to 
 bring Lady Jane to trial ; but she seems not to 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 225 
 
 have been willing, either because ber heart 
 would not allow of it, or she feared to outrage 
 the feelings of the people too far. It is said 
 that she declared that she had no heart to put to 
 death her unfortunate cousin, whom she regard- 
 ed as the victim of Korthumberland. About 
 this time Lady Jane addressed a narrative of 
 her term of royalty, to Queen Mary, in which 
 she confessed her fault, but declared that when 
 ISTorthumberland and her father and mother 
 came to her, and attempted to force the crown 
 upon her, that she fell to the ground fainting, as 
 one dead, and remained their helpless victim. 
 The cause of this address to the queen was not 
 to intercede for her own life or that of Dudley, 
 but to show her majesty the innocence of her- 
 self in the transaction. Lady Jane was pious 
 and good, and loved a good reputation better 
 than life, and wished Queen Mary to know that 
 she had not acted with wilful wickedness in the 
 usurpation, but had been forced to act the part 
 allotted to her. Whether the true statement of 
 the case had any effect upon the queen we know 
 not, but the conduct of her of^cers towards 
 Lady Jane was harsh in the extreme. The 
 charge that some of the crown jewels were lost 
 J 15 
 
226 THE LIFE OF 
 
 was merely a pretence, and under it Lady Jane 
 and Dudley were literally robbed of their pri- 
 vate jewels, and all the money in their posses- 
 sion. There is a meanness in such an act almost 
 without a parallel in history. For a proud 
 Queen of England to seize upon the pocket- 
 money of an unfortunate woman, who was niece 
 to a king, certainly was the lowest depths of 
 niggardliness. 
 
 The Sunday after the execution of Northum- 
 berland, the old Catholic service was chanted 
 in St. Paul's, and on every hand it soon became 
 apparent that Mary would soon commence a 
 career of persecution. Throughout the month 
 of August, sharp struggles took place between 
 the Catholics and Protestants, for the possession 
 of the churches, and the government seemed to 
 be undecided whether boldly to proclaim Cathol- 
 icism in opposition to the principles of the Kefor- 
 mation. All doubts were soon dispersed, howev- 
 er, by the course pursued by the ministry. Mary 
 was desirous of placing the Pope at the head of 
 the church, but even her Catholic bishop, Gardi- 
 ner, opposed this scheme. Her answer to him 
 is a memorable one. 
 
 " Women, I have read in Scripture, are 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 227 
 
 forbidden to speak in cliurcli. Is it then fit- 
 ting tliat your church should have a dumb 
 head?" 
 
 On the 15th of September, Archbishop Cran- 
 mer, Latimer, and others, were arrested and 
 committed to prison. All doubt was at an end 
 now, — Queen Mary was determined to distin- 
 guish herself as a heretic-burner; a religious 
 persecutor. 
 
 During the last week in September, the queen 
 was busily occupied in preparing for her ap- 
 proaching coronation. She had no money left 
 in her treasury, and was obliged to borrow 
 £20,000 of the citizens of London for the occa- 
 sion. The day appointed was the first of Octo- 
 ber. Three days before the coronation, the queen 
 set out from Whitehall by barge for the Tower, 
 attended by the lord mayor and different honor- 
 able companies. At the Tower, she made fif- 
 teen knights of the bath, and remaining over 
 night, the next day she went in grand procession 
 through the streets of London. 
 
 On the coronation morning, the queen and 
 her numerous attendants took their barges, and 
 proceeded to the stairs leading to Parliament- 
 chamber. The whole city was in the streets, 
 
228 THE LIFE OP 
 
 notwithstanding the day before had been one of 
 the utmost pomp and pageantry. The Par ha- . 
 ment-chamber was splendidly hang with tapes- 
 try, and blue cloth was laid in the street, from 
 Parliament-hall to Westminster Abbey. At 
 about ten o'clock the queen was conducted to 
 the robing-chamber, where she waited till eleven, 
 when the procession commenced to the Abbey. 
 Bishop Gardiner performed the part usually al- 
 lotted to the Archbishop of Canterbury, pro- 
 nouncing the coronation-oaths. Mary was at- 
 tired in royal robes of velvet, a mantle with a 
 train, a surcoat, a riband of Venice gold, a man- 
 tle-lace of gold and silk, with buttons and tassels 
 of the same material, having the imperial crown 
 on her head, the sceptre in her right hand, an 
 orb in her left, and a pair of gold-crimson seba- 
 tons on her feet. Mary's personal appearance at 
 this time was not striking, Nearly forty years 
 old, low in stature, very thin and pale in her face, 
 which was not indicative of either intellect or 
 good nature, she made little impression through 
 her beauty, though she was by no means re- 
 pulsive in her appearance. After the principal 
 ceremonies were over, a general pardon of pris- 
 oners was read, but it contained so many excep- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 229 
 
 tions, that to many tlie day was a day of sorrow 
 rather than a day of rejoicing. 
 
 When the queen left Westminster Abbey it 
 was in a robe of purple velvet, an open surcoat 
 of the same material, with miniver and pow- 
 dered ermine, a mantle-lace of silk and gold, a 
 riband of gold, and a crown upon her head. 
 The banquet followed, and among the entertain- 
 ments of the occasion were dramatic and comic 
 representations. The comedian, Heywood, pre- 
 sented himself at court, from banishment. The 
 queen asked him : 
 
 ''What wind has blown you hither? " 
 
 "Two special ones," said Heywood, "one of 
 them to see your majesty." 
 
 "We thank you for that," replied Mary, " but 
 I pray for what purpose was the other? " 
 
 "That your majesty might see meP'' replied 
 the comedian. 
 
 His wit was successful, and the queen often 
 saw him, and amused herself with his comic 
 representations. 
 
 During all this pageantry Lady Jane Grey 
 remained in her prison, separated from her hus- 
 band and all her friends; yet she was happy. 
 
280 LADY JANE GREY. 
 
 for she had the peace "which passeth all un- 
 derstanding." 
 
 In a few days Mary's first parliament was 
 opened. Its first act was to repeal all former 
 acts of Henry YIII.'s reign in reference to 
 Katharine of Arragon and her daughter, Queen 
 Mary. Its next was to pass a bill of attainder 
 upon Lady Jane Grey and her husband. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 TEIAL OF LADY JANE GREY AND LORD GUILDFORD AT GUILDHALL. 
 
 THEIR CONDUCT. SENTENCED TO DEATH.-^STMPATHY FOR LADY 
 
 JANE. ^RELIGIOUS MATTERS. DR. SANDYS. PROJECT OF MARY's 
 
 MARRIAGE WITH PHILIP. OPPOSITION OF PEOPLE AND PARLIA- 
 MENT. INSURRECTION OF SUFFOLK, CARE"W, AND WYATT. ^WYATT 
 
 IN LONDON. HIS DOWNFALL. 
 
 The trial of Lady Jane Grey and her hus- 
 "band, Lord Gruildford Dudley, on a charge of 
 high treason,' took place at the Guildhall on the 
 13th of November. Archbishop Cranmer, Lord 
 Ambrose and Sir Henry Dudley, were at this 
 time also charged with treason. The time of 
 Lady Jane's trial was in the saddest month of 
 the English year — a month usually crowded full 
 of sombre skies and melancholy fogs. On the 
 morning of the memorable 13th of November, a 
 morning, probably, like almost all ISTovember 
 days in London, overcast with the solemnest 
 clouds of autumn. Lady Jane and Lord Guild- 
 ford were led from the Tower, in which so l'^'^'' 
 
232 THE LIFE OF 
 
 they had been incarcerated, to Gnildliall, to 
 take their trial. They were surrounded by a 
 guard of four hundred halberdiers, and great 
 noise and confusion were attendant upon the 
 procession to the place of trial, yet Lady Jane 
 bore herself with courage and calmness. From 
 the day on which she was imprisoned to this 
 day she had not seen her husband, but this 
 morning they met. We can easily imagine 
 what a sad meeting it must have been, and how 
 eagerly each scanned the face of the other to 
 discover with what patience and Christian meek- 
 ness the imprisonment had been borne. When 
 the unfortunate pair entered the court-room, 
 there was present a great crowd of witnesses, 
 and the ceremonies which characterized the trial 
 were exceedingly impressive. But Lady Jane 
 was, throughout the whole scene, perfectly calm 
 and seemingly happy. Her judges were men 
 well calculated to intimidate a young and tender 
 woman, but she was not agitated in the least. 
 Her cheeks were blooming all the while, and 
 her voice trembled not, nor in any manner did 
 she show fear or agitation. To the charge 
 against her Lady Jane pleaded guilty, though 
 she was most innocently so, and guiltless of any 
 
LAUY JANE GREY. 233 
 
 intention to rob another of her rights. The 
 sentence was pronounced bj Lord Chief Justice 
 Morgan, and a most terrible one it was. She 
 was sentenced to be burnt alive on Tower Hill 
 or beheaded, at the queen's pleasure. When 
 this dreadful sentence was pronounced, a groan 
 burst forth from almost every person present, 
 and when Lady Jane set out on her return to 
 the Tower, great crowds of people followed 
 her, crying aloud, and bewailmg her fate. The 
 sympathy for her was exceedingly great, and 
 she was obliged to offer consolation to those 
 who followed her. Turning to them she said, 
 with angelic sweetness, 
 
 " Oh 1 faithful companions of my sorrows, 
 why do you thus afflict me with your plaints ? 
 Are we not born into life to suffer adversity, 
 and even disgrace, if it be necessary ? When 
 has the time been that the innocent were not 
 exposed to violence and oppression?" 
 
 We must remember that all this sympathy 
 was shown for Lady Jane when a universal 
 opinion obtained that she was to be pardoned 
 by Queen Mary. How much more powerful it 
 would have been in view of her death, we can 
 readily imagine. The queen, notwithstanding 
 
234 THE LIFE OF 
 
 her hardness of heart, was touched with pity 
 for Lady Jane, when she beheld her meek and 
 gentle conduct. There is not the slightest rea- 
 son to doubt her intention at this time to pardon 
 Lady Jane and her husband, Lord Guildford 
 Dudley, She ordered that the former -be al- 
 lowed the liberty of walking in the queen's 
 garden at the Tower, and on tlie hill. Lord 
 Guildford also received a gentler treatment than 
 before, having the liberties of the 'Sports" 
 where he was lodged. On the 21st of Decem- 
 ber, the Marquis of Northampton and Sir Hen- 
 ry Gates were both pardoned and released from 
 prison, and immediately Lady Jane Grey and 
 Lord Dudley experienced a change in their 
 treatment, which must have led them to believe 
 that soon the queen would set them at liberty. 
 Alas ! that the mad and foolish acts of others, 
 who were already free from the miseries of a 
 prison life, should bear such a sad sway over 
 their fortunes ! 
 
 Queen Mary showed an intense desire to win 
 Lady Jane over to the Catholic faith, and 
 learned papist divines were sent to argue with 
 her, and endeavor to show her the wickedness 
 of the doctrines of the Reformation. We have 
 
LADY JANE GKEY. 235 
 
 no doubt but Marj really longed to see Lady 
 Jane a good CatholiCj and from the best of 
 motives. She was cruel and persecuting, not 
 because she loved blood, but because she was 
 ignorantly, bigotedly, madly devoted to the Ca- 
 tholic religion. But it was utterly useless to 
 attempt to shake Lady Jane in her belief. As 
 an old writer remarks, " all their labors were 
 bootless, for she had art to confound their art, 
 wisdom to withstand their flatteries, resolution 
 above their menaces, and such a true knowledge 
 of life, that death was to her no other than a 
 most familiar acquaintance." 
 
 A convocation of the clergy previous to this 
 had declared the Book of Common Prayer to 
 be an abomination, and also demanded a super- 
 vision of the Catechism, and recommended im- 
 mediate persecution against all of the clergy who 
 did not put away their wives, and adopt the 
 Catholic article of belief in reference to the real 
 presence. The whole influence of the govern- 
 ment was in favor of the Catholic religion, and 
 in those days, when the scaffold and the stake 
 were commonly used to terrify the people into 
 compliance with the wishes of the court, the 
 influence of the government was exceedingly 
 
236 THE LIFE OF 
 
 powerful. The truth was, that many of those 
 who, under the reign of Edward VL, had called 
 themselves Protestants, were so merely because 
 it was for their personal interest to be so, and 
 the moment that a Catholic occupied the throne, 
 they retreated back at once into the bosom of 
 the Romish church. A majority of the clergy 
 became Catholic, and some of the bishops; but 
 Cranmer and Latimer were sent to the Tower, 
 and soon after the Archbishop of York for mar- 
 rying, and Ridley for preaching at St. Paul's 
 in favor of Lady Jane's usurpation, Poynet for 
 marriage, and several other of the bishops for 
 similar offences, were sentenced to imprison- 
 ment. Dr. Sandys, who so boldly, at Cambridge, 
 preached against the title of Mary to the throne, 
 though at first imprisoned, was afterwards liber- 
 ated by the queen. One of the ladies of her 
 bedchamber interceded for the bold and honest 
 preacher, and one day when Gardiner came to 
 the privy chamber the queen said : 
 
 " Winchester, what think you about Dr. San- 
 dys ? Is he not sufficiently punished ? " 
 
 *' As it pleases your majesty," answered the 
 bishop. 
 
