The Tower of London, (Vol. 1 of 2)Gower, Ronald Sutherland, Lord
History
The Tower of London, (Vol. 1 of 2)
Gower, Ronald Sutherland, Lord
Tower of London (London, England)
On the 8th of February Queen Mary’s favourite priest, Feckenham, had
an interview with Jane in her prison, of which Foxe the martyrologist
has recounted the details at great length; but, needless to say, Lady
Jane remained unshaken in her firm faith, and in her attitude to the
Reformed religion. It had been ordered that Guildford Dudley should
die on Tower Hill, whilst Jane suffered within the walls the same day,
Monday the 12th of February being fixed for the double execution.
On the eve of this day Jane was sufficiently calm to write a long
“exhortation” for the use of her sister, Catherine Grey, writing it in
the blank pages of a manuscript on vellum, entitled “De Arte Moriundi.”
This exhortation is as full of devotion and perfect faith in the mercy
of her Saviour as were the beautiful lines she wrote to her father.
Although Guildford wished for a last interview with Jane on the morning
of their execution, she was firm in deciding that “the separation would
be but for a moment” as she is reported to have said, adding, that if
their meeting could benefit either of their souls she would be glad to
see her husband, but she felt it would only add a fresh pang to their
deaths, and they would soon be together in a world where there would
be no more death or separation. The last moments of this unfortunate
lady were inexpressibly tragic. About ten o’clock on the morning of
the 12th of February, Guildford Dudley was led forth from his prison
to the scaffold on Tower Hill, being met at the outer gate by Sir
Thomas Offley, and passing under his wife’s windows as he crossed the
Green. Bidding farewell to Sir Anthony Brown and Sir John Throgmorton,
Guildford met his fate with high courage. His body was brought back to
the Tower in a handcart, the head being placed in a cloth; and looking
forth from her prison, Lady Jane was suddenly confronted with the
remains of what a few minutes before had been her husband. But nothing
could shake her fortitude, as the following account, taken from the
Chronicles of Queen Jane and Queen Mary, shows:—
“By this tyme was ther a scaffolde made upon the grene over agaynst
the White Tower for the saide Lady Jane to die upon.... The saide Lady
being nothing at all abashed, neither with feare of her own deathe,
which then approached, neither with the ded carcase of her husbande,
when he was brought into the chappell, came forthe the Lieutenant (who
was Sir John Bridges, afterwards Lord Chandos of Sudeley) leading
hir, in the same gown wherein she was arrayned, hir countenance
nothing abashed, neither her eyes mysted with teares, although her two
gentlewomen Mistress Elizabeth Tylney and Mistress Eleyn wonderfully
wept, with a boke in hir hand, whereon she praied all the way till she
came to the saide scaffolde, whereon when she was mounted, this noble
young ladie, as she was indued with singular gifts both of learning
and knowledge, so was she as patient and mild as any lamb at hir
execution.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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