Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note

Superscripts are indicated by “^” as in “w^thout”. Multiple-letter superscripts are enclosed in braces, as in “maj^{tys}”. Italics text is indicated by _underscores_, and small-caps text has been converted to upper-case. Additional notes will be found at the end of this eBook.

ROMANTIC HISTORY
GENERAL EDITOR: MARTIN HUME, M.A.

THE NINE DAYS’ QUEEN

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

THE PAGEANT OF LONDON
THE SULTAN AND HIS SUBJECTS

FROM THE PAINTING BY LUCAS DE HEERE AT ALTHORP]

THE
NINE DAYS’ QUEEN

LADY JANE GREY
AND HER TIMES

BY
RICHARD DAVEY

EDITED, AND WITH INTRODUCTION, BY
MARTIN HUME, M.A.

WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

_First Published in 1909_

TO
MY DEAR WIFE
ELEANORA DAVEY

AUTHOR’S NOTE

My object in writing this book has been to interest the reader in the tragic story of Lady Jane Grey rather from the personal than the political point of view. I have therefore employed, more perhaps than is usual, what the French historians term _le document humain_ in my account of the extraordinary men and women who surrounded Lady Jane, and who used her as a tool for their ambitious ends. The reader may possibly wonder why in several of the earlier chapters Lady Jane Grey plays so shadowy a part, but I deemed it impossible for any one who is not very familiar with our History at this period to understand, without having a complete idea of the chain of conspiracies that preceded and rendered possible her proclamation, how a young Princess, not in the immediate succession to the Crown, came to be placed, if only for nine days, in the towering position of Queen of England. These conspiracies were four in number. The first was that of the Howards and the Catholic party against Queen Katherine Parr. The second, the conspiracy of the Seymours against the Howards, which ended in the downfall of the great House of Norfolk, whereby Edward Seymour was enabled to proclaim himself Lord Protector of the Realm. The third plot was that of Thomas Seymour to cast down his brother Edward from his high station, and, if possible, to usurp the same for himself--a strange story of folly and intrigue and overvaulting ambition which ended in one of the most terrible fratricidal tragedies to be found in the history of the nations. Fourthly, the removal of the brothers Seymour from the scene enabled John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to work his own will and to prepare the way, during the last days of Edward VI, for his daughter-in-law, much against her will, to usurp the throne.

I have consulted every available document, as well in our national archives and private libraries as in those of foreign countries, concerning Lady Jane and her friends and foes, the better to paint as vivid a picture as possible of the times in which they lived.

I need scarcely add how greatly I appreciate the honour Major Martin Hume has conferred upon my work by his scholarly Introduction, which gives so succinct and deeply interesting an account of our foreign politics at a most momentous period of English history. To him, to Dr. Gairdner, to Earl Spencer, to Earl Stamford and Warrington, and to many other gentlemen and friends, including the officials at the State Paper Office and the British Museum, I beg to tender my sincere thanks for their courtesy and for the valuable information with which they have helped me to complete my picture of one of the most interesting periods in our national history.

I cannot, moreover, allow this opportunity to pass without recording, with sincere gratitude and affection, the aid which I received, when I first thought of writing this life of Lady Jane Grey, from the kindness of my old valued and lamented friend, Dr. Richard Garnett.

RICHARD DAVEY

200 ASHLEY GARDENS, LONDON, S.W.
_5th September 1909_.

CONTENTS

PAGE
INTRODUCTION xiii
CHAP.
I. BRADGATE HALL AND THE GREYS OF GROBY 1
II. BIRTH AND EDUCATION 14
III. THE LADY LATIMER 28
IV. THE KING’S HOUSEHOLD 42
V. MRS. ANNE ASKEW 58
VI. THE HOWARDS AND THE SEYMOURS 73
VII. HENRY VIII 100
VIII. CONCERNING THE LADY JANE AND THE QUEEN-DOWAGER 115
IX. THE QUEEN AND THE LORD HIGH-ADMIRAL 136
X. THE LADY JANE GOES TO SEYMOUR PLACE 147
XI. THE EDUCATION OF LADY JANE 168
XII. JOHN DUDLEY, EARL OF WARWICK 190
XIII. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SOMERSET 208
XIV. THE LADY JANE MARRIES THE LORD GUILDFORD 221
XV. ON THE WAY TO THE TOWER 238
XVI. THE LADY JANE IS PROCLAIMED QUEEN 249
XVII. THE NINE DAYS’ REIGN 256
XVIII. THE LAST DAYS OF NORTHUMBERLAND 289
XIX. THE TRIAL OF QUEEN JANE 310
XX. THE SUPREME HOUR! 328
XXI. THE FATE OF THE SURVIVORS 348
APPENDIX 359
INDEX 365

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

LADY JANE GREY _Frontispiece_
From the Painting by LUCAS DE HEERE at Althorp.
(Photograph by HANFSTAENGL)

FACING PAGE

HENRY GREY, DUKE OF SUFFOLK 12
From the Painting by JOANNES CORVUS, in the National
Portrait Gallery

QUEEN KATHERINE PARR 30
After the Painting formerly in the possession of
Horace Walpole

HENRY VIII IN 1547 48
From an old Engraving

ROGER ASCHAM’S VISIT TO LADY JANE GREY AT BRADGATE 172
After the Painting by J. C. HORSLEY, R.A.

JOHN DUDLEY, DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND 192
From an Engraving by G. VERTUE

EDWARD SEYMOUR, DUKE OF SOMERSET 208
From an Engraving after the Painting by HOLBEIN

SUPPOSED PORTRAIT OF LADY JANE GREY 224
Formerly in the Collection of Col. Elliott of Nottingham,
and now at Oxford University. From an Engraving after
the Painting by HOLBEIN

EDWARD VI 246
From an Engraving by G. VERTUE

LADY JANE GREY BY WYNGAERDE 270
The earliest engraved Portrait of her, from a Picture
said to be by HOLBEIN, now lost

QUEEN MARY AT THE PERIOD OF HER MARRIAGE 322
From the Painting by ANTONIO MOR, in the Prado Museum.
(Photograph by R. ANDERSON)

PORTRAIT OF THE LADY FRANCES BRANDON, DUCHESS OF SUFFOLK,
AND HER SECOND HUSBAND, ADRIAN STOKES, ESQ. 352
Probably by CORVINUS, property of Col. Wynn Finch