3-53 9 8 m Keate Epistle from Lady Jane Gray to Lord Guilford Dudley THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD ENDOWMENT FUND A N EPISTLE FROM Lady Jane Gray T O Lord Guilford Dudley. [Price One ShUling.] tm A- i >-^;: •v^»./- A N EPISTLE FROM Lady Jane Gray T O Lord Guilford Dudley. Suppofed to have been written in the Tower, a few Days before they fufFered. ^is Regni pojthac confidet viribus ? aut quern Gloria decipiet Sctptriy Solihe Juperbi Lubrica Majejlas^ ■ SUPPLEM. LUCAN. lib. iv. X O N D O N» •.'T:.;-.Prmted for R. and 1,13^^ d s l e v, mPall-niaU. MDCCLXII. -TO r/£ The Right Honourable j^Oi MARY LEPEL, Baronefs Dowager HERVEY of Ickworth, Diftinguifhed by her fuperior Accomplifliments, As the Admirer and Protectress Of every Elegant Art, THIS POEM Is, with the greateft Refpedl, INSCRIBED, B y He r Ladyship's Obliged Humble Servant, George Keate, 865313 Adyertifement J^ADT JANE GRAY hath ever been regarded^ as one of the moft amiable and perfeSi CharaSIerSy that the Records of any Na^ tion have delivered down to Pojlerity. The Cir- ctimflances of her Life are uncommon^ if not un^ example d^ and her Misfortunes as fmgular^ as was the Fortitude with which floe fuflained them r^ all confpiring to render her a fit Subject for this Species of Heroic Poetry^ of which zve have but few Pieces in our Language 5 tho"* it feems to have a peculiar Advantage of conveying^ in the hap- piejl Manner^ the Sentiments of fuch Characiers- as are zvorthy of being celebrated i THE P^ariety of Accomplifljments^ zvhichthis unfortunate Princefs ciftreffes that fur rounded her^ when I ven- tured to put the Pen into her Hand : awake as JJje waSy to every Paffion and Delicacy of Senti- ment, which Love, Difappointmenty and Calami- ty could give Birth to 5 yet^ by the Force of Reli- gion, fubduing their Poignancy ^ and at laft to^ tally triumphing over them, I much doubt whether I may have done fuffi- cient yuflice to the CharaBer of this virtuous Lady ; but hope at leafty that I have not depart- ed from Nature^ in any Sentiment which I have attributed to her. Lady Lady Jane Gray T O « Lord Guilford Dudley. I .^ ROM thefe dread Walls, this melancholy TowV, Doom'd the fad Vidim of relentlefs Pow'r, Where Ruin (Its in gloomy Pomp array*d, And circling Honours fpread their mournful Shade;, I fend the Tribute of a fliort'niag Life, 5 The laft Memorial of a faithful Wife, Tot ev'ry Hope on this Side Heav'n is fled, And Death's pale Banner waves around my Head. It yet perchance may cheer my Lord to know That Suffolk's Daughter finks not with her Woe : 10 Beneath it's Weight I feel myfelf refign'd ; Tho' ftrong the Tempeft, flronger ftill my Mind. B Thii CO This Duty paid to thee, each Care is o'er» Nor my hard Fortune fliall diftrefs me more. Yet fpite of all, one anxious Thought furvives, 15, For thee, my Guildford, 'tis for thee it lives. Yes, thou alone with Heav'n divid'ft my Heart, Tho' all Heav'n 's Due, yet Nature gives thee Part^ If Love be ftill a Crime, I'm guilty ftilly But to forget depends not on our Will.. 20 AfFedion once deep rooted in the Breaft,^ Is fometimes fhook, tho' rarely difpofleft ;, The ruling Pailion there in Triumph reigns, It fooths my Weaknefs, but augments my Pains.. O'er tlie dear pad my roving Fancy flies, z^ And brings thy Image to my raptur'd Eyes. No Mourner ^s Weeds, no Captive's Chain it wears, ^ But bright in all it's native Charms appears ; Such Grace, fuch Virtue beaming from thy Brows,, As ftole my Heart, and fix'd my virgin Vows,, Att C 3 ] At Hymen's Altar fuch thy Form was feen When late we offer'd to the Cyprian Queen. How little thought we while the flow'ry Wreath Intwin'd our Temples, it was wove by Death ! Far difF'rent Scenes the Syren Hope difplay'd j 35 Ah I how the Falfe One fung, and how betray'd I Each Joy flie promised perifli'd in it's Birth, And ev'ry flatt'ring Bloflbm fell to Earth ! — — But from Man's Weaknefs ftill fome Comfort flows, 'Tis that he nought