A little historical text

[Chester]

So I’m reading some of the accounts of the power struggles over the throne of England in the 16th Century and I come across this account of the execution of Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554). Lady Jane (all of 17 years) was put to death by Mary Tudor, Queen of England and daughter of Henry VIII. Lady Jane represented a threat to Mary (she had some small claim to the throne and, in fact, ruled for 9 days during a brief power vacuum before Mary was given the throne) but her biggest sin – and the one that brought her the axe – was being a committed Protestant in a time where Mary was determined to restore Catholicism to England. During her reign, 283 Protestants were executed for heresy, earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary."

The following account of the execution was originally published in John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs in 1563. I found it absolutely fascinating.

The Words and Behavior of the Lady Jane upon the Scaffold

When she first mounted the scaffold, she spake to the specators in this manner: "Good people, I am come hither to die, and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact against the queen's highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but, touching the procurement and desire thereof by me, or on my behalf, I do wash my hands thereof in innocency before God, and the face of you, good Christian people, this day:" and therewith she wrung her hands, wherein she had her book. Then said she, "I pray you all, good Christian people, to bear me witness, that I die a good Christian woman, and that I do look to be saved by no other mean, but only by the mercy of God in the blood of His only Son Jesus Christ: and I confess that when I did know the Word of God, I neglected the same, loved myself and the world, and therefore this plague and punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me for my sins; and yet I thank God, that of His goodness He hath thus given me a time and a respite to repent. And now, good people, while I am alive, I pray you assist me with your prayers." And then, kneeling down, she turned to Feckenham, saying, "Shall I say this Psalm?" and he said, "Yea." Then she said the Psalm of Miserere mei Deus, in English, in a most devout manner throughout to the end; and then she stood up, and gave her maid, Mrs. Ellen, her gloves and handkerchief, and her book to Mr. Bruges; and then she untied he gown, and the executioner pressed upon her to help her off with it: but she, desiring him to let her alone, turned towards her two gentlewomen, who helped her off therewith, and also with her frowes, paaft, and neckerchief, giving to her a fair handkerchief to put about her eyes.

Then the executioner kneeled down, and asked her forgiveness, whom she forgave most willingly. Then he desired her to stand upon the straw, which doing, she saw the block. Then she said, "I pray you, despatch me quickly." Then she kneeled down, saying, "Will you take it off before I lay me down?" And the executioner said, "No, madam." Then she tied a handkerchief about her eyes, and feeling for the block, she said, "What shall I do? Where is it? Where is it?" One of the standers-by guiding her therunto, she laid her head upon the block, and then stretched forth her body, and said, "Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit;" and so finished her life, in the year of our Lord 1554, the twelfth day of February, about the seventeenth year of her age.

[chasestalling]

All I could think of to say is that a monarchy is the bloodiest and the most cutthroat institution ever devised by man. Poor girl.

[stlukesguild]

The subject of the execution of Lady Jane Gray resulted in one of the most marvelous paintings to have come out of the French Academy in the 19th century, Paul Delaroche's Execution of Lady Jane Gray. I've seen this painting in person and the work is stunning... the white satin so incredibly tactile... and immediately one's thought goes to just how this virgin white will look all soaked in red in but a few moments hence.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k255/Stlukesguild/TheExecutionofLadyJaneGreysm.jpg

[stlukesguild]

All I could think of to say is that a monarchy is the bloodiest and the most cutthroat institution ever devised by man.

Are you so sure? The French Republic certainly was not to be outdone in terms of meaningless executions... and we don;t really need to go into the endless genocides of the 20th century governments, do we?

[chasestalling]

Pomp and pageantry goes a long way to mask the petty in fighting, viscious betrayals and ruthless elimination of rivals extant in any heirarchy whether it be monarchic or democratic. Still if push came to shove, I'd buy the latter as the notion that they who govern on my behalf are by God's mandate seems a tad presumptious, especially in this day and age.

[JBI]

Some day a very dark nihilist will make a play about that, where her martyr's death will be a darkly comical commentary on the stupidity of the human condition.

[johann cruyff]

Some day a very dark nihilist will make a play about that, where her martyr's death will be a darkly comical commentary on the stupidity of the human condition.

You've given me an idea! :)

[kasie]

Lady Jane's tragedy was that she was the tool of ruthlessly ambitious men who were taking every opportunity to seize power in an unstable interregnum. The simplicity of Foxe's account is as affecting now as it must have been at the time. The central figure in the painting looks uncomfortably like my grand-daughter which has brought home to me just how vulnerable Lady Jane was - I think it must have been an perilous time in which to be living, not just for the high and mighty in the land, many of the martyrs were quite ordinary people who lived by their conscience in a time when they were required to make decisions which they believed affected their immortal souls.

[Chester]

The subject of the execution of Lady Jane Gray resulted in one of the most marvelous paintings to have come out of the French Academy in the 19th century, Paul Delaroche's Execution of Lady Jane Gray. I've seen this painting in person and the work is stunning... the white satin so incredibly tactile... and immediately one's thought goes to just how this virgin white will look all soaked in red in but a few moments hence.
Wow. Thanks for posting that, stlukesguild. It's as moving as the account itself.

Yes, kasie, it's the simplicity of the account that struck me as well. For the record, I don't know if it was Foxe's own account. The Book of Martyrs, from what I understand, is a collection of accounts he put together I believe. I can't confirm who actually wrote the above account. It almost reads like it's from a dispassionate observer interested merely in relating the facts, which makes it all the more real, and therefore moving.

