Robert Merry's Museum, Vol. VIII, July to December, 1844Various
General
Robert Merry's Museum, Vol. VIII, July to December, 1844
Various
Children's literature -- Periodicals
The infatuation of Suffolk sealed his daughter’s fate. No sooner did he
hear of Wyatt’s being in arms than he hastened down into Leicestershire
and summoned the people to join him in rebellion; but his own tenants
disregarded the call; he was seized by the queen’s officers and carried
to London. The father’s treason was imputed to the daughter, and one
of the first acts of the queen and her council, after the suppression
of the rebellion, was to order the execution of the sentence which had
been hanging over the head of Lady Jane and her husband. Jane heard
the annunciation with gladness; she was prepared for death, which she
looked upon as the termination of her miseries and her entrance into
eternal happiness. But she was not suffered to pass the four days of
life which were allowed her, in quiet; her devotions were disturbed
by the priests who, by the queen’s command, sought, by perpetual
disputations, to bring about what they called a timely conversion. But
their efforts, though renewed on each day, were unsuccessful; “her
faith, being built on the rock of Christ, was by no worldly persuasion
or comfort to be either moved or shaken; so that after the expense of
time, and the loss of much speech, they left her, a lost and forsaken
member; but she prayed for them, and with a most charitable patience
endured their worst censures.”
It had been the original intention of the queen that the youthful
couple should suffer together on Tower-hill, but the council, dreading
the compassion of the people for their youth, beauty, and innocence,
changed the orders, and gave directions that Lord Guilford should
suffer on the Hill, but that Lady Jane should be executed within the
walls of the Tower. On the morning of the fatal day, Lord Guilford
desired permission to see his wife. The queen granted the permission,
but Lady Jane refused to permit the interview; sending him word,
that the tenderness of their parting would overcome the fortitude of
both, and would too much unbend their minds from the constancy which
was required of them. She added, that their separation would be but
for a moment; and that they would soon rejoin each other in a scene
where their affections would forever be united, and where death and
disappointment could no longer have access to them to disturb their
happiness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account