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YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1940

THE

LIFE, DEATH, AND ACTIONS
OF
THE MOST CHAST, LEARNED, AND
RELIGIOUS LADY,
THE
LADY lANE GRAY,
DAUGHTER TO THE DUKE OF SVFFOLKE.
CONTAINING
FOVRE PRINCIPALL DISCOURSES,
WRITTEN WITH HEE OWNE HANDS.

THE FIBST AN ADMONITION TO SDCH AS ABE WEAKE IN FAITH :
THE SECOND A CATECHISMK :
THE THIRD AN EXHORTATION TO HER SISTER :
A.ND THB LAST. HEB WORDS AT HER DF.ATH.

MATH. 5. 8.
Blessed ore the pure in Iieart, for they shall see God.

London . printed by G. Eld, for lohn Wright : and are to be
sold at bis shop without Newgate, at the signe
ofthe Bible. 1615.

THE
LIFE, DEATH, AND ACTIONS
OF
THE MOST CHAST, LEARNED, AND RELIGIOUS
LADY, THE LADY lANE GRAY,
DAUGHTER TO THE DUKE OF SUFFOLK:
CONTAINING FOCRE PRINCIPALL DISCOURSES WRITTEN WITH
HER OWN HANDS ; THE FIRST AN ADMONITION TO SUCH
AS ARE WEAKE IN FAITH, THE SECOND A CATE-
CHISME, THE THIRD AX EXHORTATION TO
HER SISTER, AND THE LAST, HER
WORDS AT HER DEATH.
OOME worthy parcels or exceUent Essayes of
the neuer-inough to be imitated vertues, of that
most admirable, wise, learned, and religious
Lady, the Ladie lane Gray, Daughter to the
Duke of Suffolke, and vnfortunate wife of the
Lord Guildford Dudley, sonne to the duke of
Northumberland, comming in an old auncient
printed copie, vnto my hands as it were halfe
forgotten in the world, or like a curious monu
ment whose weU-carued figures, and rare archi
tecture the dust and cobwebs had iniiiriously
defaced: I could not, out of charitie and chris-

4 THE LIFE AND DB.VrH
tian loue to a mirrour of such excellence, but
with my best art and industry pollish and dense
a perfection so noble, holy, and worthy all good
mens imitations, and as it were to awaken the
sleepie world from her fantasticke lethargie, to
behold in that, which we call the weaker sexe
a strength matchlesse and inuincible : a Saba
that had so oft heard the wisedome of Solomon,
that ten thousand of our Solomons may come now
to be instructed at this Saba : briefely a Lady in
all goodness ao perfect, that whosoeuer could
gaine but some part of her shadow, might haue
inough in these latter dayes to boast and ranke.
themselues with the best that are called vertuous,
so flatteringly are attributes cast vpon the lining,
and so maliciously slander vpon the dead.
To returne then to my discourse, you may by
that which hath been formerly spoke of her birth
and marriage, iudge the greatnesse of her bloud
and place, both which were farre ouer shined by
her vertues, as shall bee declared hereafter :
she was born in England, and there brought vp
in learning, and religion, with that prosperous
and deuout painfulnesse, that as seede cast vpon
the best and most fruitfulst ground she brought
forth her increase in such aboundance of infinits.

OF TIIE r.ADY lANE GRAY. 5
that the least of her excellencies were impossible
to bee circumscribed: for proofe whereof, that
euery iudgement may stand stedfast in the opinion
of her perfection, I will here deliuer vnto you
an Epistle of her owne penning, sent to a noble
friend of hers in the Court of England, being in
those daies of persecution fallen from the truth of
Giods holy word for feare of the world, in which
you shall find so much learning, charitie, and
diuine readings, that by this one talent onely this
princely eagle may be truely discouered how
potent and vnmatchable the great substance of
so rich a vertue is.

AN EPISTLE OF THE LADY lANE GBAYES TO A NOBLE FRIEND
OF HERS NEWLY FALNE FROM THE TROTH.
So oft as I call to minde (deare friend and
chosen Brother) the dreadfull and fearefull sayings
of God, that he which layeth hold vpon the plow
and looketh back againe, is not meet for the
kingdome of heauen. And on the other side to
remember the comfortable words of our Sauiour
Christ, to all those that forsaking themselues do
follow him : I cannot but maruell at thee and
lament thy case ; that thou, which somtimes wert

6 THE LIFE AND DEATH
the liuely member of Christ, but now the deformed
impe of the diuell; sometimes the beautifull
temple of God, but now the stinking and filthy
keneU of Sathan ; sometimes the vnspotted spouse
of thy Sauiour, but now the vnshamefast para
mour of Antichrist, sometimes my faithfull bro
ther, but now a stranger and apostate, yea some
times my stout christian soldior, but now a cowardly
runaway. So oft as I consider the threatnings
and promises of the Diuine Justice to all those
which faithfully loue him : I cannot but speake to
thee, yea, rather cry out and exclaime against
thee, thou seed of Sathan, and not of Juda, whom
the diuell hath deceiued, the world hath beguiled,
and desire of life hath subuerted, and made of a
christian an infidell.
Wherefore hast thou taken vpon thee the Testa
ment of the Lord in thy mouth? wherefore hast
thou hitherto yeelded thy body to the fire, and to
the bloudy hands of cruel tyrants ? wherefore hast
thou instructed others to be strong in Christ,
when thou thy selfe dost now so horribly abuse
the testament and law of the Lord, when thou
thy selfe preachedst (as it were not to steale)
yet most abhominably stealest, not from men,
but from God, and as a most hainous sacrilegious