[imatitle]

There is a 1986 British movie called Lady Jane featuring Helena Bonham Carter and Patrick Stewart. It is not historically accurate, but it is still helpful in forming some impression of her life.
The last scene, where she asks someone to guide her to the block, is in the movie.

[Hypercrit Htd]

When history offers pornographic release, how can simple men pass up urge of falsification?

"The same model of planned infallibility, of maximal security and deterence, now governs the spread of the social."

-Jean Baudrillard

[Chester]

Trust me, you don't want to get me started on Baudrillard's pseudo-intellectual, socio-political, nihilistic excrement. We'll be here all day. (I'll just assume you meant well.)

Meanwhile, on a better subject, thanks imatitle, for the movie info. I might just see if I can find a copy of that one.

[stlukesguild]

Trust me, you don't want to get me started on Baudrillard's pseudo-intellectual, socio-political, nihilistic excrement.

Couldn't say it better. His "excrement", unfortunately, has entered into the realm of art criticism as well.:(

[wessexgirl]

Wow, just noticed where I'd seen that woman in the picture before....it's on the cover of a book I've just bought, except it's about Elizabeth Woodville, called The King's Grey Mare.

[kasie]

Goodness, wessexgirl, you're right, only it is reversed on the cover! I hadn't noticed. So you've been buying cheap paperbacks as well, have you? :lol:
Have you started it yet? I have only read the first chapter but it is quite promising - haven't read any Rosemary Hawley Jarman before, have you?

[wessexgirl]

:lol: I haven't started it yet. I haven't read any others of hers, but I bought it in a set of 10 from The Book People. Are you based in England too, and did you get yours from them? They are really cheap.



Edit: I've just realised why that picture was probably used....Woodville's and Greys of Edward 1V and Richard 111 story....ancestors of LJG of course...
doh - a Homer Simpson lightbulb moment!

[stlukesguild]

As an artist I just seethe when some idiot graphic designer feels that there's nothing wrong with inverting a painting so that it fits in better with their graphics.:flare:

[curlyqlink]

It is a moving account of Lady Jane Grey's last moments. I do wonder, though, how much is truth and how much is fiction.

[kasie]

wessexgirl: I haven't started it yet. I haven't read any others of hers, but I bought it in a set of 10 from The Book People. Are you based in England too, and did you get yours from them? They are really cheap

I'm just over the border in Wales. I do use The Book People but I bought this particular book from The Works (3 for £5 - can't be bad! Not for light reading, anyway!)

Edit: I've just realised why that picture was probably used....Woodville's and Greys of Edward 1V and Richard 111 story....ancestors of LJG of course...
doh - a Homer Simpson lightbulb moment![/QUOTE]

I thought it was just for the emotional content of the picture but you are right - though I'm not sure how many readers will notice it! I looked at it and thought - Wrong period, dress is wrong!


curlyqlink : It is a moving account of Lady Jane Grey's last moments. I do wonder, though, how much is truth and how much is fiction

There is an element of propaganda in Foxe, of course. He was writing about Christian matyrdom from the earliest times but in this case, as the book was first written (in Latin) barely five years after the event and (in English) less than ten years later, there is a chance that he spoke to eye-witnesses. It was customary for the condemned to make a speech before execution and it could well be that someone noted down the words verbatim. I'm afraid I don't know enough about the period to know if there is an objective report of the event.

stlukesguild: I agree about selective reproduction - however, it did the trick, I picked up the book and bought it! You'd hate it even more though - not only is it clipped and reversed, it's a really poor, blurred repro!

[coolestnerdever]

Jane Grey wasn't killed by Mary I just because she was Protestant- Mary wanted to forgive her completely, but the fact remained that as long as Jane lived she would always be a rallying point for treason, and Mary's future Spanish husband wouldn't come to England while Jane's head was still attached to her shoulders.

[Chester]

Jane Grey wasn't killed by Mary I just because she was Protestant- Mary wanted to forgive her completely, but the fact remained that as long as Jane lived she would always be a rallying point for treason, and Mary's future Spanish husband wouldn't come to England while Jane's head was still attached to her shoulders.
I suspect you're right, though I seem to find conflicting information on this point. Could it be that her Protestantism was the excuse Mary used to be rid of her? That seems to be the way it was spun at the time, from what I gather. But then again, what need for a Queen to have an excuse? Lady Jane ended up in the The Book of Martyrs so maybe it was the Protestants who seized upon that point, and made it the main issue.

[coolestnerdever]

I suspect you're right, though I seem to find conflicting information on this point. Could it be that her Protestantism was the excuse Mary used to be rid of her? That seems to be the way it was spun at the time, from what I gather. But then again, what need for a Queen to have an excuse? Lady Jane ended up in the The Book of Martyrs so maybe it was the Protestants who seized upon that point, and made it the main issue.

Yes, Protestantism was most likely the excuse, as well as Jane usurping the throne for herself (which was completely orchestrated by her father and father-in-law). Edward VI in his will actually cut Mary out of the succession and put Jane first in line because he was also Protestant and had spent his reign trying to implement the new religion, so killing Jane over Protestantism was definitely a good excuse and a way to have her cake and eat it too. The fact remains that Mary knew Jane growing up. They were cousins, and most sources point to Mary loving her. Mary was also a good, intelligent woman who would have realized that Jane had nothing to do with any of the political treason attributed to her... but as much as she wanted Jane to live she wanted Phillip of Spain more, and when the ambassadors said the Prince refused to come it was off with Jane's head.