 " Then, truly," replied Queen Mary, " we 
 
LADY JaNE grey. 237 
 
 would have him set at liberty." She signed 
 immediately the warrant for his releasement, 
 and he was set free. The friends of Queen 
 Mary attempt, from such acts as these, to res- 
 cue her name from the opprobrium which has 
 covered it for centuries, and we think they 
 certainly show that she was not wholly lost 
 to tender emotions. But it is impossible to 
 forget the many terrible acts for which Qaeen 
 Mary ever must be held responsible by just 
 men, and which shroud her memory in a pall 
 of darkness. Undoubtedly her ministers were 
 constantly pressing her on in her career of per- 
 secution, but a true Queen of England should 
 have been superior to her cabinet, and have 
 guided them, instead of being contented to be 
 led hy them. 
 
 About this time certain of the inhabitants of 
 the county of Suffolk reminded the queen that 
 she solemnly promised them before her corona- 
 tion that she would not change the reformed 
 religion as it was established under her brother, 
 Edward YI. But the queen did not like thus 
 to be reminded of her broken promises, and one 
 man, who was bolder than his companions in 
 complaining, was put in the pillory. Judge 
 
238 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Hales, a Protestant, who had refused to coun- 
 tenance Lady Jane Grey's usurpation, simply 
 because of his strict honesty of character, was 
 thrust into a loathsome dungeon, where he soon 
 grew crazy and endeavored to make way with 
 his life. At last he was liberated, but his health 
 and mind were ruined. 
 
 Mary now determined upon marriage, to make 
 sure of a Catholic succession. All her life she 
 had been trying to marry, and now there was an 
 eligible opportunity to wed the son of the Em- 
 peror Charles, to whom (the father) she had 
 been thirty years before engaged. It is said 
 that Mary really loved Edward Courtenay, Earl 
 of Devon, whom she had liberated from prison, 
 a handsome and exceedingly accomplished gen- 
 tleman. But unfortunately he was suspected of 
 sympathizing with the Protestants, and regarded 
 the Princess Elizabeth with more affection than 
 Queen Mary. The queen also had some thoughts 
 of wedding the celebrated Cardinal Pole, who 
 had never taken priest's orders. The main 
 reason for dismissing this project, was the ad- 
 vanced age of the cardinal, he being now fifty- 
 three years old. 
 
 The Emperor Charles sent over his ambassa- 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 239 
 
 dors for tlie purpose of arranging a marriage 
 between his son Philip and the English Queen. 
 They had constant access to her, and she, with- 
 out even asking the advice of her council, made 
 a solemn engagement of herself to Philip. 
 
 For a short time the engagement was kept a 
 secret, but when it came out,' the whole country 
 was filled with discontent. The English people 
 feared that with a Spanish prince for the hus- 
 band of their queen, England would sink into a 
 state of vassalage to Spain. Many Catholics 
 opposed the marriage, and the entire Protestant 
 body were bitterly against it. They boldly de- 
 clared that Mary's sole object was " to continue 
 Popery where it was, and to bring it in where it 
 was not." The speaker and twenty members 
 of Parliament petitioned her majesty that she 
 would not marry a stranger or a foreigner. The 
 queen thought that Gardiner, her favorite bish- 
 op, originated this movement, and said she 
 would prove a match for his cunning. That 
 very evening she sent for the Spanish ambassa- 
 dor, and leading him into her private oratory, 
 she knelt before the altar, and after she had 
 repeated the hymn Veni Creator, she called 
 upon God to witness that while she lived she 
 
240 THE LIFE OF 
 
 would never marry any man but Philip of 
 Spain. 
 
 In December, Parliament was dissolved, to 
 get rid of a troublesome enemy. In January, 
 Count Egmont arrived from Spain, to conclude 
 the marriage-treaty. There were at once tokens 
 of revolt, for the people of Kent, where the 
 count landed, rose in large masses and endeav- 
 ored to obtain his person. He arrived at Lon- 
 don safely, and the marn age-treaty was arranged. 
 The terms were as follows : Philip was to have 
 the honor of the title of King of England, but the 
 government was to rest solely with the queen, 
 he merely aiding her in her duties. No Span- 
 iard was to enjoy any of the ofi&ces of the king- 
 dom ; no innovations were to be made in the laws 
 and customs of England ; the queen was never to 
 be carried abroad without her free consent, nor 
 any of her children, if she had any, without the 
 consent of the nobility. Philip, in case Mary sur- 
 vived him, was to settle upon her a jointure of 
 £60,000 a year ; the male issue of the marriage 
 was to inherit Burgundy and the Low Countries, 
 as well as England ; and in case Don Carlos, Phil- 
 ip's son by his first marriage, were to die and 
 leave no issue, then their issue, whether male or 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 241 
 
 female, were to inherit Spain, Sicily, and Milan. 
 The treaty was concluded, but notwithstanding 
 the concessions made by the Spanish prince, the 
 English people were dissatisfied. In less than 
 a week Queen Mary and her court were alarmed 
 by the intelligence that Sir Peter Carew was up 
 in arms in Devonshire, to resist the advent of 
 Philip of Spain, and that already he had taken 
 possession of the city and castle of Exeter. 
 News shortly followed to the effect that the 
 Duke of Suffolk, with his brothers, Lord John 
 and Lord Leonard Grrey, had organized a rebel- 
 lion in the raid -counties, for the restoration of 
 the innocent Lady Jane Grrey, who seems to 
 have been the victim of any ambitious and 
 reckless man in the kingdom. But the most 
 formidable insurrection was that headed by Sir 
 Thomas Wyatt. He was only twenty-three 
 years old, a Catholic, son to an illustrious poet, 
 full of enthusiasm, and was roused to a high 
 pitch of excitement in reference to the Spanish 
 marriage. Thus there were three distinct in- 
 surrections in the kingdom, though they were 
 one in reference to one point — the queen's mar- 
 riage. Sir Peter Carew aimed at placing Eliza- 
 beth and the Earl of Devonshire on the throne ; 
 ^ 16 
 
242 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Wyatt only wished to prevent tlie foregin mar- 
 riage; and the Greys looked for the restoration 
 of Lady Jane Grey to the throne. The last per- 
 sonages were the maddest of all. The Duke of 
 Suffolk had once been pardoned for treason ; he 
 was perfectly well aware that there was a good 
 prospect that his daughter would soon be re- 
 leased from her confinement ; he also knew 
 that, in case of his success, Lady Jane would 
 never accept of the throne, unless by force she 
 were compelled to do so ; we can therefore 
 account for his conduct only upon the ground 
 that he lacked the qualities of mind which men 
 generally possess. A more reckless, foolish, 
 mad, cruel course of conduct he could not have 
 pursued. He passed through Leicestershire, pro- 
 claiming Lady Jane Grey in every town through 
 which he journeyed, and, weak man, seemed to 
 sincerely believe that the nation which only a 
 few months before had utterly refused to sup- 
 port his cause, would now rally unitedly around 
 him ! 
 
 The Earl of Huntingdon, at the head of an 
 army, soon conquered the Grey party, they 
 flying for their lives into distant towns. The 
 duke and his brothers were, however, shortly 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 243 
 
 afterwards arrested, and imprisoned in tlie Tow- 
 er. Sir Peter Carew was also soon put to flight, 
 he absconding to France. 
 
 Wyatt alone remained in the field. He made 
 a stand at the head of 15,000 men. The queen 
 sent the Duke of Norfolk with a body of men 
 against him, at Eochester. There five hundred 
 soldiers, under the duke, deserted to the side of 
 Wyatt, and the queen's artillery, also fell into 
 the hands of the insurgents. The Duke of 
 Norfolk fled, and three-fourths of his troops 
 went over to Wyatt's side. When the news 
 arrived at court of this defeat, all London was 
 in uproar and confusion. If Wyatt had forced 
 a march upon the capitol, he might, perhaps, 
 have won a victory over the queen, for she was 
 almost defenceless ; but he was three days in ar- 
 riving at Greenwich. The queen rode into Lon- 
 don, to encourage the citizens by her presence, 
 and the lord mayor received her at the Gruild- 
 hall. She there made a speech to the people, 
 full of mettle and true courage. At the conclu- 
 sion the populace vociferated loudly, " God save 
 Queen Mary and the prince of Spain ! " From 
 Guildhall the queen proceeded to Westminster, 
 where she held a council, to devise means for 
 
244 THE LIFE OF 
 
 defence. An armed watch was set in Wliite- 
 TialL But at two in the morning the palace was 
 alarmed by news brought by a deserter that 
 "Wyatt would be at Hyde Park Corner in two 
 hours ! The palace was filled with lamentations 
 and cries of fear: hurried arrangements for de- 
 fence were made ; the people barricaded the 
 streets ; and the queen's chamber windows were 
 well guarded, as well as all her apartments. 
 Every woman at court was alarmed, with the 
 exception of Queen Mary, who was calm and 
 fearless. Bishop Gardiner tried to persuade her 
 to take a boat and retreat from the city, but she 
 answered : 
 
 " I will set no example of cowardice ! " 
 At four in the morning the drums began to 
 beat to arms, and the queen's forces were so 
 disposed as best to defend Whitehall or the 
 approaches to it. Wyatt's men already were in 
 Kent street, where the people gave them good 
 cheer. They were commanded to refrain from 
 pillage, but could not be restrained from sack- 
 ing the residence of Bishop Gardiner. His books 
 were cut in pieces, so that, as an old writer says, 
 "men might have gone up to their knees in 
 leaves of books, cut out and thrown under foot.'* 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 245 
 
 The morning v/as a chill, wintry, gloomy one, 
 for it was the 7th of February. It was nine 
 o'clock before Wyatt began fairly to enter the 
 city. He divided his forces into three parts. 
 
 The queen's forces were under the leadership 
 of Clinton and Pembroke, and quietly at their 
 posts, awaited the attack from the insurgents. 
 Thousands of the people were gathered to wit- 
 ness the battle, or more properly, petty series of 
 skirmishes. It had been promised Wyatt that 
 Ludgate should be opened for him by the peo- 
 ple of that section of the city, and he hastened 
 there with a small force. At the same time two 
 of his leaders — Knevet and Cobham — attacked 
 Whitehall and St. James'. St. James' was well 
 defended by Sir Henry Jermingham, but White- 
 hall, where the queen was, was in great danger. 
 The guards, commanded by Sir John Gage, 
 gave way before the insurgents. At the time 
 the queen stood in a gallery of the palace, and 
 witnessed the conflict. The defeated soldiers se- 
 creted themselves in some of the houses around 
 the palace, and the porter shut the palace gates, 
 so that friends and foes alike were shut out. 
 The soldiers belonging to the queen's standard 
 desired that the gates might be opened to them, 
 
246 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and Mary, with excellent courage, ordered that 
 they be immediately opened, and the guards 
 marched in before her. She spoke to them a 
 few words of encouragement, and commanded 
 them not to leave the spot. 
 
 Wyatt now fought his way down the Strand 
 towards Ludgate. This street, now the busiest 
 thoroughfare in London, was filled with troops, 
 under Courtenay, Earl of Devonshire. The mo- 
 ment Wyatt appeared, he fled, some suppose 
 from fear, but there is no doubt but that he 
 was a secret ally of Wyatt. The insurgent 
 leader then demanded the warden of Ludgate 
 to surrender. He supposed the warden was a 
 friend, but such was not the case. The com- 
 mander. Lord Howard, appeared and answered 
 to the summons : 
 
 " Avaunt, traitor ! — 3^ou enter not here ! " 
 
 Wyatt now was obliged to fight his way back 
 to his main army. In the mean time Courtenay 
 came in hot haste to the queen, saying, " The 
 battle is broke — all is lost ! " Mary's spirit was 
 roused, and she replied : 
 
 " S^ioh is the fond opinion of those who dare 
 not go near enough to see the truth of the trial. 
 We will go ourself to the battle immediately, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 24t' 
 
 and abide the upshot of our rightful quarrel, or 
 die with the brave men fighting for us." 
 