OF THE LADY lANE GRAY. ^
robber, robbest Christ thy redeemer of his right
in his members, thy body and thy soule ; when
thou thy selfe dost rather chuse to line miserably
(with shame) in this world, then to die gloriously
and raigne in honor with Christ, to the end of
all eternitie, in whom euen in death there is life
beyond "wish, beyond all expression : and when I
say thou thy selfe art most weake, thou oughtest
to show thy selfe most strong, for the strength of
a fort is not knowne before the assault, but thou
yeeldest (like a faint captaine) thy hold before
any battry be brought against thee.
Oh wretched and vnhappy man what art thou
but dust and ashes, and wilt thou resist thy
maker, that formed and fashioned thee : wilt thou
now forsake him that called thee from custome-
gathering among the Romish jlnti christians, to
be an embassador and messenger of his eternall
word; he that first framed thee, and since thy
creation and birth preserued thee, nourished thee,
and kept thee, yea, and inspired thee with the
spirit of knowledge (I cannot, I would I could
say of grace) shall he not possesse thee, darest
thou deliuer vp thy selfe to another, being not
thine owne but his? how canst thou, hauing
knowledge, or how darest thou neglect the law of

8 THE LIFE AND DEATH
the Lord, and follow the vaine traditions of men ?
and whereas thou hast been a publique professor
of his name, become now a defacer ofhis glorie.
I will not refuse the true God, and worship the
inuention of man, the golden calfe, the whore of
Babylon, the Romish religion, the abhominable
idol, the most wicked masse : wilt thou torment
againe, rent and teare the most precious bodie
of our Sauior Christ with thy bodily and fleshly
teeth, without the breaking whereof vpon the
crosse, our sins and transgressions, could els no
way be redeemed? wilt thou take vpon thee to
offer vp any sacrifice vnto God for our sinnes,
considering that Christ offered vp himselfe (as S.
Paul saith) vpon the Crosse, a liuely sacrifice
once for all.
Can neither the punishment of the Israelites
(which for their idolatry so oft they receiued)
moue thee ; neither the terrible threatnings of
the ancient prophets stirre thee, nor the crosses
of Gods own mouth feare thee to honor any other
God then him? wilt thou so regard him that
spared not his deare and onely sonne for thee,
so diminishing, yea vtterly extinguishing his
glory, that thou wilt attribute the praise and
honor to idols, which haue mouths and speake

OF THE LADY lANE GRAY. 9
not, eyes and see not, eares and yet heare not,
which shall perish with them that made them :
.^hat saith the prophet Baruck, where he reciteth
the epistle of leremie, written to the captiue
Jewes, did he not fore warne them that in Baby
lon they should see Gods of gold, siluer, wood,
and stone, borne vpon mens sholders to cause a
feare vpon the heathen? but be not you afraid
of them (saith leremy) nor do as other doe : but
when you see others worship them, say you in
your hearts, it is thou (O Lord) that oughtest
only to be worshipped : for as touching the timber
of those Gods the carpenter framed them, and
poUished them, yea guilded they be and laid ouer
with siluer and vaine things and cannot speake : he
sheweth moreouer, theabuse of their deckings, how
the priests tooke off their ornaments, and apparel
led their women therewithall : how one holdeth a
scepter, auother a sword in his hand, and yet
can they, iudge in no matter, nor defend them
selues, much lesse any other, from either hatred
or murther, nor yet from gnawing wormes, dust,
filth, or any other euill thing: these and such
like words speaketh leremy vnto them, whereby
he proueth them but vaine things, and no Gods,
and at last hee concludeth thus ; confounded bee
those that worship them.

10 THE LIFE AND DEATH
They were warned by leremie, and thou as
leremie hast warned others, and art warned thy
selfe by many Scriptures in many places.
God saith he is a iealous God, which will haue
all honor, glory, and worship giuen to him onely.
And Christ saith in the fourth of Luke, to Sathan
which tempted him : euen to the same Sathan,
the same Belzebub, the same Diuell which hath
preuailed against thee : it is written (saith he)
thou shalt honour the Lord thy God, and him
onely shalt thou serue.
These and such like do prohibit thee, and all
Christians to worship any other God then he
which was before al worlds , and laid the foundations
both of heauen and earth, and wilt thou honor
a detestable idol inuented by the Popes of Rome,
and the vncharitable colledge of politick Cardinals?
Christ offered vp himselfe once for aU, and
wilt thou offer him vp againe dayly at thy
pleasure? but thou wilt say thou doest it for a
good intent ? Oh sinke of sinne ! Oh child of
perdition I canst thou dreame of any good entent
therein, when thy conscience beareth thee witnes
of the wrath of God promised against thee ?
How did Saul, who for that hee disobayed the
word of God for a good entent: was throwne
from his worldly and temporal kingdome : shalt

