who rest with our Lord in the kingdom of the Father, no longer are occupied in witnessing the lamentable ruin of our nation. Wretched indeed are we, who daily hear contumelies heaped upon the name of the Saviour, and behold the dreadful slaughter of those who endeavoured to promote his glory, and extend his kingdom. But to return to the Greys, of whom I intended to write to you, both on account of that great regard towards them, which is so plainly shown in your works, and for my affection towards them when dead, to whom, when living, I was anxious to show my respect. I send you some communications relative to Jane, the daughter of the duke-truly precious;* not so much for her incredible advances in learning, wherein she excelled other females, although but in the seventeenth year of her age, as for the singular courage with which this youthful female surpassed men in the warfare of Christ, so that she could not be subdued by any machinations of the papists, nor deceived by their snares, as may be understood from her conference, which I send to you. This communication she had with that distinguished and crafty papist, Dr. Feckenham, upon certain controverted points of our religion, her opinion concerning which she explained with learning and ability. It is sufficiently apparent, from what she declared shortly before her execution, that she continued steadfast to the end in this confession of faith. I have joined it to other documents which appear to me worthy to be generally known. How her precious mind was illumined by the true light of the word of God, may also be discerned from two letters-one which she wrote to her sister the lady Catherine, inciting her to study the sacred writings, the other to a certain apostate, to call him back to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have translated all these from our language into Latin, that you may not consider the labour to have been wholly lost, by which you endeavoured to enlighten that family, and excited them to the pursuit of religion. For I can be a witness, if not the fullest, still an eye witness, to the especial benefits which the whole family, particularly Jane, received from your works. She not only diligently marked all the heads of your second decade, but even committed them to memory. The duke himself occupied in the study of religious *Filia vere gemmea. 28* 317 works, as much time as he could gain from state affairs, particularly those written by you, with the pleasing style of which he often expressed himself to be much delighted. From this study he gained considerable advantage, when, during his imprisonment, some unreasonable men endeavoured to draw him from the faith and confession of the true Saviour-but they could not move him by any means. To the last breath he confessed the Lord Christ. Although when carried to execution, a papistical adviser, one of the swinish herd, clamoured concerning the catholic church, the mass, the fathers, and their customs confirmed by ancient usage, he would not acknowledge any other sacrifice, than that which is perfected in the death of Christ. By this faith he sustained himself, and in this faith he ended his life. I would have written you further concerning the entire subversion of religion, and the antichristian madness now prevalent in England, but those who daily arrive from England at Zurich, that seat of good literature, can better inform you the particulars. It therefore only remains for me, again and again, to beseech you to accept this my expression of duty, and that you would account me among the number of your friends, and pray to God that our England may at length be freed from that popish tyranny whereby it is now oppressed.-Farewell, excellent Bullinger, and whatever you do, continue to enlighten the kingdom of Christ by your writings. London, 15th March, 1554. Last hours of the Duke of Suffolk. The last hours of the dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk present a striking contrast. The duke of Northumberland professed himself a papist, and besought his life in the most abject terms, intimating that he never had really approved the protestant doctrines, but had promoted the reformation only to forward his political designs. The duke of Suffolk died openly professing his belief in the doctrines of truth, as appears from the account of his last hours given by Fox. "On Friday, the 23d of February, 1554, about nine of the clock in the forenoon, the lord Henry Grey, duke of Suffolk, was brought forth of the Tower of London, unto the scaffold on the Tower-hill, with a great company, &c. and in his coming thither, there accompanied him doctor Weston, dean of Westminster, as his spiritual father, notwithstanding, as it should seem, it was against the will of the said duke. For when the duke went up to the scaffold, Weston being on his left hand, pressed to go up with him. The duke with his hand put him down again off the stairs, and Weston taking hold of the duke, forced him down likewise. And as they ascended the second time, the duke again put him down. Then Weston said that it was the queen's pleasure he should so do. Wherewith the duke casting his hands abroad, ascended up the scaffold, and paused some time after. And then he said: Masters, I have offended the queen, and her laws, and thereby am justly