restriction. It is thy base insidious arts have induced her to retract that full and free pardon granted to me; and canst thou dare to think, princes will so far forget their dignity and power, to barter their grace and favour, as Romish priests their pardons ?” Gardiner treated his violence and resentment with the most insulting coolness; and, deliberately showing him the signet of the Queen, said he probably would not dispute its power; or presume to mistake her majesty's meaning. Pembroke flew to the Queen, and found the treacherous report too true. Mary refused to fulfil her given word on any other terms than those already offered; and he had the agony of knowing that his beloved friends were led to the scaffold, without the power on his part to avert their dreadful doom! Guilford and Jane resisted all the insidious persuasions of Gardiner, to abjure their heresy, and preserve their lives. He indeed argued with that infuriated zeal, which so strongly marked the prelates of those dreadful times; but all in vain. Jane remained unmoved, and Guilford, inspired by her bright example, refused the conditional mercy offered; then clasping again, and again, his tender partner to his breast, he exerted his utmost fortitude, and with a firm and steady step, proceeded to the scaffold. The merciless prelate still continued his persecutions towards Jane; while she entreated him to leave her to herself; and permit her to employ, undisturbed, the few intervening moments which still remained, between her and eternity. Gardiner at this became incensed, and accused her of folly, perversion of judgment, and the sin of yielding her life for the confirmation of error ! "Peace (she exclaimed), I prithee peace-ere we shall meet again, it will be truly known, who judge aright, or who persist in error' till then farewell." "Wilt thou then die, die in the cause of cursed heresy-thy blood be on thy head! !" My blood be where it falls; let the earth hide it; To zeal's inhuman wrath! thou gracious Heaven! And guard that faith for which I die to-day.*** Notwithstanding her calmness and resignation, Jane's fortitude was again put to a severe test, in parting from her weeping attendants; but she exhorted them to patience, and distributing some trifling gifts among them, embraced, and bade them an eternal farewell! As she passed along to the place of execution, she met the headless body of her husband streaming with blood. She motioned with her hand, that the bearers should stop awhile, and in silence they obeyed. She gazed on the lifeless form for a few moments-then breathing a sigh, desired them to proceed; and calmly approached the scaffold. An awful stillness now prevailed ;-no sound disturbed the deathlike silence, save the bell tolling, at intervals, its solemn knell. When on the scaffold, she addressed the by-standers, saying-" that her offence was not that she had laid her hand upon the crown; her crime was that she had not rejected it with sufficient constancy. She had erred in filial obedience rather than from ambition; and willingly resigned herself to death, as the only atonement she had it in her power to make to the injured state! and she trusted her sentence would be as a warning to those who might hereafter tread in her steps; and prove that innocence is no just plea in extenuation of deeds which tend to injure the community." She then ordered herself to be disrobed, and clasping her hands, she raised her eyes to heaven, ejaculated a short but fervent prayer, and bowed her devoted head to the murderous axe. So fare thee well, thou beauteous excellence; The tear, whilst pity heaves the tender sigh, The first, of gold, which this inscription bears; Who chooseth me, must give and hazard all he hath. Ir was the singular whim of an Italian nobleman, residing in his castle of Belmont, to devise a new mode of wooing. He was wealthy, and had one daughter, a lady of exquisite beauty, an only child, who was heiress to all his riches. Being well aware that her fortune would expose her to a variety of suitors, and that she would probably be deceived, and imposed upon-he resolved to guard her if possible from that danger, though he left her liable to a much greater; as, according to his mode, she might be chosen by one she did not love, and her future |