 She then prepared herself for the street. At 
 that moment the palace was assaulted in the 
 rear by a body of men under Cobham. A band 
 of gentlemen-at-arms defended the palace with 
 great courage, in the rear, and other men fought 
 well in front with battle-axes. Cries were con- 
 stantly heard throughout the palace, that all 
 was lost, and the queen was beseeched to make 
 an attempt to escape in a barge down the 
 Thames. But she would not, but was cheer- 
 ful, and endeavored to impart courage to those 
 around her. She asked: 
 
 ^' Where is Lord Pembroke? " 
 
 The answer was : 
 
 *' He is in the midst of the battle." 
 
 "Well, then," said she, " a!l that dare not 
 fight may fall to prayers, and I warrant we shall 
 hear better news anon. God will not deceive 
 me, in whom my chief trust is." 
 
 Still there was the wildest confusion in the 
 palace, and few hearts there were calm. Shrieks 
 were uttered in every room, cheeks were white 
 with fear, but Queen Mary privately left the 
 palace, to cheer the soldiers. She saw that her 
 
248 THE LIFE OF 
 
 fate would be decided in a few moments ; that 
 she would soon meet with an ignominious end, 
 or at least a terrible disgrace, or she would tri- 
 umph over her enemies, and stand the proudest 
 queen of the world ! She stood between two 
 of her soldiers, within shot of the enemy, and 
 saw the valiant Pembroke make his final charge 
 which decided the battle. Wyatt's forces fled 
 in confusion, and such was the excitement and 
 terror of every one, that friends were mistaken 
 for foes, and the insurgents were only known 
 by their dress, which had been muddied in 
 coming hastily up to London. 
 
 Sir Thomas Wyatt sat down upon a stall in 
 Fleet Street, dispirited and fatigued, and in a 
 short time gave himself up quietly a prisoner, 
 and he was carried in triumph to court. 
 
 Thus ended the ^hree insurrections, the last one 
 of which came so near being successful, that the 
 court was striken with terror. Alas ! the conse- 
 quence was that the innocent Lady Jane Grey, 
 who had rested unconscious of the battles out- 
 side her prison walls, must lay down her life. 
 Her father had not only ensured his own down- 
 fall, but that of his daughter. Mary might have 
 rested content with his blood, had there been 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 249 
 
 no insurrection but the feeble one of wbicli he 
 was the head; but Wyatt's frightful approach 
 to success so alarmed her, that she was fully 
 ready to sacrifice whoever, in the opinion of 
 
 her council, was an enemy to the crown. 
 
 k 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 RESULT OF THE INSURRECTION. THE APPROACHING FATE OF LADY 
 
 JANE GREY. — MARY SIGNS LADY JANe's DEATH-WARRANT. SHE 
 
 PREPARES FOR DEATH. RELIGIOUS DISPUTE "WITH FECKENHAM. 
 
 LETTER TO HER FATHER. LETTER TO HER SISTER KATHARINE. 
 
 HER PRAYER, HER LAST HOURS. DEATH OF LORD GUILDFORD. 
 
 HER OWN TRIUMPHANT END. 
 
 The rebellion, the details of which we have 
 just contemplated, was, as we have remarked, 
 the immediate cause of Lady Jane Grey's death. 
 Queen Mary was at once beset by her courtiers 
 and councillors, who persuaded her to believe 
 that the death of Lady Jane was necessary to 
 the security of the crown. Alarmed as she had 
 been by the insurrections, she needed but little 
 argument to convince her that her innocent rela- 
 tion must be sacrificed. It is a most singular 
 fact, that the men who were the most urgent in 
 their desire for Lady Jane's execution, were the 
 very persons who had forced the crown upon 
 her, but who by base recantation now stood 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 251 
 
 higli at Mary's court. The Earl of Pembroke 
 and tlie Marquis of Westminster were these 
 men. They had, months before, urged with 
 the utmost eloquence Lady Jane to accept the 
 crown ; had, when she wept and fainted at the 
 thought of usurpation, actually pressed the bit- 
 ter cup to her lips, and now, with a cruelty and 
 wickedness scarcely surpassed in history com- 
 passed her death, urged Queen .Mary to execute 
 her at once ! 
 
 The Duke of Suffolk, Lady Jane's father, was 
 now, of course, a traitor, and sure of death. His 
 conduct was characterized by the utmost reck- 
 lessness, weakness, and madness. Qaeen Mary 
 had, with singular good-nature, pardoned him 
 for his former offence against her, pardoned him 
 after an imprisonment of only a few days, and 
 with a miserable grace now came his mad efforts 
 to raise a rebellion against his benefactor. The 
 most sad result of his conduct was the effect 
 which it had upon the fortunes of Lady Jane 
 Grey. He alone should have borne the penalties 
 for his misconduct, but in fact the heaviest blow 
 fell upon Lady Jane Grrey, who was made re- 
 sponsible for her father's conduct. The very 
 next day after the fray with "Wyatt, the queen 
 
252 THE LIFE OF 
 
 came to Temple Bar, and upon the spot still 
 damp with blood, signed the death-warrant of 
 Ladj Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley. 
 Her excuse was, that as long as a competitor to 
 the throne existed there would be rebellions, and 
 the safety of the Idfigdom demanded the death 
 of Lady. Jane. The warrant commanded the 
 execution of the unfortunate pair upon the ninth 
 day of February — it now being the seventh. 
 The queen evidently was frightened for her 
 safety, and not possessing a tender heart, con- 
 sented to the death of her lovely cousin without 
 manifesting much feeling. Excuse the act as his- 
 torians may, it was a frightful one, and it will for- 
 ever stamp the character of Queen Mary as vin- 
 dictive, cruel, and bloody. She knew perfectly 
 well the true history of Lady Jane's usurpation 
 of the crown — knew of her repugnance at ac- 
 cepting it, of her innocence, her youth, and her 
 gentle piety — must have known that under no 
 circumstances could she ever again be persuaded 
 to accept the crown, and yet, though she was 
 her relative, yet Mary consigned her, young, 
 beautiful, and pious as she was, to the scaffold ! 
 Had the queen possessed a woman's heart, she 
 never would have signed the death-warrant of 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 253 
 
 Lady Jane Grey. The truth is, lier heart was 
 cold, and her affections were withered by re- 
 peated disappointments, and she felt but little 
 sympathy for an enemy, in however distressing 
 a condition. 
 
 Only two days were allowed to Lady Jane to 
 prepare for her execution, but so full of piety 
 was her heart, that when Feckenham, a Catholic 
 priest, came to announce to her her fate, sbe 
 declared that she was ready and willing to die 1 
 Dr. Feckenham was a bigoted, though a very 
 sincere, and we believe a pious Catholic. He 
 attempted to reason with her upon religious 
 matters, but Lady Jane told him her time was 
 too short for controversy. He at once flew to 
 the queen, and told her that the time was too 
 short for the preparation of Lady Jane for death, 
 and that there could be no hope of winning her 
 over to the true faith so suddenly. The queen 
 therefore respited the execution for three days. 
 Feckenham went immediately to the prison 
 where Lady Jane was, and with his face glow- 
 ing with pleasure, informed her of the respite. 
 Lady Jane smiled sadly upon him, and replied: 
 
 "You have mistaken my meaning; I wish 
 not for delay of sentence, but for quiet from 
 
254 THE LIFE OF 
 
 polemic disputation." The priest seemed sur- 
 prised, but slie went on to make the exquisite- 
 ly beautiful remark : 
 
 " I am prepared to receive patiently my death, 
 in any manner it may please the queen to ap- 
 point. True it is, my flesh shudders, as is nat- 
 ural to frail mortality, but m}^ spirit will spring 
 rejoicingly into eternal light, where I hope the 
 mercy of God will receive it ! " 
 
 From this meek and beautiful reply, we may 
 judge of the state of Lady Jane's mind. She 
 was-calm, quiet, and fully prepared to die. At 
 times her spirit seems to have been joyous, at 
 others, burdened with a sweet melancholy, but 
 at no time she looked forward to her fate with 
 horror or bitter regret. Had she indulged in 
 paroxysms of grief, her conduct would not have 
 surprised the world, for she was very young and 
 frail, but her sublime courage won the sympa- 
 thy of all hearts. 
 
 Queen Mary was enraged at her calm reply 
 to Feckenham, and determined, if possible, to 
 force the truth upon her — to persecute her in 
 her few last hours, by wearisome religious dis- 
 putes. She sent Feckenham again to her, and 
 also sent several able Catholic divines, to discuss 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 255 
 
 with her the truths of the Catholic belief. Feck- 
 enham had little doubt but with the fear of 
 death before her eyes, he should have an easy 
 victory over his friend, Lady Jane, and begged 
 of her to appoint an hour for the discussion of 
 matters, which he insisted upon so deeply affect- 
 ed her eternal welfare. She beseeched of him, 
 in reply, if he really had any compassion for 
 her, to leave her to herself, to commune in sol- 
 emn silence with her Maker, before whose throne 
 she hoped soon to appear. To this gentle crea- 
 ture, whose death was certain to occur in a few 
 hours, the prospect of a polemic discussion with 
 a wily, though undoubtedly pious priest, must 
 have been painful. She needed her few last 
 hours for prayer and quiet contemplation, and 
 it would be strange if, in sight of the scaffold, a 
 young girl were to prove a match for a calm 
 and learned priest, in disputation. But Feck- 
 enham was bent upon a display of his powers, 
 and Lady Jane consented to the discussion. To 
 make the matter worse, Feckenham invited in a 
 number of the clergy and others to witness the 
 dispute. Among the witnesses were the noble 
 and learned, who came to see a professed dis- 
 putant vanquish a girl in religious argument 
 
256 THE LIFE OF 
 
 That scene would make a remarkable subject 
 for an artist. It was within the walls of the 
 bloody Tower, between a sombre, learned, big- 
 oted priest on the one side, and a fair, bloom^ 
 ing, lovely girl on the other ; and a crowd of 
 witnesses were gathered around — clergymen, no- 
 bles, and learned men ! What a striking picture 
 of the power of truth, however feeble the instru- 
 ment by which it is conveyed! 
 
 Feckenham commenced as follows : 
 
 Feckenham. — Madam, I lament your heavy 
 case, and yet I doubt not but that you bear 
 out this heavy sorrow of yours with a constant 
 and patient mind. 
 
 Lady Jane Grey. — You are welcome unto me, 
 sir, if 3^our coming be to give Christian exhorta- 
 tion. And as for my heavy case, I thank God, 
 I do so little lament it, that rather I account the 
 same for a more manifest declaration of God's 
 favor towards me, than ever he showed me at 
 any time before. And therefore there is no cause 
 why either you or others, which bear me no 
 good will, should lament or be grieved with this 
 my case, being a thing so profitable for my 
 soul's health. 
 
 F. — I am here come to you at this present 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 257 
 
 time to instruct you in the true doctrine of the 
 right faith : although I have so great confidence 
 in you, that I shall have, I trust, little need to 
 travel with you much therein. 
 
 Jaiie. — Forsooth, I heartily thank the queen's 
 highness, which is not unmindful of her humble 
 subject ; and I hope, likewise, that you no less 
 will do your duty therein, both truly and faith- 
 fully, according to that you were sent for. 
 
 F. — What is then required of a Christian 
 man ? 
 
 Jane. — That he should believe in God the 
 Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three per- 
 sons and one God. 
 
 F. — What, is there nothing else to be required 
 or looked for in a Christian, but to believe in 
 him? 
 
 Jane. — Yes, we must love him with all our 
 heart, and all our soul, and with all our mind, 
 and our neighbor as ourself. 
 
 F. — Why, then, faith neither justifieth, nor 
 saveth. 
 
 Jane. — Yes, verily, faith, as St. Paul saith, 
 only justifieth. 
 
 i^._Why, St. Paul saith. If I have all faith 
 without love, it is nothing. 
 
 17 
 
258 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Jane, — True it is; for how can I love him 
 whom I trust not? Or how can I trust him 
 whom I love not? Faith and love go both 
 together, and yet love is comprehended in 
 faith. 
 
 F, — How shall we love our neighbor ? 
 
 Jane. — To love our neighbor, is to feed the 
 hungry, to cloth the naked, and give drink to 
 the thirsty, and to do to him as we would do to 
 ourselves. 
 
 F, — Why, then it is necessary unto salvation, 
 to do good works also, and it is not sufficient 
 only to believe. 
 
 Jane. — I deny that, and I affirm that faith 
 only saveth ; but it is meet for a Christian, in 
 token that he followeth his master Christ, to do 
 good works, yet may we not say that they profit 
 to our salvation. For when we have done all, 
 yet we are unprofitable servants, and faith only 
 in Christ's blood saveth us. 
 
 F. — How many sacraments are there ? 
 
 Jane. — Two : the one the sacrament of bap- 
 tism, and the other the sacrament of the Lord's 
 supper. 
 
 F, — No, there are seven. 
 