OF TH'E LADV lANE GRAY. 1 1
thou then which doest so deface Gods honour,
and rob hira of his right, inherit the eternall
heauenly kingdome ? wilt thou for a good entent
pluck Christ out of heauen, and make his death
voide, and deface the triumph of his crosse, offering
him vp dayly? wilt thou either for feare of death,
or hope of life, deny and refuse thy God, who
inriched thy pouerty, healed thine infirmitie, and
yeelded to this victory if thou wouldst haue kept
it? doest thou not consider that the thryd of life
hangeth vpon him that made thee, who can (as
his will is) either twine it hard to last the longer,
or vntwine it againe to breake the sooner? Doest
thou not remember the saying of Dauid, a notable
king, which teacheth thee, a miserable wretch,
in his 104 Psalme, where he saith. When thou
takest away thy spirit (0 Lord) from men, they
dye, and are tumed againe to their dust, but
when thou lettest thy breath go forth, they shall
be made and thou shalt renew the face of the
earth. Remember the saying of Christ in his Gospel,
whosoeuer seeketh to saue his life shall loose it,
but whosoeuer will loose it for my sake shall
finde it : and in another place : Who so euer
loueth father or mother aboue me, is not meet

12 THE LIFE AND DEATH
for me, for he that will be my disciple, must
forsake father and mother, and himself, and take
vp his crosse and follow me: what crosse? the
crosse of infamy and shame, of misery and
pouerty, of aflliction and persecution for his
names sake.
Let the oft falling of those heauenly showers
pierce thy stony heart, let the two edged sword
of Gods holy word hew a sunder the knit-together
sinewes of worldly respects, euen to the very
marrow and life blood of thy carnall heart, that
thou maist once againe forsake thy selfe, to
imbrace Christ, and like as good subiects will not
refuse to hazard all in the defence of their earthly
and temporall gouernors, so fly not like a white
lyuerd milk-sop from the standard, whereby thy
chiefe Captaine Christ hath placed thee in a noble
aray of this life : viriliter ago confortetur cor
tuum et sustine dominum, fight manfully, come
life, come death, the quarrell is Gods, and vn-
doubtedly the victory is ours.
But thou wilt say I will not breake vnitie :
what? not the vnity of Sathan and his members,
not the vnity of darknes, the agreement of anti
christ, and his adherents ? nay then thou deceiuest
thy selfe with fond imaginations of such an vnitie

OF THE LADY lANE liKAV. 1.3
as is amongst the enemies of Christ : were not
the false prophets in an vnity : M'ere not losephs
brethren, Jacobs sons, in an vnity: were not tlie
heathen as the Amelechites, the Pheresits and
lebusits in an vnitie ? I keepe no order but looke
rather to my matter: were not the Scribes and
Pharisies in an vnitie : doth not King Dauid
testifie, conueniunt in vnum aduersus Dominum,
yea, theeues and murtherers, conspirators and
traytors haue their vnitie.
Marke my deare friend (yea friend if thou beest
not Gods enemy,) there is no vnitie but when
Christ knitteth the knot amongst such as be his,
yea bee you well assured that where his truth is
resident, there it is verified, that he saith : Non
veni raittere pacem in terram sed gladium, that
is, Christ came to set one against another ; the
Sonne against the father, the daughter against
the mother: deceiue not thy selfe therfore with the
gli string and glorious name of vnity, for anti
christ hath his vnity, yet not in deed, but in
name, for the agreement of euUl men is not an
vnitie, but a conspiracie.
Thou hast heard some threatnings, some
curses, and some admonishments of the Scriptures
to those which loue themselues aboue Christ.

14 THE LIFE .4ND DEATH
Thou hast heard also the sharp and biting
words to those which deny him for loue of life,
saith hee not, that hee which "denieth mee before
men, I will deny him before my Father which is
in heauen: and to the same effect writeth S.
Paul in the 6. to the Hebrewes, saying, it is im
possible, that they which haue been once lightned,
and haue tasted of the heauenly gift of grace,
and beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
and haue relished of the pure word of God, if
they fall and slide away, it is impossible that
they should bee renewed againe by repentance,
crucifying againe to themselues the Son of God,
and making him as it were a mocking-stock, or
gaud of their fancies. And againe (saith he) if
we shall willingly sin after we haue receiued the
knowledge of the truth, there is no oblation left
for sin, but the terrible expectation of iudgement
and fire which shall deuour the aduersaries.
Thus S. Paul writeth, and thus thou readest,
and dost thou not quake and tremble? well, if
these terrible and thundering alarums cannot stir
thee to arise and cleaue vnto Christ, and forsake
the world, yet let the sweet consolations and
promises of the Scriptures : let the examples of
Christ and his Apostles, both Martyrs and Con-

