Bulwark Gate the Lieutenant of the Tower handed over the prisoners to the Sheriffs of London for execution. It was here that out of the crowd burst a woman who flourished in the Duke's face a handkerchief dipped in the blood of the Duke of Somerset, and cursed the author of his death. Amongst those on the scaffold was the Bishop of Worcester to give ghostly comfort. The Duke first "puttinge off his gowne of swane coloured damask" walked to the east end of the scaffold and leaning on the railing addressed the people :

"Good people, all of you that be heere present to see mee die, though my death bee odious, and horrible to the flesh, yet I pray you judge the best in God's workes, for hee doth all for the best, and as for mee, I am a wretched sinner, and have deserved to die, and most justly am condemned to die by law and yet this act wherof I dye, was not altogether of me (as it is thought) but I was procured and induced thereunto by other: Howbeit, God forbid that I should name any man unto you, I will name no man unto you, and therefore I beseeche you looke not for it. I, for my part, forgive all men, and pray God also to forgive them. And if I have offended any of you here, I pray you, and all the world to forgive me; and mostly, chiefly I desire forgiveness of the Queen's highnesse, whom I have most grievously offended. And I pray you all to witness with me, that I departe in perfect love and charitie with all the world, and that you will assist me with your prayers at this hour of death."1

Having said these words the Duke kneeled down, and called on those about him to witness that he died in the true Catholic faith. He then repeated some verses of the Psalms and ended with "into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit." Then the executioner approached and kneeling asked his forgiveness, to which the Duke answered, "I forgive thee with all my heart, and doe thy part without feare." The Duke made the sign of the cross on the sawdust at his feet and kissed it, saying, “I have deserved a thousand deathes." Then he laid his

1 Stow.

head upon the block and was instantly beheaded. "Whose body with the head was buryed in the Tower, by the body of Edward, late Duke of Somerset : so that there lyeth before the high altar of St. Peter's Church, two Dukes betweene two Queenes, to wit, the Duke of Somerset, and the Duke of Northumberland between Queen Anne and Queene Katherine, all foure beheaded."1

1 Stow.

XI

THE QUEEN OF NINE DAYS

LADY JANE GREY, (b. 1537; d. February 12th, 1554)

Lady Jane Grey-Her dangerous relatives-Father and father-inlaw-Proclaimed Queen-Arrives at the Tower-Dons the robes and jewels of Sovereignty-Deposed and imprisoned in the Tower-" A place not easy to leave "-Lord Guildford Dudley her husband-The Gentleman Gaoler-A dinner party-Converse thereat-Lady Jane tried at the GuildhallThe Duke of Suffolk's insurrection seals her fate-Execution ordered-Sees her husband's lifeless corpse carried by—Her own execution follows-Her fearless demeanour-Her prayers and words-"Lord, into thy hands "—Lies before the altar in St. Peter's ad Vincula.

O

NE of the most pathetic and beautiful ladies. who have come to the block in the Tower of London was Lady Jane Grey. A quiet, unassuming, devout lady, her misfortune was to be the offspring of an ambitious father, and later to wed into a family where similar ambitions reigned. To add to the stars of her misfortune, she chanced to be a first cousin to the sovereign, at an era when all near relations to the throne were looked upon, perhaps not without reason, with suspicion, in the light of potential usurpers, or at least the mainspring of conspiracies. The ambitious father was Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk; the equally ambitious father-in-law was John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland; and the royal cousin was Edward VI. As this sickly youth lay dying he bequeathed, as before narrated, the throne to his cousin Jane, to the exclusion of his sisters Mary and Elizabeth. The Duke of Northumberland, to whose machinations this injustice was

ascribed, at once proclaimed Jane, Queen of England, and himself, as we have seen, marched northwards to fight the supporters of the claims of the Princess Mary.

Meanwhile the reign of Lady Jane Grey ran its brief course. On July 10th, 1553, she was brought in State from Sion House down the Thames to the Tower, and entered it as Queen of England; "with grett compeny of lords and nobulls, and ther was a shot of gunnes and chamburs as has nott bene sene oft, between four and five of the clocke."1

The

Though not yet constitutionally crowned she was clothed in the Royal Robes, and walked to the Great Hall of the Tower, taking her place on the throne as Queen of England; whilst the Heralds proclaimed her accession, at the four corners of the fortress. Crown Jewels were also presented to her by the Keeper, Lord Winchester. It had been arranged that Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley were together, as Queen and Consort, to take up their abode in the State Apartments. But to this the Queen would not consent, for attached though she was to a somewhat colourless spouse, and though young in years and experience, she had sufficient political acumen to see through this seemingly guileless manœuvre, undoubtedly inspired by her ducal father-in-law. Therefore although she herself occupied in due state the Queen's Lodgings, Lord Guildford Dudley was at her request accommodated either with Lord Clinton, the Constable, or in the Lieutenant's Lodgings. Nor do her fears appear to have been altogether groundless, for two days after she came to the Tower she became suspiciously ill, which she herself ascribed to poison.

After a brief reign of but nine days, spent wholly within the walls of the Tower, news was brought her that she was no longer Queen. The bearer of these tidings was her father the Duke of Suffolk, who as a

1 Machyn's Diary, p. 35.

2 Lord Clinton was made Constable in place of Sir John Gage at this crisis,

preliminary had with due formality proclaimed the Princess Mary, Queen, on Tower Hill.

The announcement was received with a sigh of relief; and without protest or comment Lady Jane passed into her private apartments, and made preparations to leave the Tower. But as the historian says "the Tower was a place not easy to leave save by one route too often travelled," and that route the poor lady was destined to follow.

Lord Guildford Dudley was ordered to be imprisoned in the Beauchamp Tower, whilst Lady Jane Grey was first accommodated in the Lieutenant's Lodgings, and later removed to the Gentleman Goaler's quarters which lie alongside the Beauchamp Tower. The name of the Gentleman Gaoler was Nathaniel Partridge, and the lady late a Queen sat at table with him and his family.

A very interesting account of one of these meals is given by one of Nathaniel Partridge's friends, who with Lady Jane Grey's consent, dined at the common table. At the head of the table, " at the bordes end " sat Lady Jane; at the sides Partridge, his guest, and his wife, together with Jacob her ladyship's maid, and her footman.

It is to be noted that her Ladyship ordered Partridge and his guest to put on their caps; in other words gently hinting that she was no longer a Queen. Lady Jane seems to have been most friendly and unconstrained, and "once or twice droncke to " the guest, and bad him "hartellie wellcome." She also discoursed freely on various subjects, and regarding her successor on the throne remarked, "The Quene's majesty is a mercyfull princess: I beseche God she may long contynue, and sende his bountefull grace apon hir." Turning to matters of religion she asked who "preached at Polles (St. Paul's) on Sonday before." And so passed on to the subject of holding Mass. This brought up the matter of the sudden conversion of the Duke of Northumberland, who from her window she had seen crossing the Green on his way to the Chapel to apostatise. It was