 Jane. — By what scripture find you that ? 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 259 
 
 F. — Well, we will talk of that hereafter. But 
 what is signiiied by your two sacraments ? 
 
 Jane. — By the sacrament of baptism I am 
 washed with water, and regenerated by the Spir- 
 it, and tha.t washing is a token to me that I am 
 the child of God. The sacrament of the Lord's 
 supper offered unto me, is a sure seal and testi- 
 mony that I am, by the blood of Christ, which 
 he shed for me on the cross, made partaker of 
 the everlasting kingdom. 
 
 F. — Why, what do you receive in that sacra- 
 ment ? Do you not receive the very body and 
 blood of Christ ? 
 
 Jane. — Ko, surely, I do not so believe. I 
 think that at the supper I neither receive flesh 
 nor blood, but bread and wine ; which bread, 
 when it is broken, and the wine, when it is 
 drank, putteth me in remembrance how that for 
 my sins the body of Christ was broken, and his 
 blood shed on the cross, and with that bread 
 and wine, I receive the benefits that come by 
 the breaking of his body and the shedding of 
 his blood for our sins, on the cross. 
 
 F. — Why, doth not Christ speak these words : 
 •rake, eat ; this is my body ? Kequire you any 
 plainer words ? Doth he not say it is his body ? 
 
260 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Jane. — I grant lie saith so ; and so he saith, I 
 am the vine, I am the door ; but he is never the 
 more the door nor the vine. Doth not St. Paul 
 say, He calleth things that are not, as though 
 they were ? God forbid that I should say, that 
 I eat the very natural body and blood of Christ: 
 for then, either I should pluck away my re- 
 demption, or else there were two bodies, or 
 two Christs. One body was tormented on the 
 cross, and if they did eat another body, then 
 had he two bodies ; or, if his body were eaten, 
 then it was not broken upon the cross ; or, if it 
 were broken upon the cross, it was not eaten of 
 his disciples. 
 
 F. — Why? Is it not as possible that Christ, 
 by his power, could make his body both to be 
 eaten and broken, as to be born of a woman 
 without seed of man, and to walk "upon the sea, 
 having a body, and other such like miracles as 
 he wrought by his power only ? 
 
 Jane. — Yes, verily, if God would have done 
 at his supper any miracles, he might have done 
 so: but I say, that when he minded no work 
 nor miracles, but only to break his body, and 
 shed his blood on the cross for our sins. But 
 I pray you to answer me this one question : 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 261 
 
 Where was Christ when he said, Take, eat ; this 
 is my body ? Was he not at the table when he 
 said so ? He was at that time alive, and suffered 
 not till the next day* What took he but bread ? 
 what brake he but bread ? and what gave he but 
 bread ? Look, what he took he brake ; and 
 look, what he brake he gave; and look, what 
 he gave, they did eat : and yet all this while he 
 himself was alive, and at supper before his disci- 
 ples ; or else they were deceived. 
 
 F. — You ground your faith upon such authors 
 as say and unsay both in a breath, and not upon 
 the church, to whom you ought to give credit. 
 
 Jane, — ^No, I ground my faith on God's word, 
 and not upon the church ; for if the church be 
 a good church, the faith of the church must be 
 tried by God's word, and not God's word by the 
 church, nor yet my faith. Shall I believe the 
 church because of antiquity? or shall I give 
 credit to the church that taketh away from me 
 the half part of the Lord's supper, and will not 
 let any man receive it in both kinds? which 
 things, if they deny to us, then deny they to us 
 a part of our salvation. And I say that it is an 
 evil church, and not the spouse of Christ, but 
 the spouse of the devil, that altereth the Lord's 
 
262 THE LIFE OF 
 
 supper, and both taketh from it and addeth to 
 it. To that church (say I) God will add plagues, 
 and from that church will he take their part out 
 of the book of life. Do they learn that of St. 
 Paul, when he ministered to the Corinthians in 
 both kinds? Shall I believe this church ? God 
 forbid. 
 
 F. — That was done for a good intent of the 
 church, to avoid an heresy that sprang up 
 from it. 
 
 Jane.—Whjl shall the church alter God's 
 will and ordinance for good intent? How did 
 King Saul ? The Lord God defend. 
 
 The conversation proceeded in like manner, 
 but to no purpose. When Feckenham took his 
 leave he said : 
 
 F. — I am sorry for you ; for I am sure that 
 we two shall never more meet. 
 
 Jane. — True it is, that we shall never meet, 
 except God turn your heart. For I am assured 
 unless you repent and turn to God, you are in 
 an evil case : and I pray God, in the bowels of 
 his mercy, to send you his Holy Spirit : for he 
 hath given you his great gift of utterance, if it 
 pleased him also to open the eyes of your heart. 
 
 Throughout the whole discussion Lady Jane 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 263 
 
 conducted herself with the utmost calmness and 
 meekness ; indeed her witnesses were astonished 
 at her deportment, as well as by her vigor of 
 mind and language. She has left somewhere 
 among her books, the following lines in refer- 
 ence to this discussion : 
 
 " Mr. Feckenham gave me a long, tedious, yet 
 eloquent reply, using many strong and logical 
 persuasions to compel me to have leaned to their 
 church ; but my faith hath armed my resolution 
 to withstand any assault that words could then 
 use against me. Of many other articles of re- 
 ligion we reasoned ; but those formerly rehearsed 
 were the chiefest and most effectual. 
 
 "Jane Dudley." 
 
 The day had now arrived which at first had 
 been designated as the time for the execution of 
 Lady Jane and her husband. There had been 
 a respite granted, but Lady Jane refused to ac- 
 cept it ; but despite her refusal, the council post- 
 poned her execution until the 12th of February. 
 On the 10th, the wretched Duke of Suffolk was 
 brought to the Tower a prisoner, but it is sup- 
 posed that his daughter. Lady Jane, knew no- 
 thing of his arrest, for on the evening previous 
 
264 THE LIFE OF 
 
 she addressed to him a celebrated letter, which 
 follows. The Duke was thus brought to become 
 a witness of his daughter's dreadful fate; and 
 unless his heart was turned to stone, it must 
 have been filled with pain and remorse at the 
 sight of that fair, young girl, offered up upon 
 the scaffold as a sacrifice, to expiate his own 
 blunders or ambitious acts. For his sake 
 alone, or the sake of his friends, she had con- 
 sented to act the part she did, and now she was 
 receiving the penalty. It is, however, improper 
 to say that she consented to the usurpation, for 
 she never acquiesced in the plans of Northum- 
 berland and her father. She was literally ^orcec? 
 to accept the crown, and would have been par- 
 doned for the treason had her father not a 
 second time transgressed the laws of the nation, 
 and attempted to rally a few uneasy men in the 
 provinces around her name, — she all the time 
 the unoffending and innocent inmate of a prison, 
 — and thus ensure her destruction ! But at last 
 the Duke of Suffolk was in prison, from which 
 he never was to depart, but to walk up the steps 
 of a scaffold. Here in his dungeon his heart 
 could not have tasted the peace which diffused 
 a radiance over the countenance of his daughter, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 265 
 
 like tlie aureola of glory around the brow of an 
 angel ! How sadly must her letter liave come 
 to him — how fall it must have been of reproof — 
 and yet how tender and kind it is ! The fol- 
 lowing is a copy: 
 
 "letter from lady jane to her father. 
 
 " Father,— 
 
 " Although it hath pleased God to hasten 
 my death by you, by whom my life should 
 rather have been lengthened, yet can I so pa- 
 tiently take it, as yield more hearty thanks for 
 shortening my woful days, than if the whole 
 world had been given unto my possession, with 
 life lengthened at my own will. And albeit I 
 am well assured of your impatient griefs, re- 
 doubled manifold ways, both in bewailing your 
 own woe, and especially, as I hear, my unfortu- 
 nate state ; yet my dear father, if I may without 
 offence rejoice in my own mishaps, meseems in 
 this I may account myself blessed, that washing 
 my hands in the innocency of my fact, my guilt- 
 less blood may cry before the Lord, mercy to 
 the innocent. And yet though I must needs 
 acknowledge, that being constrained, and as you 
 
 wot well enough, continually assayed, in taking 
 L 
 
266 THE LIFE OF 
 
 upon me I seemed to consent, and therein griev- 
 ously offended the queen and her laws ; yet do 
 I assuredly trust, that this my offence towards 
 God is so much the less, in that being in so royal 
 estate as I was, my enforced honor blended 
 never with mine innocent heart : and thus, good 
 father, I have opened unto you the state where- 
 in I at present stand. Whose death at hand, 
 although to you, perhaps, it may seem right 
 woful, to me there is nothing that can be more 
 welcome, than from this vale of misery to aspire 
 to that heavenly throne of all joy and pleasure, 
 with Christ our Saviour. In whose steadfast 
 faith, if it may be lawful for the daughter so to 
 write to the father, the Lord that hitherto hath 
 strengthened you, so continue you, that at the 
 last we may meet in heaven with the Father, 
 the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Jane." 
 
 It is not known when this letter was received 
 by the Duke of Suffolk, but probably the day 
 before the execution of his meek daughter. N"or 
 is any mention made by any historian of those 
 times of which we write, of the effect it had 
 upon his mind. 
 
 The lieutenant of the Tower at this time was 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 267 
 
 Sir John Gage, and having many opportunities 
 of seeing Lady Jane and her husband, he could 
 not help loving them, and desired not only to 
 testify his respect and affection for them, but 
 wished also to secure some token of their esteem 
 for him, which he could keep in their memory. 
 He therefore presented them a small book, 
 bound in vellum, consisting of the devotions 
 of an English Protestant of noble blood, who 
 was wrongfully cast into prison. By some the 
 book was supposed to have been written by the 
 Duke of Somerset, and that the last five prayers 
 in the volume were added by him on his second 
 imprisonment, which ended in his execution. 
 Upon this book, on the margin. Lady Jane 
 wrote two notes, — one to her father, and one to 
 Sir John Gage, — and Lord Guildford wrote one 
 to his father-in-law, which was as follows : 
 
 "Your loving and obedient son wisheth unto 
 your grace long life in this world, with as much 
 joy and comfort as ever I wished to myself; 
 and in the world to come joy everlasting. 
 
 *' Your most humble son, till death, 
 
 " G. Dudley." 
 
268 THE LIFE OF 
 
 A few pages further on, upon tlie margin of 
 a leaf, is tlie 'following note from Lady Jane 
 Grey to her father : 
 
 " The Lord comfort your grace, and that 
 in his word, wherein all creatures only are to be 
 comforted. And though it hath pleased God to 
 take away two of your children, yet think not, 
 I most humbly beseech your grace, that you 
 have lost them ; but trust that we, by leaving 
 this mortal life, have now an immortal life. 
 And I, for my part, as I have honored your 
 grace in this life, will pray for you in another 
 life. Your always humble daughter, 
 
 "Jane Dudley." 
 
 To Sir John Gage, Lady Jane addressed the 
 following note, on the margin of the same book : 
 
 " Forasmuch as you have desired so simple a 
 woman to write in so worthy a book, good 
 master lieutenant, therefore I shall, as a friend, 
 desire you, and as a Christian require you, to 
 call upon God to incline your heart to his laws, 
 to quicken you in his way, and not to take the 
 words of truth utterly out of your mouth. Live 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 269 
 
 still to die, that by death you may purchase 
 eternal life ; and remember the end of Methusa- 
 leh, who, as we read in the Scriptures, was the 
 longest liver that was of a man, died at the last. 
 For as the preacher saith, there is a time to be 
 born and a time to die, and the day of death is 
 better than the day of our birth. 
 
 " Yours, as the Lord knoweth, as a friend, 
 
 "Jane Dudley." 
 
 The following day — the 11th of February — 
 Lady Jane was constantly absorbed in medita- 
 tion and prayer. In the evening she read the 
 New Testament in Greek. After reading for a 
 while she closed the book, then taking it up 
 again and looking at the end of it, she saw some 
 blank leaves, and taking pen and ink, wrote an 
 exhortation to her sister Katharine. When she 
 had finished it, she delivered the book to Mis- 
 tress Ellen, one of her attendants, asking her to 
 bear it to her sister, as a last token of her love 
 and remembrance. 
 
