LADY TANE GRAY.

AMBITION punished, seldom excites pity; but can a tribute of commiseration be refused to a beautiful woman, only seventeen years of age, who laid her head upon the block to expiate the ambition of another? Such was the fate of Lady Jane Gray! A crown had no attractions for her—she had no desire to reign! It seemed as if this unfortunate and lovely young creature felt her feet slip on the very steps of that throne which the Duke of Northumberland forced her to ascend. A warning presentiment told her that a life of quiet seclusion was the only means she had of escaping a violent death. She long resisted the fatal counsel of her father-in-law; but she was dragged on by her evil destiny.

Lady Jane Gray, born in 1537, was the granddaughter of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII. This princess, being left a widow by the death of her husband, Louis XII., King of France, and having no children by this marriage, returned to England and married Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, whom she had long loved, and who was Lady Jane's grandfather. The subject of this memoir, when she was scarcely sixteen, married Lord Guildford Dudley, fourth son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Lady Jane Gray was beyond measure lovely; her features were beautifully regular, and her large and mild eyes were the reflection of a pure and energetic soul, though peaceful and unambitious. She had a strong passion for study,

especially that of abstruse science. Though young, she had acquired vast learning, and was deeply read in the ancients; she was very familiar with Greek and extremely partial to Plato. Living at one of her country-seats, she divided her time between her books and her husband, until political events of high importance troubled her peaceful life and destroyed her happiness.

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, Protector of England, exercised over that kingdom a despotic sway to which the nobles would no longer submit. The latter, equally disgusted with. the pride of Thomas Lord Seymour, the Protector's brother, applauded the Duke of Northumberland when he succeeded in successively removing these two favorites from the king's person; and Northumberland thought himself popular, when he was only loved on account of his hatred towards the Seymours. Edward VI., a weak and sickly child, who could ill bear the weight of the crown that encircled his pallid brow, always bestowed his favor upon those near his person, and Northumberland succeeded Somerset. But the new favorite, fearing, and with good reason, that he should not long retain this station, as the king might die, and was indeed then dying, though only sixteen years of age, employed, with considerable address, the prejudices of religion to gain his ends. He described to Edward, in hideous colors, the character of his sister, Mary, the Catholic; and represented in an equally unfavorable light, Elizabeth, daughter of that Ann Boleyn who was condemned and executed for adultery. Could then the crown of England, he asked, be placed upon a dishonored brow, or the welfare of the English nation be intrusted to an intolerant fanatic? Northumberland was a man of ability; he shook the timid conscience of Edward, who, fearing Mary's violence, and prejudiced against Elizabeth,

changed the order of succession, and designated as his successor, Jane Gray, the eldest daughter of Henry Gray.

At the period of Edward's death, there were four female claimants to the crown of England. Two of them were daughters of Henry VIII.,-Mary the Catholic, born of a repudiated wife--Elizabeth the Protestant, born of a wife beheaded as an adulteress. The two others, descended from Henry VII., were Lady Jane Gray, and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotlandthe one a Protestant, like Elizabeth, and claiming by the last will of Edward VI.; the other a Catholic, like Mary, and having not a very clear right, nor the means of enforcing it, even if it were established.

Lady Jane Gray, in the innocence of her heart, was unacquainted with her own claims, and was, besides, unambitious to change her lot. But an ambitious father-in-law forced her upon a throne, to reign only a few days, and then die by the hand of the public executioner. In vain did the lovely young creature entreat her father-in-law to allow her to retain her freedom. The obstinate duke, always at the head of intrigues, determined to gain his point with her whom he deemed a child. "Shall it be for nothing," said he, "that I have caused the daughters of two queens to be declared illegitimate in order to place the crown upon the head of my daughter-in-law? No, indeed!"

Northumberland, not trusting solely to the will of Edward VI. to get Lady Jane Gray acknowledged queen after the king's death, was anxious, before he made the attempt, to have the two daughters of Henry VIII. in his power. He, therefore, a short time before Edward's death, prevailed on the council to write to Mary and Elizabeth, requesting their presence to afford assistance and consolation to a dying brother. They

accordingly set out for London; but Edward having expired before their arrival, Northumberland concealed his death, in order that the princesses might continue their journey, and fall into the snare he had laid for them. Mary had already reached Hoddesdon, about seventeen miles from London, when the Earl of Arundel sent her an express to inform her of her brother's death, and warn her of the projects of Northumberland. She immediately retired in all haste, and reached Kenninghall in Norfolk, whence she proceeded to Framlingham in Suffolk. She wrote to all the principal nobility and gentry in the kingdom, calling upon them to take up arms in defence of the crown and its legitimate heir; she also sent to the council to announce that she was aware of her brother's death, and commanded them to take the necessary steps for her being proclaimed. Dissimulation being no longer of any use, Northumberland boldly declared his plan, and, attended by several of the great nobles of England, proceeded to Zion House, where he did homage to Lady Jane Gray as Queen of England. It was then only that this lovely and unfortunate young woman was made acquainted with the intentions of her father-in-law. She rejected the proffered crown, and urged the priority of right possessed by the daughters of Henry VIII. For a long time she persisted in her refusal; and her resistance was at length overcome, more by the persuasion of her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, than by the entreaties of her father-in-law. She was immediately conducted to the Tower of London, where it was customary for the sovereigns of England to spend the first days of their accession to the throne; and she went thither rather as a beautiful victim to be offered up in sacrifice, than as the new sovereign of a great nation.

In vain she was proclaimed Queen of England; not a sign

of rejoicing was heard, and the people maintained a sullen silence. There was no feeling against Lady Jane Gray; but the unpopularity of the Dudleys was excessive, and it was easily seen that, under the name of Jane, they would be the real rulers of England. This made the nation look toward Mary, and the promises of religious toleration which she held out, induced them to support her cause.

Meanwhile Mary was obtaining the submission of the people of Suffolk. All the inhabitants of this county professed the reformed religion, and the moment she pledged herself that they should freely exercise their faith, they attached themselves to her cause. The most powerful of the nobility flocked to her standard, and Sir Edward Hastings, who had received a commission from the council to levy troops in the county of Buckingham for Lady Jane Gray, brought these troops to Mary. A fleet also which Northumberland had sent to cruise off the coast of Suffolk, entered Yarmouth, and declared for the daughter of Henry VIII. Soon after, the ministers of Jane's government, who considered themselves little better than Northumberland's prisoners, left the Tower in a body, and with the Mayor and Aldermen of London proceeded to do homage to her whom they deemed their legitimate sovereign.

If

Success attended Mary's arms, and she was universally acknowledged queen. At first she appeared mild and clement, assuming an expression of benevolence, and talking only of pardon. But such a word from her was a cruel mockery. there was pardon, there must have been injury; and it was in Mary's nature never to forget an offence. This seeming mildness was only the slumber of vengeance, which was soon to awake and throw mourning and desolation over the land. Northumberland was at first the only individual she seemed