EXECUTION OF LADY JANE GREY.-1554. 259 shire, a son of the Marquis of Exeter, had made an impression on her heart, of which he received many intimations. But the nobleman neglected these overtures, and seemed rather to attach himself to the Princess Elizabeth, whose youth and agreeable conversation he preferred to all the power and grandeur of her sister. 11. The ancient quarrel between their mothers had sunk deep into the indignant heart of Mary; the attachment of Elizabeth to the reformed religion offended her bigotry; but when she found that her sister had obstructed her views in a point which, perhaps, touched her still more nearly, her resentment knew no bounds ; and the princess was visibly exposed to the greatest danger. 12. Courtenay's place in the queen's affection was soon supplied ; for, in 1554, she accepted proposals made to her by the Emperor Charles V. for a marriage with his only son, Philip. The match was exceedingly disliked by the English, who were well aware of Philip's cruelty and sullenness of temper. 13. Although it was agreed that neither Philip nor any foreigner hould have any share in the government, stiil so great an alarm 7as excited that a formidable insurrection broke out in Kent, which vas headed by Sir Thomas Wyatt, who, having travelled in Spain, rought home such an account of Philip, as added to the previous orror entertained of him. 14. The avowed object of the rebels was to dethrone Mary, and place Lady Jane Grey on the throne; but the want of an efficient leader rendered the project abortive. The rebels dispersed of their own accord, and Wyatt and 400 more were taken and executed. Soon afterwards Lady Jane Grey, whose fate it was always to suffer for the faults of others, was warned to prepare for death. 15. Her constancy to the reformed religion could not be shaken, and she employed a portion of the little time left her in writing in Greek a farewell letter to her sister, exhorting her to be firm in her faith. Lord Guilford Dudley was also condemned to die, and entreated to have a parting interview;. but Jane refused, lest the affliction of such a meeting should overcome their fortitude. "Their separation," she said, "would be only for a moment; and they would soon rejoin each other in a scene where their affections would be forever united, and where nothing could have access to disturb their eternal happiness." 16. She appeared on the scaffold with a serene countenance, and declared that she had greatly erred in not having more firmly refused the crown; but that filial reverence, and not her own ambition, had been the cause of her fault. Her father was beheaded soon after, and the queen became so suspicious that the prisons were filled with nobles and gentlemen. 17. Mary now sent a fleet to escort Philip to England; but the admiral informed her that he dared not receive him on board, lest the soldiers should commit some violence against him. Such vas the detestation in which he was held. At last he arrived in a 12. Whom did the quees warry? How did the English like the match? 13. Wha the consequence? 15, 16. Relate the remaining particulars of Lady Jane Grey's life 260 PERSECUTION OF THE PROTESTANTS.-1555. vessel of his own, and the marriage was celebrated at Westminster in July, 1554. CHAPTER CXLI. Persecution of the Protestants.-Martyrdom of Latimer, Ridley, and Hooper.-Death of Gardiner.-Martyrdom of Cranmer. 1. FROM this time the chief business of parliament was to guard against the encroachments of Philip; while Mary's only anxiety was to increase the power and influence of a husband on whom she doted with irksome fondness, though he, on his part, could with difficulty conceal his dislike to his troublesome partner. On one point, however, they were perfectly agreed, and that was the desire to extirpate heresy. 2. In the course of the next three years, nearly 300 persons suffered death for their religion. Latimer and Ridley were among the first who perished. Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, was another of the martyrs. When he was tied to the stake, the queen's pardon is placed on a stool before him; and if he would have recanted, rega of LI.-1. What were the respective feelings of Philip and Mary for each other? In did they agree? 2. How many persons suffered death? Mention the most promi MARTYRDOM OF CRANMER.-1556. 261 he had but to stretch forth his hand to save his life; but he would not purchase it at such a price. 3. Gardiner having died about this time, no further opposition was made to the queen's wish that Cranmer should be put to death, and he was condemned to be burned at Oxford. But the queen's resentment went further: she sought to degrade him in the eyes of the world, and employed people to persuade him that his life was so valuable to his country that he ought to save it by any means. 4. They were also authorized to promise him a pardon if he would recant-a promise which was not kept, however. In a moment of weakness Cranmer signed a paper, expressing his belief in all the doctrines of the Church; but Mary sent him word that this was not sufficient, and that he must make a public acknowledgment of his errors. 5. The strength of Cranmer's mind now returned; and when he was brought forth to make his public recantation, instead of doing so he bitterly bewailed his weakness, and asserted his firm belief in the Protestant faith. He was, therefore, immediately led forth to execution. 6. When the fagots were on fire, he stretched out his right hand, with which he had signed the paper, and held it in the flames till it was consumed, saying frequently, "This hand has offended;" then, as if his mind was more at ease for having made this atonement, his countenance became full of peaceful serenity, and he appeared insensible to all worldly suffering. The next day Cardinal de la Pole was made Archbishop of Canterbury, and he showed so much lenity towards the Protestants as to excite the displeasure of the pope. 7. The events narrated in this chapter are painful to write about, and equally painful to read. But we must remember that we cannot judge people who lived in times so different from our own. We cannot understand the motives of kings and queens living in the midst of scenes like those we are now describing. 