 It is as follows : 
 
 " Good Sister Katharine, — 
 
 "I have here sent you a book, which, al- 
 though it be not outwardly trimmed with gold, 
 
9Ji) THE LIFE OF 
 
 yet inwardly is more worth than precious stones. 
 It is the book, dear sister, of the law of the 
 Lord. It is his testament and last will, which 
 he bequeathed unto us wretches ; which shall 
 lead you to the path of eternal joy ; and if you, 
 with a good mind to read it, and with an earn- 
 est mind do purpose to follow it, it shall bring 
 you to an immortal and everlasting life. It shall 
 teach you to live, and learn you to die. It shall 
 win you more than you should have gained by 
 the possession of your wofal father's lands. For 
 as, if God had prospered him, you should have 
 inherited his lands ; so if you appl}^ diligently 
 this book, seeking to direct your life after it, you 
 shall be an inheritor of such riches, as neither 
 the covetous shall withdraw from you, neither 
 they shall steal, neither yet the moths cor- 
 rupt. Desire with David, good sister, to under- 
 stand the law of the Lord God. Live still to 
 die, that you, by death, may purchase eternal 
 life. And trust not that the tenderness of your 
 age shall lengthen your life ; for as soon, if God 
 calls, goeth the young as the old ; and labor 
 always to learn to die. Defy the world, deny 
 the devil, despise the flesh, and delight yourself 
 only in the Lord. Be penitent for your sins, 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 271 
 
 and yet despair not : be strong in faith, and yet 
 presume not; and desire with St. Paul, to be 
 dissolved, and to be with Christ, with whom, 
 even in death, there is life. Be like the good 
 servant, and even at midnight waking, lest when 
 death cometh and stealeth upon you as a thief 
 in the night, you be with the evil servant, found 
 sleeping : and lest for lack of oil, you be found 
 like the five foolish women, and like him that 
 had not on the wedding garment, and then ye 
 be cast out from the marriage. Kejoice in 
 Christ as I do. Follow the steps of your mas- 
 ter, Christ, and take up your cross : lay your 
 sins on his back, and always embrace him. 
 And as touching my death, rejoice as I do, 
 good sister, that I shall be delivered of this 
 corruption, and put on incorruption. For I am 
 assured that I shall, for losing a mortal life, win 
 an immortal life, the which I pray God grant 
 you, and send you his grace to live in his fear, 
 and to die in the true Christian faith, from the 
 which, in God's name I exhort you, that you 
 never swerve, neither for hope of life, nor for 
 fear of death. For if you will deny his truth to 
 lengthen your life, God will deny you, and 
 shorten your days. And if you cleave unto 
 
272 THE LIFE OF 
 
 him, lie will prolong your days to your comfort 
 and his glory. To which glory God bring me 
 now, and you hereafter, when it pleaseth him to 
 call you. Fare you well, good sister, and put 
 your only trust in God, who only must help 
 you. Jane." 
 
 This striking letter was written the night be- 
 fore she was executed. The solemn shades of 
 evening enveloped her apartment in the Tower, 
 and she well knew that the morning light would 
 come only to guide her feet to the scaffold ! As 
 a token of the state of her mind in the immedi- 
 ate prospect of death, this letter is exceedingly 
 interesting. The Testament in which it was 
 written still is preserved in England. 
 
 It would seem as if Mary would have allowed 
 her cousin to remain in quiet the last night 
 before her death ; but no, the moment Lady 
 Jane had finished her beautiful exhortation to 
 her sister, two bishops and two learned doctors 
 stood at the door of her apartments, seeking ad- 
 mission. They entered, and for two long hours 
 endeavored to persuade her to recant, and die 
 in the bosom of the Catholic church. And this 
 when her hours on earth were but few, and she 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 273 
 
 had begged them to go their way, and let her 
 rest in quiet. It may have been that nothing 
 but zeal was the cause for this persecution, but 
 it strikes us that one cause was anger at Lady 
 Jane's perseverance in her belief in Protestant- 
 ism, and her wonderful calmness in view of 
 death. The terrible efforts of her enemies to con- 
 vert her to Catholicism, look to us as if caused 
 by something else than mere religious zeal. 
 There was a kind of gratification in seeing her 
 obliged to answer all the difficult questions 
 which the cool and calculating priests could 
 put to her, in worrying the poor creature's last 
 hours, as the deer is worried by the ravenous 
 hounds. But it was impossible to disturb her 
 peaceful spirit, " for her faith being built upon 
 the rock Christ, was by no worldly persuasion 
 or comfort to be either moved or shaken ; so 
 that after the expense of time, and the loss of 
 much speech, they left her (as they said) a lost 
 and forsaken member ; but she, as before, prayed 
 for them, and with a most charitable patience 
 endured their worst censures." So writes a 
 faithful historian of her times. 
 
 At length the theological disputants left her 
 alone. It must now have been late in the even- 
 ' 18 
 
274 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ing, but Lady Jane, as soon as her visitors left, 
 sat down to the composition of a prayer which 
 had solaced her in prison. She wrote it out and 
 corrected it, and it has been carefully preserved 
 to this day. ^ It is as follows : 
 
 " A PEAYER MADE BY LADY JANE IN THE TIME 
 OF HER TROUBLE. 
 
 "O Lord, thou God and father of my life, 
 hear me, poor and desolate woman, which flieth 
 unto thee only, in all troubles and miseries. 
 Thou, O Lord, art the only defender and deliv- 
 erer of those that put their trust in thee ; and 
 therefore, I being defiled with sin, encumbered 
 with affliction, unquieted v/ith troubles, wrapt 
 in cares, overwhelmed with miseries, vexed with 
 temptations, and grievously tormented with long 
 imprisonment of this vile mass of clay, mj sin- 
 ful body, do come unto thee, O merciful Saviour, 
 craving thy mercy and help, without which so 
 little hope of deliverance is left, that I may 
 utterly despair of any liberty. Albeit it is ex- 
 pedient that, seeing our life standeth upon try- 
 ing, we should be visited sometime with some 
 adversity, whereby we might both be tried 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 275 
 
 whether we be of the flock or no, and also 
 know thee and ourselves the better ; yet thou 
 that saidst thou wouldst not suffer us to be 
 tempted above our power, be merciful unto 
 me now, a miserable wretch, I beseech thee, 
 humbly desiring thee that I may neither be 
 too much puffed up with prosperity, neither 
 too much pressed down with adversity, lest I, 
 being too full, should deny thee, my God, or 
 being too low brought, should despair, and blas- 
 pheme thee, my Lord and Saviour. merci- 
 ful G-od, consider my misery best known unto 
 thee ; and be thou now unto me a strong tower 
 of defence, I humbly require thee. Suffer me 
 not to be tempted above my power ; but either 
 be thou deliverer unto me out of this great 
 misery, or else give grace patiently to bear thy 
 heavy hand and sharp correction. It was thy 
 right hand that delivered the people of Israel 
 out of the hands of Pharaoh, which for the 
 space of four hundred years did oppress them, 
 and keep them in bondage. Let it, therefore, 
 likewise seem good to thy fatherly goodness, to 
 deliver me, a sorrowful wretch, for whom thy 
 son Christ shed his precious blood on the cross, 
 out of this miserable captivity and bondage 
 
276 THE LIFE OF 
 
 wherein I am now. How long wilt thou be 
 absent? Forever? Lord, hast thou forgot- 
 ten to be gracious, and hast thou shut up thy 
 loving kindness in displeasure ? Wilt thou be 
 no more entreated? Is thy mercy clean gone 
 forever, and thy promise come utterly to an 
 end forever more? Why dost thou make so 
 long tarry ? Shall I despair of thy mercy, O 
 God ? Far be that from me. I am thy work- 
 manship, created in Christ Jesus; give me grace, 
 therefore, to tarry thy leisure, and patiently 
 to bear thy works, assuredly knowing that 
 as thou canst, thou wilt deliver me, when it 
 shall please thee, nothing doubting or mistrust- 
 ing thy goodness towards me : for thou know- 
 est better what is good for me than I do : 
 therefore do with me, in all things, what thou 
 wilt, and plague me what way thou wilt. Only 
 in the mean time arm me, I beseech thee, with 
 thy armor, that I may stand fast, my loins being 
 girded about with verity, having on thy breast- 
 plate of righteousness, and shod with the shoes 
 prepared by the gospel of peace; above all 
 things taking to me the shield of faith, where- 
 with I may be able to quench all the fiery 
 darts of the wicked, and taking the helmet of 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 277 
 
 salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is 
 thy most holy word, praying always, with all 
 manner of prayer and supplication, that I may 
 refer myself wholly to thy will, abiding thy 
 pleasure, and comforting myself in those trou- 
 bles that it shall please thee to send me ; seeing 
 such troubles be profitable for me, and seeing I 
 am assuredly persuaded that it cannot be but 
 well all that thou dost. Hear me, O merciful Fa- 
 ther, for His sake whom thou wouldst should be 
 a sacrifice for my sins: to whom, with Thee 
 and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory. 
 Amen." 
 
 The feeling of the people in reference to the 
 execution of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guild- 
 ford Dudley, was intense. Sympathy for them 
 was expressed everywhere ; and, indeed, the 
 city of London was, from this and many other 
 causes, in a state of panic. Military law pre- 
 vailed, and fifty soldiers, who had deserted the 
 queen's standard, were hung. They were all 
 citizens of London, and were hung before their 
 own doors. Corpses were to be seen in every 
 street, and in every house in London there was 
 fear and agitation. And now came the morning 
 
278 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of Lady Jane Grey's execution. The Twelfth 
 day of February, 1554, is a day long to be re- 
 membered by students of Eoglish history, for 
 on that day perished one of the loveliest and 
 most innocent and gentle of all heroines. The 
 month of February is generally in England a 
 chilly and stormy month, and we may well 
 suppose that little beauty of nature was visible 
 that day ; so sad were the events then tran- 
 spiring, that it would hardly have been meet 
 for nature to be arrayed in her most attractive 
 robes. 
 
 Queen Mary at first intended that Lady 
 Jane and her husband should be executed to- 
 gether on Tower Hill. What could have been 
 her reason for wishing them to die together 
 we know not, but it certainly was a very cruel 
 thought. However, such was the universal and 
 strong feeling in favor of the unfortunate pair, 
 that the council, fearing that were the people to 
 see the death of Lady Jane, it would add fuel 
 to the fires of agitation still raging in the city, 
 countermanded the first order, and directed that 
 Lord Guildford Dudley should suffer alone on 
 the Tower Hill, and that Lady Jane Grey 
 should be executed within the walls of the 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 279 
 
 prison, and of course out of sight of the com- 
 passionate people. 
 
 Lord Guildford was soon informed of this 
 change in the attendant ceremonies of the exe- 
 cution, and was exceedingly anxious for an 
 interview with his wife. The queen was quite 
 willing that he should be gratified in his wish, 
 well knowing that it could only add to the 
 anguish of them both, and tend to discompose 
 their minds. Lady Jane was, however, suffi- 
 ciently prudent and courageous to refuse to see 
 her husband. She well knew that their meet- 
 ing must be agonizing, full of bitter tears and 
 pain, and that after such a scene neither would 
 be so calm and so well prepared to meet tri- 
 umphantly the death which awaited them. She 
 sent back word to her husband that the tender- 
 ness of their parting would overcome the forti- 
 tude of both, and would too much unbend their 
 minds from that constancy which their approach- 
 ing end required of them. Their separation, 
 she said, would only be for a moment : and that 
 they would soon rejoin each other, in a country 
 where their affections would be forever united, 
 and where death, disappointment, and misfor- 
 
280 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tunes could no longer have access to them, or 
 disturb their eternal felicity ! 
 
 A more beautiful reply could not have been 
 given, nor a wiser decision made. Indeed, 
 throughout the whole career of this angelic 
 creature, we are constantly surprised at her wis- 
 dom, as well as gentleness. Though tender in 
 years, constitution, and disposition, yet she ever 
 manifests the superior wisdom of age. This is 
 not mere panegyric — the reader has seen how 
 circumspectly Lady Jane conducted herself at 
 court amid every temptation, and how pure she 
 came from it ; has seen how prudently she ever 
 carried herself, how learned she was, and still 
 how lovely. There was only one mistake — the 
 acceptance of the crown — and it never can prop- 
 erly be said that she accepted it. Such was the 
 amount of persuasion and force used against her 
 better feelings and decisions, that she was scarce- 
 ly a free agent in the act of the usurpation of the 
 crown. Every other act of her life recorded in 
 history, redounds to her glory as a wise, truly 
 affectionate, and pious woman. 
 
 But we must hasten to describe the solemn 
 events of the memorable Twelfth. Soon after 
 Lady Jane Grey sent the communication just 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 281 
 
 alluded to, to Lord Guildford, he was led out of 
 the Tower. When he was outside of the gate, 
 he was given up to the custody of one of the 
 sheriffs of London, named Thomas Offleie. When 
 passing out to the gate, he walked immediately 
 beneath the window of Lady Jane, and for a 
 moment he gazed up at her with a look of sad- 
 ness yet of affection. She caught his eye, and 
 gave him a signal that she saw him, and that he 
 yet reigned over her heart. When he was out 
 of sight, she resumed her seat, and with perfect 
 calmness and resignation awaited the dread hour 
 of death. She had seen the last of her living 
 husband — in a few minutes more he would be in 
 eternity ! 
 