OF THE LADY lANE GRAY. 15
fessors, encourage thee to take faster hold by
Christ. Hearken what he saith againe in his
holy Gospell; blessed are you when men reuile
you, and persecute you for my sake, reioyce and
bee glad, for great is your reward in heauen, for
so persecuted they the Prophets before you.
Heare what Esay saith : feare not the curse of
men, be not affraid of their blasphemies and
reuilings, for wormes and mothes shall eat them
vp like cloath and wooll, but my righteousnesse
shall endure for euer, and my sauing health from
generation to generation : what art thou then
(saith he) that fearest a mortall man, the child
of a man, whiqh fadeth away as doth the flower,
and forgettest the Lord that made thee, that
spread out the heauens like a curtaine, and laid
the foundations of the earth, so sure, that they
can not be remooued : I am the Lord thy God,
which maketh the sea to rage, and to be still,
who is the Lord of hoasts ; I shall put my word
in thy mouth, and defend thee with the turning
of a hand. And our Sauiour Christ saith to his
disciples: they shall accuse you, and bring you
before the princes and rulers for my name sake,
and some of you they shal persecute and kill :
but feare you not (saith he) neither care you not

16 THE LIFE AND DEATH
what you shall say, for it is my spirit that
speaketh in you, the hand of the highest shall
defend you, for the haires of your heads are
numbred, and none of them shall perish. I haue
laid vp treasure for you (saith he) where no
theefe can steale, nor moth corrupt, and happy
are you if you endure to the end. Feare not
them (saith Christ) which haue power ouer the
body onely, but feare him that hath power both
ouer the body and the soule ; the world loueth
her owne, and if you were of the world the world
would loue ynu, but you are mine, and therefore
the world doth hate you.
Let these and such like consolations out of the
Scriptures, strengthen you to God-ward : let not
the examples of holie men and women go out of
your mind, as that of Daniel, and the rest of the
prophets ; of the three children of Eleazarus,
that constant father ; the Machabees children,
that of Peter, Paul, Stephen, and other Apostles
and holy martyrs, in the beginning and infancy
of the Church; as of good Simeon Arch-bishop
of Seloma and Zetrophone, with infinite others,
vnder Sapores the king of the Persians and
Indians, who contemned all torments deuised by
the tyrants for their Sauiours sake.

OF THE LADY lANE GRAY. 17
Returne, returne againe for honour and mercies
sake into the way of Christ Jesus, and as be-
commeth a faithfull souldiour, put on that armor
which S. Paul teacheth to be most necessary for
a Christian man, and aboue all thinges, take to
you the shield of faith.
And be you most deuoutly prouoked by Christs
owne example, to withstand the deuill, to forsake
the world, and to become a true and faithfull
member of his mysticall body, who spared not
his owne flesh for our sinnes. Throw down thy
selfe with the feare of his threatned vengeance
for this so great and haynous offence of apostacy,
and comfort your selfe on the other part with the
mercy, blood, and promises of him that is ready
to turne to you whensoeuer you turne to him :
disdaine not to come againe with the lost son,
seeing you haue so wandred with him: be not
ashamed to turn againe with him from the swill
of strangers, to the delicates of the most benigne
and louing father, acknowledging that you haue
sinned against heauen and earth, against heauen
by stayning his glorious name, and causing his
most sincere and pure word to bee euiU spoken
of through you, against earth by offending your

18 THE LIFE AND DEATH
so many weake bretheren to whom you haue been
a stumbling block through your suddaine sliding.
Bee not ashamed to come againe with Mary,
and to weep bitterly with Peter, not only with
shedding of teares out of your bodily eyes but
also pouring out the streames of your heart, to
wash away, out of the sight of God, the filth and
mire of your offensiue fall, bee not ashamed
to say with the publican, Lord be mercifuU vnto
mee a sinner: remember the horrible history of
lulian of old, and the lamentable case of Francis
Spira of late, whose remembrance me thinketh
should be yet so greene to your memory, that
being a thing of our time, you should feare the
like inconuenience, seeing that you are faine into
the like offence. Last of all, let the liuely
remembrance of the last day be alwaies before
your eyes, remembring the terror that such shall
bee in at that time, with the runnagates and
fugitiues from Christ, which setting more by the
world then by heauen, more by their life then by
him that gaue them thejr life, more by the vanity
of a painful breth, then the perfic assurance of
eternal saluation, did shrinke ; yea, did cleane
fall away from him that neuer forsooke them.

OP THB LADY lANE GRAY. 19
And contrariwise, the inestimable ioyes prepared
for them, which feared no perill nor dreading
death, haue maufuUie fought, and victoriouslie
tryumphed ouer all power of darknesse ; ouer
hell, death, and damnation, through their most
redoubted Captaine Iesvs Christ our Sauiour,
who euen now stretcheth out his armes to receiue
you, ready to fnll vppon your necke, and kisse
you : and last of all, to feast you with the dainties
and delicates of his o\^e most pretious blood,
which vndoubtedly, if it might stand with his
determinate purpose, hee would not let to shed
againe, rather then you should be lost : to whom
with the Father and the Holy Ghost, bee all
honor, praise and glory euerlastingly. Amen.
Yours if you be Christs,
Iane Gray.
Postscript.
Be constant, be constant, feare not for paine,
Christ hath deliuerM thee, and heauen is thy gaine.
I. G.
Thus hauing read her owne words, penned by
her owne hand, and waved well the depth and
greatnesse of her most charitable devotion, her
pregnant and rare knowledge in the Booke of
God, her sweete ellocution in the scholler-like

