no insurrection but the feeble one of which he was the head; but Wyatt's frightful approach to success so alarmed her, that she was fully ready to sacrifice whoever, in the opinion of her council, was an enemy to the crown.

k

RESULT OF THE INSURRECTION.THE APPROACHING FATE OF LADY JANE GREY.-MARY SIGNS LADY JANE'S DEATH-WARRANT. SHE PREPARES FOR DEATH.-RELIGIOUS DISPUTE WITH FECKENHAM.LETTER TO HER FATHER.-LETTER TO HER SISTER KATHARINE.HER PRAYER.-HER LAST HOURS.-DEATH OF LORD GUILDFORD.— HER OWN TRIUMPHANT END.

THE rebellion, the details of which we have just contemplated, was, as we have remarked, the immediate cause of Lady Jane Grey's death. Queen Mary was at once beset by her courtiers and councillors, who persuaded her to believe that the death of Lady Jane was necessary to the security of the crown. Alarmed as she had been by the insurrections, she needed but little argument to convince her that her innocent relation must be sacrificed. It is a most singular fact, that the men who were the most urgent in their desire for Lady Jane's execution, were the very persons who had forced the crown upon her, but who by base recantation now stood

high at Mary's court. The Earl of Pembroke and the Marquis of Westminster were these men. They had, months before, urged with the utmost eloquence Lady Jane to accept the crown; had, when she wept and fainted at the thought of usurpation, actually pressed the bitter cup to her lips, and now, with a cruelty and wickedness scarcely surpassed in history compassed her death, urged Queen Mary to execute her at once!

The Duke of Suffolk, Lady Jane's father, was now, of course, a traitor, and sure of death. His conduct was characterized by the utmost recklessness, weakness, and madness. Queen Mary had, with singular good-nature, pardoned him for his former offence against her, pardoned him after an imprisonment of only a few days, and with a miserable grace now came his mad efforts to raise a rebellion against his benefactor. The most sad result of his conduct was the effect which it had upon the fortunes of Lady Jane Grey. He alone should have borne the penalties for his misconduct, but in fact the heaviest blow fell upon Lady Jane Grey, who was made responsible for her father's conduct. The very next day after the fray with Wyatt, the queen

came to Temple Bar, and upon the spot still damp with blood, signed the death-warrant of Lady Jane Grey and Lord Guildford Dudley. Her excuse was, that as long as a competitor to the throne existed there would be rebellions, and the safety of the kingdom demanded the death of Lady Jane. The warrant commanded the execution of the unfortunate pair upon the ninth day of February-it now being the seventh. The queen evidently was frightened for her safety, and not possessing a tender heart, consented to the death of her lovely cousin without manifesting much feeling. (Excuse the act as historians may, it was a frightful one, and it will forever stamp the character of Queen Mary as vindictive, cruel, and bloody. She knew perfectly well the true history of Lady Jane's usurpation of the crown-knew of her repugnance at accepting it, of her innocence, her youth, and her gentle piety-must have known that under no circumstances could she ever again be persuaded to accept the crown, and yet, though she was her relative, yet Mary consigned her, young,, beautiful, and pious as she was, to the scaffold! Had the queen possessed a woman's heart, she never would have signed the death-warrant of

Lady Jane Grey. The truth is, her heart was cold, and her affections were withered by repeated disappointments, and she felt but little sympathy for an enemy, in however distressing a condition.

Only two days were allowed to Lady Jane to prepare for her execution, but so full of piety was her heart, that when Feckenham, a Catholic priest, came to announce to her her fate, she declared that she was ready and willing to die! Dr. Feckenham was a bigoted, though a very sincere, and we believe a pious Catholic. He attempted to reason with her upon religious matters, but Lady Jane told him her time was too short for controversy. He at once flew to the queen, and told her that the time was too short for the preparation of Lady Jane for death, and that there could be no hope of winning her over to the true faith so suddenly. The queen therefore respited the execution for three days. Feckenham went immediately to the prison where Lady Jane was, and with his face glowing with pleasure, informed her of the respite. Lady Jane smiled sadly upon him, and replied:

“You have mistaken my meaning; I wish not for delay of sentence, but for quiet from