 When Lord Guildford arrived at the gate, 
 man}^ of his friends were there waiting for him, 
 and he shook hands tenderly with Sir Anthony 
 Bronne, John Throckmorton, and many others, 
 bidding thein farewell with calmness, and ask- 
 ing them to pra}^ for him. When he approached 
 the scaffold, he mounted it with dignified com- 
 posure, and knelt down in silent pra3^er to God. 
 It is said after he had been on his knees for a 
 few moments, he paused, and raised his eyes and 
 hands up to Heaven, while a single tear dropped 
 
282 THE LIFE OF 
 
 from his eye. A large crowd of people were 
 gathered about the place, and he spoke to them, 
 desiring that they would pray for him ; then he 
 quietly laid his head down upon the block, and 
 gave himself up to the executioner. The axe 
 fell — and he was dead. 
 
 His head was laid in a white cloth, and with 
 the body carried to a cart, in which they were 
 taken back to the Tower for burial. Kews of 
 his courage and noble conduct in death flew to 
 Lady Jane Grey, and she was comforted. She 
 was sitting quietly in her chamber, surrounded 
 by her attendants, when the rumbling of a cart 
 was heard. Lady Jane rose at once and walked 
 to the window. Her attendants endeavored to 
 keep her back, for they knew that in the cart 
 were the remains of her husband ; but she over- 
 came them with dignity, and passed to the win- 
 dow, and looked steadily down upon the lifeless 
 form of her loved husband. The sight must 
 have given her an awful shock, but the only 
 sign she exhibited was a deep, long sigh, and 
 the following apostrophe, which burnt from her 
 almost broken though calm heart : 
 
 " Oh ! Guildford ! Guildford 1 the antepast 
 is not so bitter that you have tasted, and that I 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 283 
 
 shall soon taste, as to make my flesh tremble ; 
 but that is nothing compared to the feast that 
 you and I shall this day partake of in Heaven ! " 
 
 But now her own time had come. Prepara- 
 tions had been making inside the walls of the 
 Tower for her execution, a scaffold being erect- 
 ed upon a green opposite to the White Tower. 
 When all was ready, the lieutenant of the Tow- 
 er, Sir John Grage, asked if she would not, before 
 she left her apartments, give to him a small 
 present, which he might keep alwa3^s as a me- 
 morial of her. She gave him a table book, 
 where she had just written three sentences — one 
 in Greek, one in Latin, and one in English — 
 upon her husband's dead body. The meaning 
 of these sentences was that human justice was 
 against his body, but that divine mercy would 
 save his soul ; that if her own fault deserved 
 punishment, yet her youth at least, and her im- 
 prudence, were worthy of excuse, and that God 
 and posterity would show her favor. 
 
 In her chamber she scratched the following 
 with a pin : 
 
 " Deo juvante, nil nocet malus ; 
 
 Et non juvante, nil juvat labor gravis. 
 Post tenebris, spero lucem." 
 
281 THE LIFE OF 
 
 These lines have been translated as follows: 
 
 " Whilst God assists us, Envy bites in vain ; 
 If God forsake us, fruitless all our pain. 
 
 I hope for light after darkness," 
 
 Four more lines, the following, it is said were 
 also written by lier : 
 
 " Wliate'er by man, as mortal, is assigned, 
 Should raise compassion, reader, in thy mind ! 
 Mourn others' woes, and to thy own resign ; 
 The fate Avhlch I have found, may soon be thine." 
 
 Lady Jane, being told that everything was 
 ready for her execution, arose, and accompanied 
 by her attendants, walked to the scaffold. Her 
 countenance was natural and happy ; not a sin- 
 gle tear was in her eyes, nor scarcely a shade of 
 sorrow upon her countenance. Her two maids, 
 or attendants, Elizabeth Tilney and Mistress 
 Ellen, wept aloud, but their sweet mistress was 
 serene and beautiful as a summer morning. 
 When she was come down from Master Par- 
 tridge's home, where her apartments were, she 
 was delivered into the hands of the London 
 sheriffs, and her conduct was so modest, and 
 yet so fearless, without agitation or curiosity, 
 that every one was surprised. As a striking 
 writer has said, "like a divine body, going to 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 285 
 
 be united to her heart's best and longest beloved, 
 so showed she forth all the beams of a well- 
 mixed and well-tempered alacrity, rather in- 
 structing patience how it should suffer, than 
 being by patience any way able to endure the 
 the travail of so grievous a journey." 
 
 The lieutenant offered her his hand to lead 
 her forth, and she took it without the slightest 
 symptom of fear, without any paleness of cheek, 
 and without a tear. While she was walking to 
 the scafPold, she held in her hand a book, by the 
 help of which she prayed very fervently, though 
 Feckenham accompanied her, and endeavored 
 to interrupt her in her devotions. She ascend- 
 ed the scaffold as naturally as if she had been 
 mounting the stairs of her own chamber^ and 
 stood meekly before her murderers until there 
 was silence, when she spoke to the people pres- 
 ent as follows, in a clear and pleasant voice : 
 
 " Good people, I come hither to die, and by a 
 law I am condemned to the same. My offence 
 against the queen's highness was only in consent 
 to the device of others, which is now deemed 
 treason ; but it was never of my seeking, but by 
 counsel of those who would seem to have fur- 
 ther understanding of such things than I, who 
 
286 THE LIFE OF 
 
 knew little of the law, and much less of the titles 
 to the crown. The fact, indeed, was unlawful, 
 and the consenting thereto by me, or in my be- 
 half. I do wash my hands thereof in innocence, 
 before Grod and you, good Christian people, this 
 day." When she pronounced these words Lady 
 Jane wrung her hands, some thought from agony 
 of mind, but it was undoubtedly an action to 
 illustrate her words. She went on with perfect 
 composure to say, " I pray you all, good Chris- 
 tian people, to bear me witness, that I die a true 
 Christian woman, and that I look to be saved 
 by none other means but only by the mercy of 
 God, and the merits of the blood of his only 
 son, Jesus Christ ; and I confess when I did 
 know the word of God, I neglected the same, 
 and loved myself and the world, and therefore 
 this plague and punishment is happily and wor- 
 thily happened unto me for my sins ; and yet I 
 thank God of his goodness, that he has thus 
 given me time and respite to repent. And now, 
 good people, while I am alive, I pray you to 
 assist me with your prayers." 
 
 Lady Jane was surrounded by Catholic di- 
 vines ; not a single Protestant clergyman was 
 allowed to be with her during her last moments ; 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 287 
 
 and in her speech she seems to have determined 
 to let the world know that she died in the Pro- 
 testant faith. Perhaps she was afraid that they 
 would attempt to make her out a convert to 
 Catholicism, so strenuous had been their exer- 
 tions to that end ; and therefore her dying 
 speech set at rest, at once and forever, the 
 question. 
 
 When she was through speaking she knelt 
 down to pray, and seeing Feckenham at her 
 side, she pointed at a psalm in her book, and 
 meekly asked : 
 
 " Shall I say this psalm ? " 
 
 His reply was a simple " Yea ; " and Lady 
 Jane repeated the Miserere mei Deus in English, 
 and in a solemn manner. When she had repeat- 
 ed this psalm, she said to Feckenham : 
 
 "God will abundantly requite you, good sir, 
 for your humanity to me, though your dis- 
 courses gave me more uneasiness than all the 
 terrors of my approaching death." 
 
 Her devotions were now ended, and she was 
 ready for the sacrifice of her life. She arose 
 from her knees, still calm and beautiful, and 
 began to undress, first taking off her gloves, and 
 then her handkerchief, which articles she hand- 
 
288 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ed to Elizabeth Tilney, lier maid. A book, 
 which heretofore she had held in her hand, she 
 now gave to the lieutenant's brother, Mr. Thom- 
 as Brydges. 
 
 She was proceeding to unloose her gown, 
 when the executioner, meaning no harm, some- 
 what rudely attempted to assist her, but she 
 mildly requested that he would not touch her ; 
 and turning to her maids, Elizabeth and Ellen, 
 asked them to assist her. Her gown was un- 
 loosed and taken off, and then her " froze peste 
 and handkerchief." When this was done, her 
 maids gave her a white handkerchief, with 
 which it was expected she would bandage her 
 eyes. 
 
 The executioner, who seems to have been 
 touched by her gentle behavior, and perhaps 
 feared that she was offended with him for his 
 attempt to assist her in unrobing, now knelt at 
 her feet and asked her forgiveness for what he 
 had done and was about to do, which she ac- 
 corded to him in the. sweetest manner. The 
 executioner then rose up and asked her to stand 
 upon some straw. In doing so she caught her 
 first glance at the fearful fatal block. But 
 it is said that she did not shrink from, nor 
 
LADY JANE GREY. %S9t 
 
 show any fear of it, but said simply to the 
 executioner : 
 
 "I pray you dispatch me quickly.'* 
 • After saying this she knelt down and asked : 
 
 " Will you take it off before I lay me down ? " 
 
 The executioner answered, 
 ^o, madam." 
 
 Lady Jane now, without any apparent agita- 
 tion, took with her own beautiful hands the 
 white handkerchief, which we have before al- 
 luded to, and tied it carefully over her eyes. 
 She was now blindfolded, and endeavored to feel 
 for the block, and asked, *' What shall I do ? 
 Where is it?" 
 
 A person near her, on the scaffold, guided her 
 to the block, and she instantly laid her head 
 upon it, and then, stretching her body out grace- 
 fully, rested for a moment, then exclaimed : 
 
 *' Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit I" 
 
 There was a moment of appalling silence — 
 then the axe fell, and her lovely head rolled 
 away from the body. 
 
 It is said that scarcely one of the spectators 
 
 witnessed her death without tears, and many 
 
 cried aloud. Even the hard-hearted priests who 
 
 came to enjoy her agony, could not refrain from 
 
 ^' 19 
 
290 THE LIFE OF 
 
 weeping, and the good-hearted, though bigoted 
 Feckenham, was filled with anguish. 
 
 Fuller declares that " it is reported that Lady 
 Jane was as ladies wish to be who love their 
 lords," when she was executed, and adds, "it 
 was cruelty to cut down the tree with blossoms 
 on it ; and that which has saved the lives of 
 many women, hastened her death ; but God 
 only knows the truth thereof." We know not 
 what cause Fuller had for his remark, as no his- 
 torian mentions any such fact or report. 
 
 Judge Morgan, so Fox writes, who sentenced 
 Lady Jane to death, shortly after her execution 
 went mad, and in his raving, constantly shouted 
 the name of Lady Jane Grey, and asked to have 
 her taken away from him ; and so his life ended. 
 It is not strange that the scene of her execution, 
 which perhaps he was a witness of, should haunt 
 the wretched man ; that the saint-like person of 
 Lady Jane, whom he Jiad so unjustly consigned 
 to an early death, should refuse to quit the 
 chambers of his diseased mind, when upon his 
 death-bed. There was a feeling everywhere 
 abroad, which accused Mary and her council 
 of cruelty in the execution of Lady Jane Grey, 
 and time has strengthened that feeling, until at 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 291 
 
 this day no one will attempt for a moment to 
 justify her terrible act. There was really not 
 the slightest danger to her crown from the con- 
 tinued existence of Lady Jane ; and we think 
 that though she may have been alarmed by her 
 council, by representations of the insurrection- 
 ary state of the kingdom, yet one of the truest 
 reasons why she signed the death-warrant was 
 that, after all, she hated her cousin, as there is 
 the best of evidence that she had done many 
 years before. Lady Jane Grey's father and 
 friends had been guilty of assisting in the deg- 
 radation of the queen's mother and herself, and 
 the claims of Lady Jane to the throne was with- 
 out validity, unless Mary was declared to be 
 of illegitimate birth. The queen could never 
 overlook these facts — nor could Elizabeth, who 
 reigned after her, and who, alike with Mary, 
 was illegitimated by Northumberland and Suf- 
 folk in their state papers. 
 
 But when the innocent Lady Jane had expi- 
 ated her mistake on the scaffold, it must have 
 been that occasionally her memory rendered the 
 pillow of the "queen less fraught with pleasant 
 dreams than it would have been, had Lady 
 Jane Grey never perished by her hand. In the 
 
292 LADY JANE GREY. 
 
 silent watches of the night, she must have some- 
 times seen the innocent girl's blood upon that 
 pillow. One thing is very certain, that never 
 afterward does she seem to have been happy ; 
 and she expired at last under circumstances of 
 gloom and sadness. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 TRIAL OF THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK. HIS EXECUTION. END OF WTATT. 
 
 LADY KATHARINE AND LADY MARY GREY. PERSECUTION OP 
 
 QUEEN ELIZABETH, THE END. 
 
 Having concluded our narrative of the career 
 of Ladj Jane Grrey, — her childhood, marriage, 
 queenhood, and death, — little remains to be said. 
 A few words, however, will be necessary, to 
 sketch the fortunes of those persons who were 
 intimately connected with our heroine. 
 
