Page:The Queens of England.djvu/399

 LADY JANE GREY. 357 have been spared. But she was destined to perish for the fol- lies and crimes of her relatives. Mary's cordial reception and support by her people, it is evident, had the best effect on her mind and on those of her counsellors. Though eleven of the coadjutors of Northumber- land were condemned to die, two only were executed. But when Mary announced her intention -to marry a catholic, Philip of Spain, the scene changed. This was too much for the affec- tions of her people, so lately rescued from the bondage of popery ; and the protestant party, under Sir Thomas Wyatt in Kent, and Sir Peter Carew in Devon, came forth in arms to oppose it. Still, this would not have affected the safety of Lady Jane Grey, for, as we have noted, Mary, relying on the Duke of Suffolk's newly-protested fidelity, was thinking of putting him at the head of her troops to arrest the approach of Wyatt, when to her consternation she learnt that that in- fatuated nobleman had fled to the midland counties in the hope of raising them and joining Wyatt and Carew, so as to restore his daughter's claim to the crown. This was the sentence of death to Lady Jane. The queen was still reluctant to sign a warrant. for that purpose; but Wyatt having marched on London with 15,000 men, dispersed the forces sent against him, and, reaching London, did stout battle in the streets, and at Charing Cross, within view of the queen herself at Whitehall, it was deemed absolutely necessary that Lady Jane should be executed, to take away all future occasion of rising in her behalf. As Baker, in his "Chronicle," quaintly observes, "The innocent lady must now suffer for her father's fault." There is no passage in history more familiar to readers than that of the execution of Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley. Feckenham, the Queen's confessor, was sent to announce to her the awful tidings that she must die the next day. She received the information with resigna- tion, and told Feckenham that she had long expected it. Feck- enham exerted himself to convert her at this last hour to the catholic faith, but in vain. Lady Jane desiring to have some time to prepare herself for death, Feckenham repeated this to the queen, who granted a reprieve of three days ; and this time Feckenham industriously employed in endeavoring to win over the youthful victim to his faith. Lady Jane Grey and her husband had been from the first confined in separate apartments. Guildford on the morning of the execution urgently requested to be allowed a last in-