20 THE LIFE AND DEATH
connexture and marriage of the best words and
phrases together: who can haue that possible
dulnesse of spirit in him, as not to conclude and
beleene that her birth, her education, and all the
naturall inclinations of her own spirits were
sutable and agreeing with that best goodnes,
which (how sUdome extant) yet is euer expected
in aU noble personages, for indeed gentry it selfe
is but vertue, and all dignity added to gentry
doth but as it were baptise it with a more re
nowned title of the most exceUent vertue ; in
which stile this ladie might take a large boast,
and instead of Caesars veni, vidi, vici ; of her
may be said, she was noble, chast, and religious :
but some (ouer curious to examine goodnesse)
may reply vnto me, that her honour was her
ancestors, and not the worke of her fundamental!
institution, and therefore not altogether so
glorious : that her sober and chast life was either
a singular guift from aboue, or a tormenting
feare of the shame of this world, continuaUy
stird vp in her blood, through the discourse of
readings or examples, and that her religion being
traduc'd from the instructions of her first parents,
and seconded by the learned admonitions of them
ofthe same opinion : her minde, as it were, beeing

OF THE L.\DY IANE GRAY. 21
Vtterly vnacquainted with any other contrary
Argument, but euer soothed vp and fortefied in
one path onely, that it was no great worke either
of maruaile or maistery, that she continued either
so good, constant, or violent in the heate of her
zealousnesse, whereas if shee had heard the
eontinuall temptation of the aduersarie, and beene
enforced to haue held a long battel with men,
esteemed profound in a quite opposite opinion, or
had beene burthened with the heauy and tyran
nous yoake of authority, which by intollerable
afflictions would haue not onely threatned the
bending, but the breaking of her heart and bowels,
if shee had not yeelded to the wU of their opinions,
then for her brauely to haue held out such a
weary siedge, and with a setled constancy to haue
vndergon and triumphed in such a Christian war
fare, had not only beene memorable, but rare,
matchlesse, and renowned.
To let passe the two first suggestions, being
sleight, and not worthy the labour of any serious
pen, because no doubt ought to be made where
there is a probable assurance : and to come to
this last inference touching her temptations, being
so great and heauy, that they came neare to the
point of martyrdome : you shall vnderstand, that

22 THE LIFE AND DEATH
after her most vnfortunate marriage, and the vtter
defaiture almost of her name and honors ; others
ambitions hauing embarqued her into those rough
wanes, which of necessity must swallow her (as
you may at large read in the whole story of our
Chronicles) diners learned Romish Catholikes,
and euen those which were of the best fame and
reputation, were sent vnto her to dissuade her
from that true profession of the Gospell, which
from her cradle she had euer held, each striuing
by art, by flattery, by threatnings, by promise of
life, or what else might mooue most inthe bosome
of a weake woman, who should become master
of so great and worthy a prize, but all their
labours were bootlesse : for she had art to con
found tlieir art, wisedome to withstand their
flatteries, resolution aboue their menaces, and
such a true knowledge of life, that death was to
her no other then a most familiar acquaintance :
in the end a deep-read divine called M. FeckenT
ham, then Chaplaine to Queene Mary, was sent
vnto her about some foure dayes before her death,
who had with her a long and tedious disputation,
but as the rest found himselfe in aU holy gifts so
short of her exceUence, that he acknowledged
himselfe fitter to bee her disciple, then teacher:

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 23
and therevpon humbly besought her to deUuer
vnto him some briefe summe of her faith, which
hee might hereafter keepe, and as a faithfuU
witnesse publish to the world ; to which shee
wUlingly condiscended, and bad him boldly ques
tion her in what points of religion so euer it
pleased him, and she would giue her faithfull and
beleeuing answere, such as shee would euer bee
ready to seale "with her dearest blood: the summe
of which conference you shall heare read as it
was written with her own hand, and her name
subscribed therevnto, as followeth.

A CONFERENCE DIALOGUE-WISE HELD BETWEENE THE LADY
IANE DUDLEY AND M. FECKENHAM, FOURE DAYES BEFORE
HER DEATH, TOUCHING HER FAITH AND RELIGION.
Feck. What thing is required in a Christian?
lane. To beleeue in God the Father, in God
the Sonne, in God the Holy Ghost, three persons
and one God.
Feck. Is there nothing else required in a
Christian, but to beleeue in God?
lane. Yes : We must beleeue in him, wee must
loue him, with aU our heart, with all our soule,
and all our minde, and om* neighbour as our selfe.