 The Duke of Suffolk, Lady Jane's father, 
 when taken into custody by the queen's officers, 
 acted like a child, crying and moaning over 
 his fate. Five days after the execution of his 
 glorious child, he was himself brought to trial at 
 Westminster Hall. Ho was indicted for levying 
 war against ihe queen, and adhering to the 
 cause of Sir Thomas Wyatt, in order to depose 
 the queen, and set the crown upon the head of 
 his daughter. 
 
294 THE LIFE OF 
 
 He answered, that it was not treason for a 
 peer of the realm, which he was, to raise his 
 power and make his proclamation to avoid 
 strangers out of the land making allusion to 
 the Spaniards. The judges replied that he had 
 done more; that he had opposed the queen's 
 lieutenant at the head of her majesty's forces, 
 which could not be construed as aught but high 
 treason. He replied that he knew not that the 
 person he opposed was the queen's lieutenant ; 
 that his brother had advised him to go down 
 into the country, where he would be safe among 
 his tenants ; but if he staid in town, he would 
 be committed to the Tower again. 
 
 The duke was condemned to death, and very 
 justly, too, we think ; for he had committed 
 treason for the second time, and that, too, with 
 the utmost recklessness of character. When he 
 returned from Westminster Hall, the duke was 
 very sad, and desired all the persons whom he 
 met to pray for him. Six days afterward, on 
 the twenty-third day of February, he was 
 brought to the place of execution on Tower 
 Hill, where he confessed that his sentence was 
 a just one, because he had been disloyal to 
 Queen Mary. He asked the people who were 
 
LADY JANE GREY. 295 
 
 gathered to witness his death, to take warning 
 from his fate, and be dutiful to the government. 
 He avowed himself a believer in the Christian 
 religion, and hoped for eternal mercy through 
 Christ. After saying this, he was beheaded. 
 
 Sir Thomas Wyatt met his fate on the 11th 
 of April ; and a fortnight after, Lord Thomas 
 Grey, brother to the late Duke of Suffolk, was 
 beheaded on Tower Hill. At this time, Eliza- 
 beth, afterwards so renowned, was herself a 
 prisoner, and in the same prison with her was 
 Eobert Dudley, brother to Guildford Dudley, 
 Lady Jane Grey's husband. This person after- 
 wards became the celebrated Earl of Leicester, 
 and was Queen Elizabeth's favorite. By some 
 it is asserted that the queen began to love him 
 at this time, when they were in prison together. 
 The Duchess of Suffolk survived her husband 
 and her daughter for many years, dying in the 
 year 1563. She married again, but her second 
 husband was a gentleman much beneath her in 
 social position ; but it is suggested that she 
 married low purposely, that she might be over- 
 looked, and allowed to live out her remaining 
 days in security. Her husband's name was 
 Adrian Stokes, and for many years he was one 
 
296 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of her family domestics. There was little Id 
 her character which can command our respect, 
 though perhaps she was the equal of her husband 
 
 Of Lady Jane Grey's two sisters, Lady Kath 
 arine and Lady Mary, but little is known. Lady 
 Katharine had been betrothed to Lord Herbert, 
 son of the Earl of Pembroke, but he repudiated 
 the engagement for political reasons, now that 
 the name of Suffolk was covered with disgrace. 
 Lady Katharine was thus most shamefully de- 
 serted. Fuller says quaintly of her : 
 
 " This Heraclita, or Lady of Lamentation, thus 
 repudiated, was seldom seen with dry eyes for 
 some years together, sighing out her sorrowful 
 condition ; so that though the roses in her 
 cheeks looked very wan and pale, it was not for 
 want of watering." 
 
 During the reign of Elizabeth, the Lady 
 Katharine fell in love with Edward Seymour, 
 Earl of Hertford. They were married secretly ; 
 but one day the queen discovered that Lady 
 Katharine was enciente, and the secret came out 
 that they had married without the queen's 
 leave. Here was an excellent opportunity for 
 Elizabeth to retaliate upon the daughter for the 
 wrongs committed by her father many years 
 
LADY JANR GREY. 297 
 
 before upon the queen, and she sent the couple 
 to prison. Lady Katharine begged her friend, 
 the Earl of Leicester, — brother to Lady Jane's 
 husband, — to intercede In their behalf; but the 
 eai-1 dared not, for at that time lie hoped to 
 marry his queen, and cared not to remind her 
 of his relationship to treasonable men. He 
 therefoi-e refused the suit of Katharine. In 
 prison, the couple found means of access to each 
 otlicr, and in the course of time a second child 
 was born, and a costly child it was to them, for 
 the queen fined them £20,000. For seven long 
 years she was confined to her dungeon, for the 
 simple reason that she was a sister to the saint- 
 like Lady Jane Grey. This was not the osten- 
 sible but the true reason for Elizabeth's outra- 
 geous cruelty. Lady Katharine, at the end of 
 seven years, expired, worn down with grief and 
 trouble. 
 
 Lady Mary Grey married a man of humble 
 origin, purposely to escape the sad fate of her 
 two sisters. She died childless in 1575. 
 
 When we contemplate the lessons which his- 
 tory affords us, the conviction becomes strong 
 in our hearts-:— we cannot escape it if we would 
 
 — that beyond this sphere of action there is a 
 m 
 
298 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Court, before which all personages, whether kings 
 or peasants, must be tried, and where all the 
 unrighteous verdicts rendered here will be over- 
 ruled, and pure justice administered to all, with- 
 out respect of persons. It were easy to imagine 
 before that judgment- throne the persons who 
 have figured prominently in our pages — Henry 
 yilL, covered with the blood of his victims— 
 Queen Mary, earnest, but vindictive and cruel- 
 hearted — and pure, spotless, glorious Lady Jane 
 Grey! We might go further, and decide, in 
 our imaginations, the fate awaiting each — but 
 we have no right. God will judge righteously, 
 and with Him we may trustingly confide the 
 ministration of mercy and justice to our fellow- 
 creatures and ourselves. 
 
THE DKAUTIFUL-TllE COOD-THE TRUE ! 
 
 TEMPERANCE TALES 
 
 AND 
 
 ii EARTH-STOxHE REVEllIES. 
 
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 illustrations, nmsliii, 884 pjx 12mo. Price $1,25. 
 
 Voice of tbe Press. — Brief Extracts. 
 
 Wn at I:isi l!;(\H- a Teitijiciynirc. Book that i)Ipases lis. Tiiurlow W. Brown has pIveB 
 ^^ Midi a iiui.k, ;tiut t'vi-ry lovor of tlie good, tlsf beautiful, and the true, should thank 
 hiiiiforit. — Clii,<((jn Trihtnie. 
 
 The LrtitTS to a Fririid arc woll atid powt-rfully written, while the Tales and Sketches 
 have an air of naturalness about them, whieli, coiiil)iiied with preat vigor of exjiression, 
 \> i 1 v<Tv |in)bab!v render theni favorites witli a large portion of tiie reading public. — Ar- 
 
 There i.- a vein of i>oetry running throngh all he writes ; and many of his Eeveries 
 ft'-, intieiiie.g and beautiful. — Syrni"ii>^e Sf(iinhii<J. 
 
 ■{"he wl'u e is wrlttfii in a elear and eaiitivating stjde, well calculated to please and in- 
 slvc'., and wi-l! a<la|ii^ed tu promote the great temperance cause. — <''aii(i<la C'hrift. Adv. 
 
 Tiie Tale.'' and SUi'tehes are intensely inreresting: no novel more so, and will be aa 
 pernieioiis reading amotig tlie inditferent, and the sii'[)ers of cordials, &.<:.. a-s Uncle Tom 
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 stii>ni£ 'liii!k.-<. — Whiiiliinii ( 17.) i))'iiiovr<ii. 
 
 Full, of freshiiess and earnestness, and pregnant with .saving influences. Its circulation 
 will aid iiie noble eaiise, and make con\erts among those whom our spee.(;hes and tracta 
 \\VA\ not reach. — Wiiter Cure Jonrvul. 
 
 'ilie e'lfitents of this Work show considerable care in their j)re[iaration, although they 
 \v re written during the respite of more arduous labor. The reader will never grow 
 weary of reading such tales as Edward Carlton, Mortimer Hudson, or Mary Linn, o: 
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 The stories in Mr. Brown's book go down to the bottom of the sonl, and hold the 
 reader in h;'N\ irchiiig airony to rise and strike for freedom. — Carf:on Learjiis. 
 
 As a temperance orator and writer the author has but few superiors in point of efFec- 
 ti\eiii"ss, ani! as a true lover of the cause, his devotion is seldom surpassed. — Teetotaler. 
 
 Tiiey e\i';-e tir.st and foremost, a sincere and earnest S3-m[)athy, and a righteous in- 
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 uurks (if imagination. Some of them are rei)lete with alFecting suggestions, and all do 
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 The work will be read with interest and profit; it contains many beautiful passages, 
 and is pervaded by a pure, manly, healthy sentiment. — Northern Ch/isfidn Ad/vocats. 
 
 Whoever would see the Temperance reform illnstrated by irresistible lessons from 
 life, uuiy turn to these pages with the assurance of being amply gratified. To t€m[»e- 
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 This book should be in every famil.y. It is a book for the firoside— for the family. It 
 will insiiM prijiciples into tlie heart.s of the young, that M-ili serve them in after years 
 w hen thev iro oiit to battle v.-ith the temiitations and realities of life. Every copy that \i 
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THE NORTHERN SE MIRAMIS I 
 
 MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE AND REIGN 
 
 OF 
 
 CATHERINE THE SECOND, 
 
 <f mptss of Jvussia ; 
 
 WITH HER SUCCESSORS. 
 
 COMPRISING INCIDENTS IN RUSSIAN HISTORY TO THE FALL OF SEVASTOPOL. 
 
 BY SAMUEL M. SMUCKKR, A. M. 
 One Volume, 338 pp. 12ii20., Steel Portrait, Price %1 00. 
 
 OPINIONS OF REVIEWERS. 
 
 rhia is deciaedly a well written work. It is of great value at this time, when tlie 
 public are so much interested in all that pertains to Kassian history.— Saturdaij Eve 
 ning Mail. 
 
 Catharine II., great-grandmother of the present Emperor of Russia, inaugurated the 
 6ystem of national policy which England and France are now seeking to foil. With 
 rnany grave and important faults of character, slie was, nevertheless, wise, fearless, and 
 politic. Her policy has guided the fate of the empire since her death, and is now settling 
 the condition of Europe, perhaps for centuries. The life under notice is a full and able 
 one, and will be read with general and intense interest — Detrait Advertiser. 
 
 An impartial review of one of the most exciting periods in the history of the Ronia- 
 noflf dynasty. — PMladelpJda Dispatch, 
 
 We know of nothing that reads so like a better class romance, as that part of Rusplaii 
 history which includes the story of Catharine II.; a story well and comprchonsive.ly 
 told in the present volume. All books relating to Russia are read with great interest.. 
 The present is among the best of those books recently published. — If. Y. Criterion. 
 
 This work fills a vacant niche in the gallery of history, there being no otlier work of a 
 popular character in the language, devoted to the history and delineation of tliis exti'a' 
 ordinary character. Catherine II. of Russia was in many respects the most T' iiuirk- 
 abie woman of any age or country. 8he has been not inaptly styled the .Sciniraniifi 
 of the North. Her career and reign abounded in thrilling incidents and imjioriap.t 
 events, which deserve a careful and truthful record. It is a useful and interesting VmwV.. — 
 Troy Times. 
 
 V^^ielding a pleasant pen, the author has aimed at such an exposition of rathorine s 
 political projects and designs as to give a very satisfactory view of Russia, during rliis 
 era. esj>ecially in her aggressive and amMtiousphiisas. It is an instructive, ant! of course 
 sn entertaining work. — JsT. Y. Evangelist. 
 
 'V\\o liistory of so remarkable a woman as Catherine If. of iJussia, who.se force of mind 
 ■ind plan of execution are even now. in the persons of her doscejidants, exerting a v;i.~[ 
 inilnence on the progress of events, could not be dull or unintt're«ting. But in tlie \:r- 
 iiiiio l.efore us we are not only placed in possession of all those iiistoricai facts necssarv 
 fo a correct understanding of her personal character and the events of her long reign, hnt 
 the narrative is characterized by a genial enthusiasm for the subject and ni We tiiaii uv- 
 dinary polish and dignity of style. There are details in the life of tlie gn-at em [nv.ss— 
 great alike for lier intellect and licentiousness — winch need cautious and didi<'atc nar- 
 ration, and we are happy to observe in this work that while t!ie rigid <loinands nf his- 
 tiirical accuracy are adiiered to, there is nothing to gratify a prurient taste. — Detroit 
 Drnif-'crat and Enquirer. 
 
