was soon after brought to trial before the marquis of Winchester, who sat as high-steward on the occasion, with twentyseven peers more, including Northumberland, Pembroke, and Northampton, who were at once his judges and accusers; and being found guilty, brought to the scaffold on Tower-hill, where he appeared without the least emotion, in the midst of a vast concourse of the populace, by whom he was beloved. He spoke to them with great composure, protesting that he had always promoted the service of his king, and the interests af true religion, to the best of his power. The people attested their belief of what he said, by crying out, "It is most true." A universal tumult was beginning to take place; but Somerset desiring them to be still, and not interrupt his last meditations, but to join with him in prayer, he laid down his head, and submitted to the stroke of the executioner.

In the meantime, Northumberland had long aimed at the arst authority; and the infirm state of the king's health opened alluring prospects to his ambition. He represented to that young prince, that his sisters, Mary and Elizabeth, who were appointed by Henry's will to succeed in failure of direct heirs to the crown, had been declared illegitimate by parliament; that the queen of Scots, his aunt, stood excluded by the king's will, and being an alien also, lost all right of succeeding; and as the three princesses were thus legally excluded, the succession naturally devolved to the marchioness of Dorset, daughter of Lord Suffolk by Mary, dowager of Louis XII. king of France, who was the youngest daughter of Henry VII. king of England. The Marchioness, by her second husband, Henry Grey, Marquis of Dorset, afterwards Duke of Suffolk, had no son, and her eldest daughter, the Lady Jane, was consequentl her next heir, a lady every way accomplished for government, as well by the charms of her person as the virtues and acquire ments of her mind. The king, who had long submitted to all the politic views of this designing minister, agreed to have the succession submitted to council, where Northumberland had influence soon after to procure an easy concurrence.

In the meantime, as the king's health declined, the min ster laboured to strengthen his own interests and connexions. His first aim was to secure the interests of the marquis of Dorse, by procuring for him the title of duke of Suffolk, which had lately become extinct, on the death of his father-in-law. Having thus obliged this nobleman, he then proposed a match between his fourth son, lord Guildford Dudley, and the lady Jane Grey, whose interests he had been at so much pains to

advance. Still bent on spreading his interests as widely as pos sible, he married his own daughter to lord Hastings; and had these marriages solemnised with all possible pomp and festivity Meanwhile, Edward continued to languish, and several fatal symptoms of a consumption began to appear. It was hoped, however, that his youth and temperance might get the better of his disorders; and, from their love, the people were unwilling to think him in danger. It had been remarked, indeed, by some, that his health was visibly seen to decline from the moment that the Dudleys were brought about his person. The character of Northumberland might have justly given some colour to suspicion; and his removing all, except his own emissaries, from about the king, still farther increased the distrusts of the people. Northumberland, however, was no way uneasy at their murmurs; he was assiduous in his attendance upon the king, and professed the most anxious concern for his safety; but still drove forward his darling scheme of transferring the succession to his own daughter-in-law.

The young king was put into the hands of an ignorant woman, who very confidently undertook his cure. After the use of her medicines, all the bad symptoms increased to a most violent degree; he felt a difficulty of speech and breathing; his pulse failed; his legs swelled, his colour became livid, and many other symptoms of his approaching end appeared. On the sixth day of July, fifteen hundred and fifty three, he expired at Greenwich, in the sixteenth year of his age, and the seventh of his reign, greatly regretted by all, as his early virtues gave a prospect of the continuance of a happy reign.

EXERCISES.

In what years did the reign of Edward VI. commence and terminate? At what age was his minority to cease? How many executors of his Will did Henry VIII. appoint, and who was at their head? Which religious party did Somerset support? By whose counsel was he directed? What work did a committee of bishops and divines execute? What did it enact? Who refused acquiescence in these innovations, and what was the consequence? Did the Protector gain popularity by these measures? Who was the most formidable of his enemies? What was his character? By whom was the Protector hated? What exposed him to the censures of the public? Of what was Somerset accused, and what was the real cause of his impri sonment? What did he confess to the privy council? What was the consequence of this confession? What favour did he receive from the king? Who was his secret enemy, and what did he report to the king? What were the effects of Northumberland's resentment? Of what was Somerset accused? What did he confess? What was the sentence pronounced by his judges? Relate hi behaviour on the scaffold. At what had Northumberland long

almed? On whom did he persuade Edward VI. that the succession na turally devolved? Who was the Marchioness of Dorset? Who was he second husband? Did the king agree to the succession recommended by Northumberland? How did Northumberland attempt to secure the interest of Dorset? Between whom did he propose a match? To whom had he married his own daughter? What was observed with respect to the king' health from the time the Dudleys were about his person? Into whose hands was the king put for the recovery of his health? Where, and in what year of his ife and reign did he die? Why was his death greatly regretted?