24 THE LIFE AND DEATH
Feck. Wliy then faith iustifieth not, nor saueth
not? lane. Yes, verily, faith (as S. Paul saith) onely
iustifieth. Feck. Why S. Paul saith, if I haue aU the faith
of the world, without loue, it is nothing.
lane. True it is, for how can I loue him I trust
not, or how can I trust in him whom 1 loue not,
faith and loue euer agree together, and yet loue
is comprehended in faith.
Feck. How shall we loue our neighbour?
lane. To loue our neighbour, is to feed the
hungry, cloth the naked, and to giue drinke to the
thirsty, and to do to him as we would doe to our
selues. Feck. Why then it is necessarie to saluation
to doe good workes, and it is not sufficient to
beleeue ?
lane. I deny that I affirme that faith onely
saueth: but it is meet for aU Christians, in token
that they follow their master Christ, to doe good
works : yet may we not say, nor in any "wise
beleeue, that they profit to saluation: for although
we haue done aU that we can, yet wee are
vnprofitable seniants, and the faith we haue onely
in Christs blood, and his merits saueth.

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. "J.)
Feck. How many Sacraments are there?
lane. Two: the one the Sacrament of Bapfisme,
and the other the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.
Feck. No, there be seuen Sacraments.
lane. By what Scripture finde you that?
Feck. WeU wee will talke of that hereafter :
but what is signified by your two Sacraments.
lane. By the Sacrament of Baptisme I am
washed "with water, and regenerated in the Spirit,
and that washing is a token to mee that 1 am the
child of God : the Sacrament of the Lords Supper
is offered vnto me as a sure seale and testimonie,
that I am, by the blood of Christ which hee shed
for me on the crosse, made partaker of the
euerlasting kingdome.
Feck. Why what doe you receiue in that
bread, doe you not receiue the very body and
bloud of Christ?
lane. No surely, I doe not beleeue so : I
thinke at that Supper 1 receiue neither flesh nor
bloud, but onely bread and wine, the which bread
when it is broken, and the wine when it is
drunke, putteth mee in minde how that for my
sinnes the body of Christ was broken, and his
bloud shed on the crosse, and with that bread
and "wine I receiue the benefits which came -by

26 THE LIFE AND DEATH
breaking of his body, and by the shedding of his
bloud on the crosse fur my sinnes.
Feck. Why but (Madame) doth not Christ
speake these words : take eate, this is my body :
can you require any plainer words : doth he not
say, that it is his body ?
lane. 1 grant he saith so ; and so he saith
likewise iij other places, 1 am the vine, I am the '
doore, it being onely but afiguratiue speech: doth
not S. Paul say that he caUetli those things
which are not as though they were : God forbid,
that 1 should say that 1 eate the very naturall
body and bloud of Christ : for then either 1 should
plucke away my redemption, or confesse there
were two bodies, or two Christs : two bodies,
the one body was tormented on the crosse, and
then if they did eate another body, how absurd :
againe, if his body was eaten really, then it was
not broken vp on the crosse, or if it were broken
vpon the crosse (as it is doubtlesse) then it was
not eaten ofhis Disciples.
Feck. Why is it not as possible that Christ
by his power could make his body both to be
eaten and broken, as to bee borne of a woman
without the seed of man, and as to walk on the
sea hauing a body, and other such Uke myracles
which he wrought by his power onely.

OF THE LADY IANE GR.VV. 27
lane. Yes, verily, if God would haue done at
his last supper a myracle, he might haue done
so : but I say he minded nor intended no worke
or myracle, but onely to breake his bodie, and
shed his bloud on the crosse for our sinnes : but
I beseech you answere me to this one question ;
where was Christ when he said : take eatCj this
is my body : was not he at the table, when he
said so hee was at that time aliue, and sufi'ered
not tiU the next day? Well, what tooke hee but
bread ? and what broke hee but bread ? and what
gaue hee but bread? looke what hee tooke hee
brake, and looke what hee brake hee gaue, and
looke what hee gaue that did they eate, and yet
all this whUe hee himselfe was at supper before
his Disciples, or else they were deceiued.
Feck. You ground your faith upon such authors
as say and vnsay, both with a breath, and not
vpon the Church, to whom you ought to giue
credit. lane. No, 1 ground my faith vpon Gods word, and
not vpon the Church : for if the Church bee a good
Church, the faith of the Church must bee tryed by
Gods word, and not Gods word by the Church :
neither yet my faith : shaU I beleeue the Church be
cause of antiquitie ? or shaU I giue credit to that

28 THE LIFE AND DEATH
Church which taketh away from mee a full halfe part
of the Lords Supper, and will not lay-man receiue
it in both kinds, but the priests only themselues,
which thing if they deny to vs part, they deny us
part of our saluation : and I say that it is an euil
and no good Church, and not the spouse of Christ,
but the spouse of the diueU, which altereth the
Lords Supper, and both taketh from it, and addeth
to it : to that Church I say God wil adde plagues,
and from that Church will he take their part out
of the Book of Life : you may learne of S. Paul,
how hee did administer it to the Corinthians in
both liindes, which since your Church refuseth,
shall I beleeue it, God forbid.
Feck. That was done by the wisedome of the
Church, and to a most good intent to auoid an
heresie, which then sprung in it.
lane. O but the Church must not alter Gods
wil and ordinances for the colour or glosse of a
good intent, it was the error of King Saul, and
he not onely reaped a curse, but perished thereby
as it is euident in the Holy Scriptures.
To this M. Feckenham gaue me a long,
tedious, yet eloquent reply, vsing many strong
and logicall perswasions, to compeU me to haue
leaned to their Church, but my faith had armed