 The history of her life and reign is replete with striking incidents, novel adventures, 
 and remarkable displays of talent heroism, and passion, xknd yet we have ne\er met 
 with n work save tiie one under consideration, that furnishes any 8ati>fact.ory account 
 of her eventfnl career.— Genemr (hurier. 
 
 MiLLKIi, OivTON & CO., Publishers, 
 
 20 i'ciikiiuvv, New Yuik, and 107 (ieuesee si., Aubui'ii 
 
mks bx p0itng 
 
 Young Man's Book. 
 
 Or, Self-Education, by Eev. TVm. Hosmeb, frontispiece on Steel, 291 
 
 pp. 12mo., Muslin, 75 cents. 
 
 A constant and persevering determination to tread in the steps whicL naturally lead 
 5 honor.— «/; Q. Adams. 
 
 We are plad to see snch books launched out upon the sea of public mind. They 
 iftrc safe orafts and freicrlited with wholesome and salutary truths. Mr. Hosmer writes 
 Tor the trood of his readers, and deals in the plain and practical matters of man's educa- 
 tion and course of life. He is a safe counselor for the young, and never gilds a perni- 
 uious sentiment in the seductive drapery of rhetoric. This book has the calm and 
 truthful characteristics of the author. He writes with an eye upon man's highest des- 
 tiny upon earth, and the great results of his living, in Heaven. — Ca/yuga Chief, 
 
 Or Familiar Letters on Self-knoAvledge, Self-education, Female Soci- 
 ety, Ma'-viage, (fee, by Dr. Wm. A. Alcott, frontispiece, 312 ppk 
 12mo., Muslin, 75 cents. 
 
 " Up ! it is a glorious era ! 
 
 Never yet has dawned its peer! 
 Up and work ! and then a nobler 
 
 In the future shall appear I " 
 
 CONTENTS LEADING HEADS. 
 
 eliminary Kemarks; Self-respect and Self-reverence; Self-knoAvledgc; Self-depen 
 •icncc; Self-education; Harmony of Character; Self-instruction; Light Keading ; C"'r- 
 .■•ct Conversation; The Schools; The Love and Spirit of Progress; Love of Inqiiiry; 
 or, Free-tliinking; Eight Use of Ourselves ; Physiolog^v; Phrenolosy; Physiognomy; 
 Traveling; Conscientionsness; Love of Excitement; On Purity; Models and Model 
 Cliaracter ; l^rcision and Firmness; Setting Up in Business; Money -getting; Pleasure 
 Seelimg: Mental Excitants ; Kespect for Age; Duties to the Aged ; Politics and Polit- 
 ical Duties; Female Society; General Duty of Marriage; Eeligiou and Skepticism; 
 Tlie Christian Peligioi ; Death and Futurity. 
 
 'oMea Steps for tlie Yoimg. 
 
 To Usefulness, Hespectability and Happiness, by John Mather 
 
 Austin, author of " Voice to Youth," frontispiece on Steel, 243 pi». 
 
 12nio., Muslin, 75 cents. 
 
 Wo. honor the heart of the writer of this volume as well as his head. Tie lias here 
 addressed an earnest and manly appeal to the young, every page of wliicli [iroves hia 
 sincerity and iiis desire for tlieir welftwe. The subjects treated of in the different h-c 
 tiires are those indicated on the title page. Integrity and virtue, usefulness, truth ano 
 honor, are the '-Golden Steps" by which the young may ascend to respectability, ust 
 [ulness, and happiness, — AU/any State Register. 
 
 MILLER, Or.TON & CO., Publishers, 
 
 25 Viu\ Row, New York, and 1(>7 Genesee st.. Aubui' 
 
GEM FOK THE LITTLE FOLKS 1 
 In every Home and Sabbath School! 
 
 THE BEAUTIFUL GATE, 
 
 A COLLECTION OF JUVENILE STORIES: 
 
 COMPEISINQ 
 
 •'A STORY OF THE CROSS," *• THE LITTLE STREET SINGERS," ""THE PINK SHELi, 
 
 AND THE SEA WEED," " LITTLE ALICe's PRAYER," "THE TOWN PUMP," 
 
 "THE FRAGRANT ARTIFICIALS," "THE BELL RINGERS," "THE ROBIN IN 
 
 THE SWAMP," "THE GARDEN," AND "THE TRUMPET FLOWER." 
 
 BY CAROLINE CHESEBRO. 
 
 One Elegant Volume, Illvistratetl, 235 pp. 16nio., Muslin^ 
 Gilt. Price 63 Cents. 
 
 NOTICES OF THE PRESS, 
 
 This a very attractive little volume, and -will be gladly welcomed to many a fireside 
 during the coming Holidays. The Tales are full of interesting incidents, related in a 
 [ilea.'^ing manner, and their tendency is to elevate the mind and to purify I lie heart. We 
 have seldom met with a more desirable i)resent for a faaiily circle. — iV. Y. Journul, 
 
 Bein:r a capital Gift Book fur the Holidays, it will doubtless reach a wide circulation. 
 We commend tliis work to the Clergy, that it may find a place in their Sabbath School 
 \A\,x-Ax\'i^.— Daily Adxeriiser 
 
 Miss Chesebro is a charming writer, and has succeeded admirably in several works, 
 wliich have had a wide circulation, and secured for Ler a high and enviable reputation 
 among t.lie female writers of the day. — Troy Times. 
 
 Miss Chesebro is a deliglitful writer for children, and this, her latest work, will not fail 
 to be welcomed by host3\)f her little friends.— ^yi'^o/?- Atlas. 
 
 A beautiful book for children, and we wish a copy of it was in the hands of every cliiid 
 in Ihe country. We don t care how many sucb Gates are opened — the more the better. 
 It will make a splendid New Year's present. — Family Journal. 
 
 As a Gift Book for the Tlolidiiys, we know none we would sooner place in the hands 
 cf the young, than the little book before us.— iV. Y. Mercury. 
 
 'I'his is a delightful book for onr little friends. It contains in all eleven tales, of which 
 <he " Heauiiful Gate" is the longest These tales combine enough of the fanciful ami 
 cai. iu)t only to be of the greatest interest to children, but to excite that species of curi- 
 o.-itv which 'educates. There has not a more elegant or appropriate book for children 
 oonie under our observation this season. We may add that it has a few choice illustra- 
 *i(>ns. and combines all those elegancies of book-making art for winch its publishers are 
 bocouiing justly noted. — Democrat and Enquirer. 
 
 This is an elegant volume for the little folks, beautifullj'- illustrated, and is just the thing 
 fur the apiiroMchinsi Holidays. Miss Chesebro is a very happy writer, especially for chil- 
 dren, with whom slie has the liveliest symfiathj'. The Beautifid Gate is full of pheasant, 
 msn-uctive inciilents. written in an easy, chaste, and simple style, which admirably 
 adapts it to the wants of the child. —Star Spangled Banner, 
 
 MILLER, ORTON & CO., Publishers, 
 
 2c Park Row, Kew Yoik, and 107 Gene?ee-st., Aiil)nrn, 
 
QXKB. 
 
 Shakspeare's Complete Works. 
 
 With Memoir, Steel Portrait, and 86 Illustrations, 992 pp. 8 vo., 
 
 Muslin, $2,50; Sheep, Marble Edge, $2,75. 
 
 TiieSamc, Fine Edition, Royal Octavo. 
 
 Witli Memoir, Steel Portrait, and 40 full page Illustrations, Muslin, 
 Gilt, ^2, 75; Sheep, Marble Edge, $3,00; Muslin, Full Gilt Edges 
 and Sides; $4,00; Morocco do. $5,00. 
 
 Byron's Complete Poetical Works. 
 
 With Life and K"otes, Steel Portrait and 9 Engravings on Steel, 560 
 pp., 8vo., Muslin, Gilt Back and Side Die, $2 00; do. Full Gilt Edges 
 and Sides, $3 00; Sheep, Marble Edge, $2 25; Morocco, Full Gilt 
 Edges and Sides, $4 00. 
 
 Tupper's Poetical Works. 
 
 Including "Ballads for the Times," "Geraldine," "Haetenus," "A 
 Thousand Lines," and other poems, Author's Eevised American 
 
 Edition, Steel Portrait 430 pp. 12 mo., Muslin, $1,00; Full Gilt 
 Edges and Sides, $1,V5. 
 
 Proverbial Philosophy. 
 
 With an Essay on the Philosophy of Proverbs, and Additional 
 Notes, by Maktin Farquhar Tupper, Steel Portrait, 312 pp. 12 mo. 
 Muslin, $1,00; Full Gilt Edges and Sides, $1,75. 
 
 per s uompiexe J 
 
 Including the above two volumes and other Poems, with SteelPor- 
 traits, small Svo., Muslin, Gilt, $2,00 ; Sheep, Marble Edge, $2,25 ; 
 Full Gilt Edges and Sides, $3,00; Morocco, Full Gilt Edges and 
 Sides, $4,00. 
 
 Gems from Tupper. 
 
 305 pp. 24mo., Muslin, 38 cents ; Full Gilt Sides and Edg«s, 50 cents. 
 
 oemsoi JOJiniinmcviiaams. 
 
 On Religion and Society, with Notices of his Life and Charactei'* 
 116 pp. i2mo.. Muslin, 50 cents; Gilt Edges and Sides, G3 cents. 
 
 Hymns from the German. 
 
 By Henry Mills, D. D., second edition, revised and enlarged. 
 Cloth, $1 00 ; do. Gilt Edges, $1 25, 
 
 MILLER, ORTON & CO., Publishers, 
 
 25 Park Row, New York, and 107 Genesee-st., Aubifrn. 
 
I. WOMAN'S Mission. 
 
 Gift Book for Yoimg Ladies. 
 
 Or "Woman's Mission; beine^ Familiar Letters to a Younj^ Lady oi 
 her Amusements, Employments, Studies, Acquaintances, male an' 
 female, Friendships, <fec., by Dr. Wm. A. Alcott, frontispiece 
 steel, Muslin, 30*7 pp., 12mo., 75 cents. 
 
 CONTENTS LEADING HEADS. 
 
 General Views and Remarks ; Spirit ofWoman's Mission ; Duties to Herself; Ann 
 ments; Employments; Studies, Books, ifec. ; Moral ('haracter; Associates in the Ka 
 ily; Associates beyond the Family; Mere Acquaintance; Correspondents; Doing Oooi 
 with the Pen; Particular Friendships; Society of the other Sex; Friendship with tl.j 
 other Sex; Qualifications for Friendship; Physical Qualifications; Seven Plain Rules 
 Disappointments; Doing Good; Pulling out of the Fire; Associated Effort; Church all^ 
 Sabbath School; Truth, Justice, and Mercy; Labors among the Sick; Self-denial; Selij/ 
 ftacrifice. I 
 
 II. HEALTH, BEAUTY, AITB HAPPIl^ESS. 
 
 7Js.M.i 
 
 .an 
 
 Baok of Healtli. 
 
 Bv Dr. Wvi. A. Alcott, 312 pp., 12mo., Muslin, 75 oeiits. 
 
 I 
 
 Tho Young Woman's Book of Health, from t!ie pen of Dr. 'Wm. A. Alcott. convey.* 
 tn simple and untechnical language, an amount of nu-dical inft>rmation which canno 
 t)ut be of eminent service to those to whom it is addressed. Tlie oiHin ohject of tii 
 vohune is to state the means of preserving one's heait.h, rather tlian the way to hnr 
 up one's health when lost Doctor Alcott's reputation is well known in this conntrj 
 and wc feel satisfied that not only young females, but women of all age.'', will find tliis - 
 his last book — eminently instructive and suggestive. — V/ente.rii CUrustinn. A,/p. 
 
 III. WHAT ¥f OMAH MAY AHD SHOULD BE. 
 
 Young Lady's Book. 
 
 Or, Principles of Female Education, by Rev. Wm. Hosmuu, frontif 
 piece on .steel, 301 pp. 12mo., Muslin, 75 cents. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chapter I — Woman as a Human Being; Chapter II — Woman as 
 Social Being; Chapter III — Moral Education; Chapter IV — Intc 
 lectiial Education ; Chapter V — Physical Education; Chapter VI- 
 Doinesti ^ Education ; Chapter VII — Civil Education ; C.'iapter VI If- 
 Ornamental Education. 
 
 The foregoing works are eminently popular. They should occupy a place in the cabi*^ 
 net of every young lady in the land, as theic, counsels will always be found reliable, and 
 their instructions possess a charm which renders them^ftot only useful, but very agree*, 
 l»le and entertaining companuii^s^ ' "^iw -^■. ^-, /» ! 
 
 MILLER,. O Tv^ON & CO.! Publishers, 
 
 25 Pai'k Row, New York, and 10*7 Genesee-st., Auburn.! 
 

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