UPO

PON the death of Edward, two candidates put in their pretensions to the crown. Mary, Henry's daughter by Catherine of Arragon, relying on the justice of her cause; and lady Jane Grey, being nominated in the late young king's will, and upon the support of the duke of Northumberland, her father-in-law. Mary was strongly bigotted to the popish superstitions, having been bred up among churchmen, and having been even taught to prefer martyrdom to a denial of belief. As she had lived in continual restraint, she was reserved and gloomy; she had, even during the life of her father, the resolut on to maintain her sentiments, and refused to comply with his new institutions. Her zeal had rendered her furious; and she was not only blindly attached to her religious opinions, but even to the popish clergy who maintained them. On the

other hand, Jane Grey was strongly attached to the reformers; and, though yet but sixteen, her judgment had attained to such a degree of maturity, as few have been found to possess. All historians agree, that the solidity of her understanding, improved by continual application, rendered her the wonder of her age. Jane, who was in a great measure ignorant of all the transactions in her favour, was struck with equal grief and surprise when she received intelligence of them She shed a flood of tears, appeared inconsolable, and it was not without the utmost difficulty that she yielded to the entreaties of Northumberland, and the duke her father. Orders were given also for proclaiming her throughout the kingdom; but these were but very remissly obeyed. When she was proclaimed in the city, the people heard her accession made public without any signs of pleasure; no applause ensued, and some even expressed their scorn and contempt.

In the mean time Mary, who had retired, upon the news of the king's death, to Kenning Hall, in Norfolk, sent circular letters to all the great towns and nobility in the kingdom, reminding them of her right, and commanding them to proclaim her without delay.

Her claims soon became irresistible; in a little time she found herself at the head of forty thousand men; while the few, who attended Northumberland, continued irresolute, and he even feared to lead them to the encounter.

Lady Jane, thus finding that all was lost, resigned her royalty, which she had held but ten days, with marks of real satisfaction, and retired with her mother to their own habitation. Northumberland also, who found his affairs desperate, and that it was impossible to stem the tide of popular opposition, attempted to quit the kingdom; but he was prevented by the band of pensioner guards, who informed him that he must stay to justify their conduct in being led out against their lawful sovereign. Thus circumvented on all sides, he delivered himself up to Mary, and was soon after executed in a summary way. Sentence was also pronounced against lady Jane and lord Guildford, but without any intention for the present of putting it in execution.

Mary now entered London, and, with very little effusion of blood, saw herself joyfully proclaimed, and peaceably settled on the throne. This was a flattering prospect; but soon this pleasing phantom was dissolved. Mary was morose, and a bigot; she was resolved to give back their former power to the clergy and thus once more to involve the kingdom in all the

G

norrors from which it had just emerged. Gardiner, Tonstal, Day, Heath, and Vesey, who had been confined, or suffered losses, for their catholic opinions, during the late reigns, were taken from prison, reinstated in their sees, and their former sentences repealed.

A parliament, which the queen called soon after, seemed willing to concur in all her measures; they at one blow repealed all the statutes with regard to religion, which had passed during the reign of her predecessors; so that the national religion was again placed on the same footing on which it stood at the death of Henry the Eighth.

While religion was thus turning to its primitive abuses, the queen's ministers, who were willing to strengthen her power by a catholic alliance, had been for some time looking out for a proper consort; they pitched upon Philip, prince of Spain, and son to the celebrated Charles the Fifth. In order to avoid, as much as possible, any disagreeable remonstrances from the people, the articles of marriage were drawn as favourable as possible to the interests and honour of England; and this, in some measure, stilled the clamours which had already been begun against it.

The discontents of the people rose to such a pitch, that an insurrection, headed by Sir Thomas Wyat, succeeded; but Wyat being made prisoner, was condemned and executed, with some of his adherents.

But what most of all excited the compassion of the people was the execution of lady Jane Grey, and her husband lord Guildford Dudley, who were involved in the punishment, thou not in the guilt, of this insurrection. Two days after W ya! was apprehended, lady Jane and her husband were ordered to prepare for death. Lady Jane, who had long before seen the threatening blow, was no way surprised at the message, bu ore it with heroic resolution; and being informed that she d three days to prepare, she seemed displeased at so long a delay. On the day of her execution her husband desired per mission to see her; but this she refused, as she knew the parting would be too tender for her fortitude to withstand. The place at first designed for their execution was without the Tower; but their youth, beauty, and innocence, being likely to raise an insurrection among the people, orders were gi en that they should be executed within the verge of the Tow en Lord Dudley was the first that suffered; and, while the lady Jane was conducting to the place of execution, the officers of the Tower met her, bearing along the headless body of her