condemned to die, and am willing to die, desiring all men to be obedient; and I pray God that this my death may be an example to all men, beseeching you all to bear me witness, that I die in the faith of Christ, trusting to be saved by his blood only, (and not by any trumpery,) the which died for me, and for all them that truly repent, and steadfastly trust in him. And I do repent, desiring you all to pray to God for me, that when you see my breath depart from me, you will pray to God that he may receive my soul.' And then he desired all men to forgive him, saying, that the queen had forgiven him. "Then master Weston declared with a loud voice, that the queen's majesty had forgiven him. With that, divers of the standers-by said with audible voices, Such forgiveness God send thee, meaning doctor Weston. Then the duke kneeled down upon his knees, and said the psalm Miserere mei Deus, (Ps. li.) to the end, holding up his hands, and looking up to heaven. And when he had ended the psalm, he said, Into thy hands I commend my spirit. Then he arose and stood up, and delivered his cap and his scarf unto the executioner. "Then the executioner kneeled down and asked the duke's forgiveness. And the duke said, God forgive thee, and I do: and when thou doest thine office, I pray thee do it well, and bring me out of this world quickly, and God have mercy to thee. Then stood there a man and said, My lord, how shall I do for the money that you do owe me? And the duke said, Alas, good fellow, I pray thee trouble me not nów, but go thy way to my officers. Then he knitted a handkerchief about his face, and kneeled down and said the Lord's prayer unto the end. And then he said, Christ have mercy upon me, and laid down his head on the block, and the executioner took the axe, and at the first chop struck off his head, and held it up to the people." Hollinshed observes, "Such was the end of this duke of Suffolk; a man of high nobility by birth, and of nature to his friends gentle and courteous; more easy, indeed, to be led, than was thought expedient. Of stomach stout and hard; hasty and soon kindled, but pacified straight again, and sorry, if in his heat aught had passed him otherwise than reason might seem to bear; upright and plain in his private dealings; no dissembler, nor well able to bear injuries; but yet forgiving and forgetting the same, if the party would seem but to acknowledge his fault, and to seek reconcilement. Bountiful he was and very liberal; somewhat learned himself, and a great favourer of those that were learned; so that to many he showed himself a very Mæcenas. As free from covetousness as void of pride and disdainful haughtiness of mind; more regarding plain-meaning men, than claw-back flatterers. And this virtue he had, that he could patiently hear his faults told him by those whom he had in credit for their wisdom and faithful meaning towards him. He was a hearty friend unto the gospel, and professed it to the last." A CERTAIN GODLY SUPPLICATION, EXHIBITED BY CERTAIN INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTY OF NORFOLK, TO Fruitful to be read and marked of all men. THE reader will have seen from the preceding account of lady Jane Grey, that the opposition to the accession of queen Mary proceeded from political and party intrigues, and not from the English protestants at large, although they knew that she was a bigoted Romanist. But it should be further stated that Mary was chiefly indebted to the protestants for the timely support which placed her upon the throne. Strype and others relate, that the Suffolk men, when they resorted to queen Mary, promised her their aid and help, so that she would not attempt the alteration of the religion which her brother king Edward had before established by laws and orders publicly enacted, and received by the consent of the whole realm in that behalf. She agreed unto this condition, with such promise made unto them that no innovation should be made of religion, as that no man would or could then have misdoubted her.—It is hardly necessary to add that these promises were not kept by her. In most humble and lowly wise, we beseech your honours, right honourable commissioners, to tender and pity the humble suit of us poor men, and true, faithful, and obedient subjects; who as we have ever heretofore, so intend we, with God's grace, to continue in Christian obedience unto the end, and, according to the holy word of God, with all reverend fear of God, to do our bounden duty to all those superior powers whom God hath appointed over us, doing as St. Paul saith, "Let every soul be subject to the superior powers. For there is no power but of God; but those powers that are, are ordained of God. Wherefore, whosoever resisteth the powers, the same resisteth God, and they that resist, get themselves judgment," Rom. xiii. These lessons, right honourable commissioners, we have learned of the holy word of God, in our mother tongue. First, that the authority of a king, queen, lord, and other their officers under them, is no tyrannical usurpation, but a just, holy, lawful, and necessary estate for man to be governed by, and that the same is of God, the fountain and author of righteousness. Secondly, that to obey the same in all things not against God, is to obey God; and to resist them, is to resist God. |