PUBLIC LIBRARY 2930824 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R 1927 L Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by DERBY & MILLER, In the Clerk's Office for the Northern District of New York STEREOTYPED BY 216 William St. N. Y. PREFACE. I OFFER no apology for preparing this volume. The lovely woman who is its subject, possessed a character worthy of contemplation. Her career is one of the most interesting and tragical to be found in the pages of English history. But I apologise most heartily for the manner in which I have executed my task, though apologies are not generally accepted by the reading public. My object has been to prepare a popular sketch of the Life of Lady Jane Grey-to make a book so convenient in size, and simple in style, as to command the attention of the million. The subject of this memoir existed so long ago, that it has been impossible to discover any new facts connected with her life; but I have searched thoroughly all the proper authorities, and present, in a single volume, everything of interest which has reference to Lady Jane. It has seemed to me necessary to give a brief sketch of the times immediately previous to those in which Lady Jane Grey existed, for her own career and sad fate were, in a manner, dependent upon the political events of those times. Her claim to the throne of England cannot be understood, without adverting to the history of Henry VIII. and his queens, one of whom was the dearest female friend Lady Jane ever possessed. My authorities in the preparation of this volume have been, Knight, Goldsmith, Hume, Fox, Burnet, Agnes Strickland, and Speed. I am also much indebted to an English volume upon Lady Jane Grey, by Howard. I shall be content with little praise for my book, if any of those who read it shall be led to imitate the character of the beautiful and illustrious woman whose sad, yet in another sense glorious, career, it records. HARTFORD, CONN., January 1, 1853. D. W. B. |