8. Many excellent persons believe Queen Mary to have been entirely conscientious, and that in all these dreadful persecutions she simply did what she believed it her duty to do. nent. Describe the death of Hooper. 3. What of the queen's feelings towards Cranmer? What was done in consequence? 4. What instance of Cranmer's weakness? 5, 6. How did he atone for it? 7. What must we remember? 8. What is believed in reference to Queen Mary? 262 BATTLE OF ST. QUENTIN.-1557. CHAPTER CXLII. Philip leaves England.- War with France.-Arbitrary mode of raising Money-Battle of St. Quentin.—The English lose Calais.—Death of Mary. 1. PHILIP soon became weary of England, and went to Flanders; and the queen, seeing herself treated with indifference and neglect, spent her time in lamentations, and in writing long letters to him, which he never condescended to answer, perhaps never to read. The more he slighted her, the more she doted on him; and to procure money, in the hope of winning him back, she loaded the people with taxes. 2. In 1556, the Emperor Charles V., wearied with the cares of royalty, took the extraordinary resolution of resigning all his dominions to his son Philip, and of passing the remainder of his days in a monastery. Philip, who had the ambition but not the talents of his father, immediately declared war against France. 3. The queen could not prevail upon her council to give their consent to join it. When Philip, however, came to London, and protested that he would never set foot again in England, unless war was declared against France, the queen, almost frantic, pressed the matter so urgently as to overcome the reluctance of the council. 4. War was declared; but Mary's resources were already exhausted in furnishing Philip with money; and she was obliged to resort to the most unjust measures to extort the means of fitting out a fleet and raising an army. To deter the people from rising in rebellion, she caused many of the most considerable gentry to be imprisoned, and adopted the Spanish custom of having them seized in the night, and carried off hoodwinked, that they might not be known, nor see to what place they were conducted. 5. The army took part in the battle of St. Quentin, in which Philip gained a complete victory over the French. But Mary's triumph at this success was of but short duration. Though everything else in France had been lost to the English, they had still preserved Calais, which had been guarded as the chief jewel of the crown by every sovereign, since Edward II., who obtained it. 6. It had been strongly fortified, and so well garrisoned, that the French had never attempted to recover it. But in Mary's feeble reign the monks and bigots who composed her ministry thought more of burning heretics than of any other concern of state. They had neglected to keep the fortifications in repair, and to save the charge of what they supposed an unnecessary garrison, withdrew the greater part of it during the winter months. 7. The Duke of Guise being well informed of all this, determined to attempt the recovery of the town. He accordingly appeared un CXLII.-1. How did Philip treat Mary? 2. When did Philip become King of Spain What measure did he adopt? 3. What did Mary do in consequence? How did she raise money? 5. What victory was gained? What loss did the country sustain? DEATH OF MARY.-1558. 263 expectedly before it, and, after a siege of eight days, made himself master of a fortress which had been deemed impregnable, and had been for two hundred years a thorn in the side of France. 8. The news of this event struck a universal dismay throughout England, and the queen declared that, when she died, the word Calais would be found engraved upon her heart. In fact, her health declined visibly from this time. She dragged on a few miserable months, and died November 17, 1558, in the forty-third year of her age, and the sixth of her reign. 9. Thus ended the life of this unhappy woman, who, by the badLess of her temper, made herself, and everybody about her, miserable. The Cardinal de la Pole died on the same day with the queen, and left an unsullied name behind him. FAMILY OF MARY. IIUSBAND. Philip, King of Spain, son of Charles V. CHAPTER CXLIII. Prosperous State of the Elizabeth proclaimed Queen.-Her Character.-The Reformed Faith restored. — Reforms in Public Affairs. Kingdom. 1. WHEN Mary's death was announced to the parliament, which happened to be in session, the members all sprang from their seats; and shouts of joy, and the words "God save Queen Elizabeth!" were heard to resound on every side. When the news spread abroad, the transport of the people was so great that they hurried in crowds to Hatfield, where Elizabeth was then residing, and escorted her in triumph to London. 2. Elizabeth was now twenty-five years old. Her temper was very impetuous; but there was a spirit and animation about her, with a cheerfulness and gayety of heart which made her occasional bursts of passion to be overlooked and forgiven. There had been no opportunity for displaying that vanity and caprice, which, in her later years, made her both vexatious and ridiculous. 3. She had a tall, commanding person; her forehead was high and open, her nose aquiline, her complexion pale, and her hair inclining to yellow. Her features were good, but the length and narrowness of her face prevented her from having any just pretensions to beauty. 4. The new queen seemed anxious to forget her former sufferings, and never showed any resentment towards those who had been in Relate the particulars. 8. When did the queen die? In what year of her age? Of her reign? 9. Who died on the same day? CXLIII.-1. With what feelings was the news of Mary's death received? 2. What |