and abide the upshot of our rightful quarrel, or die with the brave men fighting for us."

She then prepared herself for the street. At that moment the palace was assaulted in the rear by a body of men under Cobham. A band of gentlemen-at-arms defended the palace with great courage, in the rear, and other men fought well in front with battle-axes. Cries were constantly heard throughout the palace, that all was lost, and the queen was beseeched to make an attempt to escape in a barge down the Thames. But she would not, but was cheerful, and endeavored to impart courage to those around her. She asked:

"Where is Lord Pembroke?"

The answer was:

"He is in the midst of the battle."

"Well, then," said she, "all that dare not fight may fall to prayers, and I warrant we shall hear better news anon. God will not deceive me, in whom my chief trust is."

Still there was the wildest confusion in the palace, and few hearts there were calm. Shrieks were uttered in every room, cheeks were white with fear, but Queen Mary privately left the palace, to cheer the soldiers. She saw that her

fate would be decided in a few moments; that she would soon meet with an ignominious end, or at least a terrible disgrace, or she would triumph over her enemies, and stand the proudest queen of the world! She stood between two of her soldiers, within shot of the enemy, and saw the valiant Pembroke make his final charge which decided the battle. Wyatt's forces fled in confusion, and such was the excitement and terror of every one, that friends were mistaken for foes, and the insurgents were only known by their dress, which had been muddied in coming hastily up to London.

Sir Thomas Wyatt sat down upon a stall in Fleet Street, dispirited and fatigued, and in a short time gave himself up quietly a prisoner, and he was carried in triumph to court.

Thus ended the three insurrections, the last one of which came so near being successful, that the court was striken with terror. Alas! the consequence was that the innocent Lady Jane Grey. who had rested unconscious of the battles outside her prison walls, must lay down her life. Her father had not only ensured his own downfall, but that of his daughter. Mary might have rested content with his blood, had there been

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.

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CHAPTER XII.

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