beyond the prefent knows ; 4^ Heav'n draws a friendly Curtain o'er his Doom, And hides in deepeft Shades each 111 to come. Then be it's Will ador'd, which, underftood. From feeming Mifchief draws forth certain Good. Nor in thefe Lines fufped that I complain, 45 Tho' Mem'ry loves to tread back Time again. Thus do I wafte the folitary Day, With tedious Pace thus creep my Hours away ', B 2 And And if, when Cynthia, rob'd in paler Lights Revifits Mortak, and directs the Night, 50 My weary'd Strength the gen''ral Slumber fhares^ The Soul refleding wakes to all her Cares r Deluflon o'er my Mind ufurps Command, And rules each Senfe with Fancy's magic Wand One Moment Tidings of Forgivenefs bringSy 55 Defcending Mercy fpreads her Cherub Wings j Our Guards are vanifh'd, ev'ry Grief effac'd^ We meet again, embracing and embrac'd. ► O Blifs fupreme ! but too fupreme to laft j Ere Words can find their Way, the Vifion'^s paft t 60 Jt fleets, I call it back, it will not hear. And fearful Shadows in it's Place appear. ■The unrelenting Queen ftalks fiercely by,. Fate on her Brow, and Fury in her Eye, Hark ! the dread Signal that completes our Woes f 65 Hark ! the loud Shoutings of our barb'rous Foes ! I fee the Axe rear'd high above thy Head, It falls ! — and Guilford's number'd with the Dead. Alas i C s J Alas ! how ghaftly ! evVy Vein ftreams Blood, And the pale Corps finks in the crimfon Flood. 70 Could that fad Form be once my Soul's Delight ? — - Quick tear the mad'ning Phantom from my Sight. Hold, hold your Hands, ye Minifters of Fate, Sufpend the Blow, left Mercy come too late ', Let Innocence at laft your Pity move, 75 And fpare my Lord, my Hufband, and my Love 1. .." ■■ ' i Northumberland ! thee, thee could I uphraid, And bid thee view the Ruin thou haft made. This mournful Pidure thy Ambition plann'd, , And all it's Colours own thy daring Hand. 8© But thou art faU'n 1 nor fhall my parting Breath Call out for Vengeance in the Hour of Death : All now is o'er, the fatal Woof is fpun, The deftin'd Labour of the Sifters done. May all Remembrance of thy Guilt fubfide, Sf And the dark Grave thy Duft and Frailties hide. The [ 6 ] The fearching Eye of Heav'n, whofe Wifdom darts Thro' all the mean Difguifes of our Hearts, And ev'ry filent Motive, knows alone With what Reludtance I approach'd the Throne. 90 I never figh'd for Grandeur's envy'd Rays, For regal Honours, or a Nation's Praife. My Bofom never felt Ambition's Fire ; For what Exchange could Guilford's Wife defire ? The Bloom of May beneath our Feet was fpread, 95 And all it's Rofes deck'd our nuptial Bed. With thee conjoin'd, each focial Joy I found ; With thee converiing, Pleafure breath'd around. To prize the World aright, and form the Mind To my lov'd Books my Leifure I refign'd : 100 Or abfent thou, to cheer the Ev'ning's Gloom, Encircled with my Maidens, ply'd the Loom. Peace was my Sifter, and my Friend Content, The beft Companions e'er to Mortals fent ; Plac'd [ 7 ] Plac'd at my Side they tun*d their foothing Lyres, 105 And fung thofe Carols Innocence infpires. But when, obedient to a Father's PowV, And the laft Wifli of Edward's dying Hour, DeftruAive Counfei ! I my Home forfook, Aflum'd the Purple, and the Sceptre took, no Swift from my Sight the heav'nly Pair withdrew. And Friend and Sifter bade me both adieu. Let liich as, flatter'd by a pompous Name^ Rifk their own Quiet in Purfuit of Fame, Beware th' Exchange ; awhile their Purpofe turn, 115 And from a wretched Queen one Moral learn. It is the Cheat of ev'ry worldly Joy To tempt when diftant, but pofiefs'd to cloy. Hence flows a Truth of much Import, 'tis this ; " Content's the higheft Pitch of human Blifs". 1 20 Strange we fhould then the proffer'd Boon reje£l 1 All know to feek it, yet the Search negled. ' To [ 8 ] To no one Soil, no Station 'tis confin'd, Springing, if cultur'd, in each fteady Mind, Far from Ambition's fiery Trad it flies, 125 But lives with Virtue, and with Virtue dies ! O HAD our Lot by kinder Stars been thrown Beneath fome lonely Shade to Fame unknown ; Far from thofe Scenes remov'd where Pride reforts, Far from the Cares, far from the Crimes of Courts. 