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 29
my resolution to withstand any assault that words
could then vse against mee : of many other articles
of religion we reasoned, but these formerly
rehearsed were the chiefest and most effectual.
Subscribed Iane Dudley.
This catechising argument between the Lady
lane and M. Fakenham was held in the Tower
publiquely, before diuers worthy and noble per
sonages, in aU which shee bore her selfe with
such a modest humility, yet so honourably stout
in all thinges, which either concerned her God
and her reUgion, that shee rauisht and stole vnto
her, all the hearts of her auditory, while M.
Fakenham lost much of that g'ood opinion of his
learning, which formerly for a long time he had
enioyed: insomuch, that finding his own weak-
nes and his much disabUity to refell her truths
with his scholastical fallacies hee grew into a
Uttle choUer, and vsed vnto her some immodest
speeches most "vnsuitable for his grauity, to
which only her smUes and pacience gaue answere,
and amongst the rest comming to take his leaue
of her, hee said, Madam, I am sorry for you and
your obstinacy, and now 1 am assured you and I
shall neuer meete againe. It is most true sir that

30 THE I.IFE AND DEATH
wee shall neuer meet againe except God turne
your heart, for I stand vndoubtedly assured that
vnlesse you repent and turne to God, you are in
a sad and desperate case, and I pray to God in
the boweUs of his mercy to send you his holy
spirit for hee hath giuen you his great guift of
vtterance, if it please him to open the eyes of
your heart to his truth, but at these wordes he
rudely departed without further answer, while the
SaintUke Lady withdrew herselfe into her priuate
bedchamber, where shee bestowed herselfe in
most deuout prayer, till the night before her
death, at what time shee took a faire new Testa^
ment in Greek, on which after shee had read a
whUe, offering to close vp the book shee found
in the end thereof some few leaues of cleane paper
vnwritten, which as it were awakening and
incyting her zeale to some good and charitable
office, shee took penne and inke and in those wast
leaues wrote a most godly and learned exhortation,
which as soone as shee had finished it, shee closed
vp the booke and deliuered it to her seruant to
beare vnto her sister the Lady Katherine, as the
last token of her loue and remembrance, which
was with great diligence performed. The tenor
of the exhortation was this which foUoweth :

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 31
AN EXHORTATION WRITTEN BY LADY IANE DUDLEY, THE
NIGHT BEFORE HEB DE.\TH IX THE END OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT, IN GREEKB, WHICH SHEE SENT TO
HEB SISTER, THE LADY KATHERINE GRAY.
I HAUE heere sent you (my deare sister Kathe
rine) a booke, which although it be not outwardly
trimmed with gold, or the curious imbroderie of
the artful'st needles, yet inwardly it is more
worth then all the precious mynes which the
vast world can boast of: it is the booke (my
only best and best loued sister) of the law of the
Lord : it is the Testament and last will, which
hee bequeathed vnto vs wretches and wretched
sinners, wiiich shaU leade you to the path of
eternall ioy : and if you with a good minde reade
it, and with an earnest desire follow it, no doubt
it shall bring you to an immortaU and euerlasting
life : it wiU teach you to liue, and learne you to
dye : it shaU win you more, and endow you with
greater feUcitite, then you should haue gained by
the possession of our wofuU fathers lands : for as
if God had prospered him, you should haue in
herited his honors and manors, so if you apply
diUgently this booke, seeking to direct your life
according to the rule of the same, you shall be

32 THE LIFE AND DEATH
ah inheritor of such riches, as neither the couetous
shall withdraw from you, neither the theefe shall
steale, neither yet the moathes corrupt: desire
with Dauid (my best sister) to vnderstand the
law of the Lord your God, liue stiU to dye, that
you by death may purchase etemall life, and trust
not that the tendernesse of your age shaU lengthen
your life : for vnto God, when hee calleth, all
bowers, times and seasons are aUke, and blessed
are they whose lampes are fumished when he
commeth, for as soone wiU the Lord be glorified
in the yong as in the old.
My good sister once more againe let mee
entreat thee to learne to dye ; deny the world,
defie the diueU, and despise the flesh, and delight
your selfe onely in the Lord: be penitent for
your sinnes, and yet despayrenot: be strong in
faith, yet presume not, and desire with S. Paul,
to bee dissolued, and to be "with Christ, with
whom, euen in death there is Ufe.
Be Uke the good seruant, and euen at midnight
be waking, least when death commeth and stealeth
vpon you, like a theefe in the night, you be with
the seruants of darknes found sleeping, and least
for lack of oyle you be found like the fiue fooUsh
virgins,- or like him that had not on the wedding

