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Next day the royal barges came down the Thames from Richmond to the Tower. Lady Jane on her landing was received almost in silence by the little crowd that curiosity had drawn to the wharf. The same unpromising silence met the heralds when they

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proclaimed the new sovereign in the City. Henry having, with the authority of Parliament, settled the succession, people were not pleased that it should be altered merely to suit the convenience of a selfish nobleman. Then the wrongs of Queen Catherine excited pity, and made men feel an interest in 7 her

daughter, who ought to have succeeded Edward. Lastly, a great part of the nation, disgusted with the violent changes which had been made during the late reign, and with the general misgovernment which had prevailed, wanted a ruler who would keep order and restore the old religion.

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When the young king died, Mary was staying at Hunsdon, near Hertford. The Duke of Northumberland and his fellow-plotters determined to keep his death a secret till they had seized her. But she had friends in the palace, and barely was the breath out of her brother's body before a messenger was galloping

across the country to give her notice. Next morning, when Lord Robert Dudley came to look for her, she was far away. She wrote to the conspirators, charging them on their allegiance to have "her right and title to the crown and government" of the realm proclaimed. Some of them were already preparing to join her, while many of the nobles not in the plot were speeding to her. Those who were against her could count on little support; when Dudley came up with her his own men turned round and tried to seize him; the sailors of the fleet that had been sent to cut off her chance of escaping to the Continent declared for her, and the army under Northumberland did the same. Meanwhile Mary's supporters had taken possession of the Tower in her name, and she had been proclaimed amid the joyful shouts of the assembled citizens.

Northumberland himself, when he saw that his plan had completely failed, professed loyalty to Mary, but was arrested and given in charge to a guard of his own soldiers. He was sent to London, tried, and sentenced to death. He then showed how insincere had been his professions of Protestantism, and how unworthy he was to be the leader of earnest men; he renounced the faith of which he had been a champion, and died a Catholic.

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When the Duke of Suffolk, the father of Lady Jane Grey, told her she was no longer queen, she said his words were very welcome, and asked whether she might now go home; but there was no longer home for her on earth. As she was only an innocent tool in the hands of 10 designing men, Mary was at first disposed to pardon her; but after some months she was tried for treason, and condemned to die, though the sentence was not immediately carried out.

The queen, in spite of the advice of her ministers, in spite of the wishes of her people, married Philip, the son of Charles V., Emperor of Germany and King of Spain. The people, hoping to prevent the marriage, rose in several places, the rising of the men of Kent under Sir Thomas Wyatt being for a time dangerous. Lady Jane Grey had nothing to do with the rebellionher name was not even mentioned among the rebels, but Mary resolved that she should die at once.

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Feckenham, a good and gentle Catholic, was sent to tell the unhappy girl that she must suffer on the morrow. He tried to convert her to the old faith, but she said the time was too short to be spent in 11 discussing questions of doctrine. A three days' 12 respite was therefore granted, but it availed nothing, for she clung to her own religion.

Lord Guilford Dudley was executed on the same morning as his wife. Looking out of her window she saw him led forth, and saw his headless trunk borne back. When her turn came her step was steady and her face was calm, though her attendants were sobbing wildly. Upon the scaffold she repeated the 51st Psalm,that beginning: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my 13 transgressions." When she had finished she let down her hair and bared her neck. Then, tying a handkerchief about her eyes, she laid her head upon the block, and stretched forth her body. She had only time to say, "Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit," before the axe descended, and her gentle soul passed away.

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1 Her mother, the Duchess of Suffolk. 2 ambitious, desirous of power. 3 her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland. proceed, to go. 5 Sion House, on the north side of the Thames, between Richmond and Kew. responsibility, being answerable for anything. 7 her daughter, Mary, the eldest living child of Henry VIII. 8 allegiance, the obligation of a subject to a sovereign. 9 renounce, to disown, cast off. 10 designing, artful, scheming. 12 discuss, to argue about. respite, a putting off of the execution 13 transgression, sin.

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of a sentence.

THE PROTESTANT MARTYRS. MARY was a bigoted Catholic. It was natural that she should be. The first great steps towards the Reformation were associated with wrongs and insults to her mother; reformers had kept Mary herself almost a prisoner; reformers had tried to exclude her from the throne. She began her reign with a fixed determination to undo all the religious 2 legislation of her

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