13© Unconfcious of the Thorns which wound the Great^ Our lengthen'd Years had own'd a happier Fate : Pleas'd with our Fortune, by ourfelves approv'd. Secure from Envy, and by all belov'd. Whilft, from a bufy, faithlefs World retir'd, 135 By no blind Folly vex'd, no Pafiion fir'd, Calmly we then afar had heard the Strife, The Noife, the Tumult that perplexes Life ; Smil'd at Contention's vifionary Plan, And the vain Toils of felf-deluded Man. 140 I Ybt C 9 ] Yet ceafe, my Heart, thefe plaintive Murmurs ceafe ; For why, my Guilford, fhould I wound thy Peace ? Why with Elyfian Dreams thy Thoughts engage, Whilfl: we are fetter'd on a tragic Stage ? But fay, what Tyranny can reach the Soul ? 145 What Terrors fliake her, or what Force controul? Immortal as the Pow'r from whence flie fprings, Sick of her Home, fhe mounts on Fancy's Wings, With inborn Freedom nourifh'd, fpurns her Chains, And roves unbounded thro' ideal Scenes! 150 Ideal Joys are all I now have left, Of thee, a Crown, and Liberty bereft; Torn from the Pleafures of domeftic Life, From each fond Rapture of a virtuous Wife : By all Hope here forfaken ! 'tis in vain 1 55 That Reafon whifpers I fhould not complain : A Sigh will heave, in Spite of all my Pow'rs ; And Sighs are due to Miferies like Ours. C Ha I Ha ! meet no more ! how cruel the Decree ! Heart-rending Sentence ! no it muft not be. 1 60 Down Prifon Walls, each Obftacle remove, And let me clafp once more the Man I love. One parting Look a wretched Wife defires ; One parting Kifs the Seal of Death requires ! And is there none to plead th' unhappy's Suit ? ■ 1 65 — All Ears are deaf, and ev'ry Tongue is mute ! Then, come the vvorfl: Yet, howfoe'er diftreft. Still fhall thy Image live within my Breaft j My Senfes ftill that Objed fhall purfue, And each fond Wifh be offer'd up for you. i yo Tho', all unfeeling for this bleeding Heart, Our Foes difmifs to Heav'n thy nobler Part, Deep in the Duft thy injur'd Form I'll trace, And grudge th' unconfcious Grave it*s cold Embrace But hold thy Hand, prefumptuous Woman, hold; 175 Too warm thy Pafiion, as thy Pen too bold. Far other Thoughts the prefent Hour demands, Lo ! at my Side the fhadowy Monarch ftands ; Aid Aid me, great T?acher, this hard Conflid end, Tho' King of Terrors call'd, I'll hail thee Friend ! i So Since thou alone portray'ft to Mortal Eyes How weak, how bafelefs are the Joys we prize : Thou mock'ft our ufelefs Toils, our mimic State, And warn'ft a Brother, by a Brother's Fate ! Thy Moral then fhall not be loft on me, 185 Convinc'd, my Soul approves the juft Decree ; And unrepining quits this Scene of Strife, Which points thro' Virtue to a happier Life. The Prieft this Morn, with ev'ry Art endu'd, Th' accurfed Purpofe hath again renew'd ; 190 " Be ours," he cries, " our better Faith embrace, " And live Preferver of your falling Race. " Tho' yet mifled, ftand forth the Child of Rome, ** The Queen in Mercy will avert your Doom." Merciful Queen I yet fince thus greatly kind 195 Tell us what Mercy fhall th' Apoftate find ? C 2 Thy [ I^ ] Thy royal Mandate may decide our Fates^ But Peace alone on eonfcious Duty waits. Who wars againfl: it, does the Work of Hell, And arms a Demon he can never quell ; 200 Whofe Shafts receiv'd, fearch the wide Globe around, Nor Herb, nor Balfam heals the fatal Wound. Bear back, falfe Winchester, thy proffer'd Blifs, Weigh Crowns and Kingdoms with a Deed like this, Far, far too light in Wifdom's Eye they feem, 205 Nor fhake the Scale, while Reafon holds the Beam. And can fhe, Guilford, deem me funk folow. So fondly wedded to this World of Woe, To think her Bounty would my Fears entice To purchafe fleeting Breath at fuch a Price ? 