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 33
garment, and then you be cast into darknes, or
banisht from the maiTiage : reioyce in Christ, as
I trust you doe, and seeing you haue the name of
a christian, as neare as you can foUow the steps,
and be a true imitator of your master Christ
Jesus, and take vp your crosse, lay yom- sinnes
on his back, and alwaies imbrace him.
Now as touching my death, reioyce as I doe
fmy dearest sister) that I shall be deliuered of
this corruption, and put on incorruption: for I
am assured that I shall, for loosing of a mortal)
life, winne one that is immortall, ioyfull and euer
lasting: the which I pray GOD grant you in his
most blessed hower, and send you his all-sauing
grace to liue in his feare, and to dye in the true
Christian Faith : from which in Gods name 1
exhort you that you neuer swarue, neither so
hope of life, nor feare of death : for if you will
deny his truth, to giue length to a weary and
corrupt breath, God himselfe will defi}'" you, and
by vengeance make short what you by your
soules losse would prolong : but if you will cleaue
to him, hee will stretch forth your dayes to an
vncircumscribed comfort, and to his owne glorie:
to the which glorie God bring mee now, and you
hereafter, when it shaU please him to call you :

34 THE LIFE AND DEATH
farewell once againe (my beloued sister) and put
your onely trust in God who onely must help
you. Amen. Your louing Sister.
IANE DUDLEY.

AFl'ER the Lady lane had finished this exhor-
sation to her sister, and sent it away by her
seruant, there came vnto her two Bishops and
other learned Doctors, who like"wise held with
her more than two howers conference, striuing
with all their powers to haue drawne her to haue
dyed in the obedience of their Church and
fellowship, but found themselues infinitely de
ceiued : for her faith beeing built vpon tbe rock
of Chrisi, was by no worldly perswation or com
fort to bee either mooued or shaken, so that
after the expence of time and the losse of
much speacb, they left her, (as they sayd) a
lost and forsaken member, but shee, as before,
prayed for them, and with a most charitable
patience endured their worst censures.
The next day she was caUed downe to goe to
the place of execution, to which shee had prepared
her selfe with more diligence then either the

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 35
malice of her aduersaries could desire or the
vigilance of any officer for thc discharge of his
duty expect, and being come downe and deliuered
into the hands of the Sheriffes, they might behold
in her a countenance so grauely setled with all
modest and comely resolution, that not the least
hayre or mote either of feare or griefe could be
perceiued to proceed either out of her speech or
motions, but like a demure body, going to bee
vnited to her hearts best and longest beloued :
so shewed she forth all the beanies of a well mixt
and tempered alacrity, rather instructing patience
how it should suffer, than being by patience
any way able to indure the trauell of so greeuous
a iourney, with this blessed and modest boldnes
of spirit vndaunted and vnaltered, she went
towards the scaffold, till whether through the
mallice of some great aduersary or the indiscre
tion of the officers (but the latter is more
credible,) shee incountred vppon the way (as
shee went) the headlesse trunke of her new dead
Lord and Husband the Lord Guilford Dudley,
at that instant returning from the scaffold to the
Tower to bee buried, this spectacle a little startled
her, and many teares were seene to descend and

36 THE LIFE AND DEATH
fall vppon her cheekes, which her silence and
great heart soone dryed, and beeing now come
vppon the scaffold, after reuerence done to the
Lordes and others in Commission, (turning her
selfe round about to the people) shee spake these
wordes as followeth.

THE LADY lAKB DUDLEY'S WORDS VPON THE SCAFFOLD
BEFORE HER DEATH.
MY Lordes, and you good Christian people,
which come to see me dye, I am vnder a law,
and hy that law (as a neuer erring Judge) I am
condemned to dye, not for any thing I haue
offended the Queens Maiesty, for I will wash
my hands guiltles thereof, and deliuer to my
God a soule as pure from such trespas, as inno
cence from iniustice, but onely for that I con
sented to the thing which I was enforced vnto,
constraint making the law beleeue I did that which
I neuer vnderstood : notwithstanding, I haue
offended ahnighty God in that 1 haue followed
ouer-much the lust of mine owne flesh and the

OF THE LADY IANE GRAY. 37
pleasures of this wretched world, neither haue I
liued according to the knowledge that God hath
giuen me, for which cause God hath appoynted
vnto me this kind of death, and that most
worthily, according to my deserts how bee it I
thanke him hartily that hee hath giuen me time
to repent my sinnes heere in this world, and to
reconcile my selfe to my redeemer, whom my
former vanities haue in a great measure displea
sed. Wherefore (my Lords, and all you good
christian people) I must earnestly desire you all
to pray with me and for mee whilst I am yet
aUue, that God of his infinite goodnesse and
mercy, will forgiue mee my sinnes how number-
lesse and grieuous soeuer against him: and I
beseech you aU to beare mee "witnesse that I
heere dye a true christian woman, professing and
auouching from my soule that I trust to be saued
by the blood, passion, and merits of Jesus Christ
my Sauiour onely, and by none other meanes,
casting farre behinde mee all the workes and
merits of mine owne actions, as things so farre
short of the true dutie I owe, that I quake to
thinke how much they may stand vp against me.
And now I pray you all pray for mee, and with

38 THE LIFE AND DEATH, &C.
me, and at those words she repeated the Psalme
of Miserere mei: which done, she said: Lord
saue my soule which now I commend into
thy hands, aud so with all meekiiesse
of spirit, and a saint-like pa
tience, she prepared
her selfe to the
blocke.

FINIS.

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