Lady Jane
LADY JANE GREY 1537-1554
Lady Jane Grey remains one of the most compelling and tragic figures in Tudor history. She possessed royal blood through her grandmother the princess Mary Tudor and this heritage brought her to the scaffold in 1554 aged just 17 years old.
Lady Jane had been named in her great uncle Henry V111 will as heiress to the English throne but only if Henry’s son Edward and his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth died without issue. Edward V1 ruled for just 6 years, his ambitious advisor John Dudley was determined to remain in his place of power and authority and to that end he persuaded Edward to write his own will naming his devout protestant cousin Jane Grey as heiress to the throne, though only 15 years of age at the time. It was Janes religious devotion which persuaded Edward to alter the succession in her favour, deeply pious and protestant himself he was unwilling to leave the throne to his catholic sister Mary.
Jane was quickly married to Dudley’s son and was crowned queen of England in July 1553. But she ruled for just 9 days trapped and deeply unhappy she was an unwilling pawn in the power struggle between the catholic/protestant factions in the kingdom. Mary claimed the throne with great popular support and Jane was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Her execution was a matter of political neccessity for Mary Tudor. Despite her youth Jane met her end with immense dignity and courage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady Jane Grey
http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/janegrey.html#Biography
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LADY JANE’S ADDRESS AT HER EXECUTION.
Good people, I am come hither to die and by law I am condemned to the same. My offence to the queen’s highness was only in consent to the device of others, which now is deemed treason, but it was never my seeking but by counsel of those who should seem to have further understanding of things than I who knew little of the law and still less of the titles to the crown.
I pray you all good christian people to bear me witness that I die a true christian woman and that I look to be saved by none other means but only by the mercy of God in the merits of the blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ, and I confess when I did know the word of God I neglected the same, loved myself and the world and therefore this plague or punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me, for my sins. And yet I thank God for His goodness that He hath thus given me time and respite to repent. And now good people, while I am alive I pray you assist me in your prayers.
Lady Jane’s final words were “unto Thee oh Lord I commend my spirit.”
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LADY JANE GREY POEM her imprisonment in the Tower.
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Sitting here, pondering
what I will be
or if at all future generations
remember me
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Quene of nine days
a living legend
or a sixteen year old quene
who was sent to heaven
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Lady Jane Grey
forever I will be
a simple girl
just is me.
god save the queen — long live, queen GD!
Apart perhaps from the present queen I think they are a bunch of rascals Baba, Suz for president rather, except poor dear Jane Grey that is, oh this England! they say she is sometimes seen carrying her head under her arm. Of course it’s not true woooOOOooo
Apart from its bad side I’d like to think that constitutional monarch is the best political system abiding the law of nature. See, in animalia kingdom esp mammals, the strongest takes all — primus interpares’ supremacy prevails throughout centuries whatsoever.
Anyway, judging from your political view and tendency I can only best suggest you to become an American or Australian if you wish to run for presidential election
Well … now you know you shouldn’t have asked a chimp about political issues at the very first place, yes?
See wot about a soap box now? In one sense you are right perhaps in more than one, the q is should the right to rule be according to birth which is actually the right of conquest? or should it be by election? Does God give to nations the ruler they deserve? and in that manner He Himself reign? these are huge points of discussion. Neither the U.S. or Aussie are true democracies. Britains’s best and most successful [forward looking as well] government was the Dictatorship of Ollie Cromwell [him who chopped Charlie boy's 'ead off] but it was despised and rejected by the people who brought back the wretched Stuart monarchy. I want to do a blog on Ol’ Noll and the civil war one day it’s my fav history subject. but Baba YOU is king. jus’ behave yourself
and have a nice day
This is a period of history that has always intrigued me. I first developed a passion for this when I read about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn and have been addicted ever since.
The most amazing thing about the Tudors, and I really am not a fan of Henry, but they achieved all without there ever being a standing army, through sheer power of personality and of course patronage. Charles 1 raised an army to enforce his will but it was the army that destroyed him-I love history
“and I confess when I did know the word of God I neglected the same, loved myself and the world and therefore this plague or punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me, for my sins. And yet I thank God for His goodness that He hath thus given me time and respite to repent. And now good people, while I am alive I pray you assist me in your prayers.
Lady Jane’s final words were “unto Thee oh Lord I commend my spirit.”
Beautiful- Age reduces us fast- unfortunately most folks don’t have this attitude upon leaving their post. I’m trying to work on mine now..ha. Her poem is precious.
She was such a precious person [what little of her is known] who knows how things may have turned out for England had she reigned, she is listed in Foxes book of martyrs which is a bit unfair since her execution was purely political [notwithstanding Mary Tudor's malice towards protestants] Although she was compliant to the ambitions of her parents and husband in making her Queen she showed real character and judgement in refusing to name him as king. I have the idea that the poem is not hers but someone’s who would make it seem it is hers, hope that is not disappointing to you.-had she written a poem it would bear the marks of her scholarship and would be more along the lines of her final speech, I think-thanks for your imput.