210 Which when obtained, the poor precarious Toy A Thoufand Ills might weaken or deftroy ? No fince I'm fworn a Sifter to Mifchance, Let the Clouds gather, let the Storm advance, Unmov'd, it's burfting Horrours I'll defy, 215 And fteady to my Faith a Martyr die. For [13] For Life's alas ! too like the trandent Rofe, Which oft is blafted the fame Day it blows ; It's Beauty from the Wind a Blight receives, Or fome foul Canker taints it's crimfon Leaves I 2 20 Nor judge it hard to fall an early Flow'r, Refcu'd perchance from fome tempeftuous Shov^^'r, From noxious Vapours arm'd with Force to kill, The Noontide Sunbeam, or the Ev'ning's Chill. Howe'er the Thought appal, Death's gloomy Road 225- By ev'ry mortal Foot muft once be trod ! Deep thro' the Vale of Tears Man's Journey lies. And Sorrow beft prepares him for the Skies ! O then my Hulband, I conjure thee, hear, If Suffolk's Daughter e'er to thee was dear, 230 By ev'ry Wifli of Happinefs to come, By ev'ry Hope beyond the mould'ring Tomb ; If anxious that thy better Fame fhould foar. And fhine applauded when the Man's no more : Let not the wily Churchman win thine Ear, 235 Or footh thy Weaknefs by hi§ fraudful Care j 4 But [ 14 ]■ But arm'd with Conftancy's unfailing Shield, As God's own Soldier valiant, fcorn to yield. So when Religion ftript of each Difguife, lo ancient Purity again fhall rife, 240 To her true Throne once more fhall be reftor'd. And rule by Reafon, ftronger than the Sword, Pofterity our Merits may atteft, And our fair Peeds by all good Men be bleft. Iji.diftant Times then fhall old People tell, 245 How firmly Guilford and his Confort fell. To all their lifl'ning Family relate, How our Faith triumph'd, tho' our Woes were great. Then fhall each Youth and Maid our Names revere, Gjace our fad Story with a gen'rous Tear, 250 And give our Dufl this Requiem with a Sigh, " Peace guard the Shrine where Virtue's Children lie ! O Thou Supreme, on whom we all depend. Our common Parent, and our common Friend, Who [IS] Who deign'ft to watch us from thy diftant Skies, 255 Bidding the Pray'rs of humbled Suff'rers rife, Ruler of Heav'n, ftretch forth thy mighty Hand, And fave from civil Rage my native Land. Let Rome's ambitious Sons no more prevail, Blafl: all their Hopes, and let their Counfels fail. 260 Raife up fome Prince to perfedl that great Plan Thy Servant Edward (under Thee) began ; That Error's Clouds difpers'd may ne'er return, And thy pure Light with Fires rekindled burn. So Peace, fad Fugitive, again ihall fmile, 265 And fix her Dwelling on this profper'd Ifle. Whilft for myfelf one only Boon I crave. Support that Fortitude thy Mercy gave ; The Heart thou mad'ft preferve feverely juft, Firm in it's Fate, and fteady to it's Truft. 270 There, while it beats, thy Praife fhall ever reign, Live, while it lives, and flow in ev'ry Vein : Praife the fole Tribute I have left to give. Nay, all a God from Mortals can receive. Come ix6) Come then, my Lord, my Hufband, and my Love, 275 (For Death alone thofe Tides ihall remove) With decent Courage meet thy certain Doom, Nor fhrink with Horrour at the op'ning Tomb. What's in the Grave the virtuous have to fear ? 'Tis Peace, 'tis Refuge from the worft Defpair : 280 All Strife, all human Contefts 'twill adjuft. Nor can the Hand of Pow'r infult the Duft I Religion fitting by the Mourner's Side Infpires that Comfort which the World deny'd ; And, 'midft our Woes, of this one Truth we're fure, 285 Whate'er is mortal cannot long endure. -Our Pains, as well as Joys, foon find an End, And, tir'd of both, we call our Shroud a Friend I Meet it as fuch, my Guilford, nor thy Soul O'er-awe with Fancy, or with Fear controul. 290 Think, 'twill the Rigour of thy Lot repay, Think, 'tis a Paflport to the Realms of Day. On Lt7l On Faith's ftrong Pinions thou flialt wing thy Fh'ght, And (the World conquer 'd) with the Bleft unite. The Pomp of Death, the Scaffold^ and the Steel, 295 The Man recoiling may an Inftant feel, For Nature will be heard ; but be thy Mind Warm with it's future Profpe^ ■,■ V,., '. .v- v,/- ;,;vK'i5'&'!-''Vt?^A