surrection and the life, he that believeth in me shall not die, for even if he be subject to death he shall live." Adding these words, " O God of infinite mercy, have mercy on me through the merits of Christ, thy Son. Wash me from my secret faults. Create in me a new spirit. Oh God confirm me more and more, and withdraw not thy Holy Spirit from me." He repeated the Hymn, " Come Holy Spirit, and shed on me a ray of celestial light. Oh! kind consoler come; thou faithful friend, thou sweet refresher of the wearied soul; Oh! come. Without thy divinity dwelling within us, there is nothing in our nature free from evil. Grant me thy salvation; Grant me eternal joys!" Then turning to those who stood around him, he said, "I commend you all to God," and with uplifted hands he thus continued, "Oh! Jesus Christ, thou Son of the eternal God, into thy hands I commend my spirit." A profuse perspiration then breaking forth in every limb, he said, "that he was almost suffocated by his disorder." Presently a chillness spread over his frame. Reclining himself at full length on his little bed, he drew his feet together and with clasped hands thus said. "Oh! merciful God, I would that I might leave this life; hasten my departure. Thou art my helper in the time of need *."

* Adami Vitæ Philosophorum, fol. 74.

LADY JANE GREY.

Born about 1537. Died Feb. 12, 1554.

He that relieved us even by his cross, will surely do more for us by his crown.—BOYLE.

DR. Feckenham, Abbot of Westminster, was sent to announce unto the Lady Jane Grey, that she must prepare herself to die the next day; which message was so little displeasing to her, that she seemed rather to rejoice at it. He being earnest with her to leave her new religion, (Protestantism,) and to embrace the old, she answered "that she had now no time to think of any thing but preparing herself to God by prayer." Feckenham thinking she had spoken this to the end she might have some longer time of life, obtained a respite of the queen for three days longer, and then came and told so much to the Lady Jane; whereat she smiling, said, "You are much deceived if you think I had any desire of longer life; for I assure you, since the time you went from me, my life has been so odious to me, that I long for nothing so much as death; and since it is the queen's pleasure, I am most ready to undergo it.”

COPY OF A LETTER WHICH SHE WROTE TO HER FATHER

BUT A FEW DAYS BEFORE SHE SUFFERED DEATH.

"FATHER,

"Although it pleaseth God to hasten my death by you, by whom my life should rather have been lengthened; yet can I so patiently take it, as I yield God more hearty thanks for shortening my woeful

days, than if all the world had been given into my possession with life lengthened to my will. And albeit I am well assured of your impatient dolors, redoubled many ways, both in bewailing your own woe, and also as I hear, especially my unfortunate estate; yet my dear father, if I may without offence rejoice in my mishaps, methinks in this I may account myself blessed; that, washing my hands with the innocency of my fact, my guiltless blood may cry before the Lord, mercy to the innocent; and yet though I must needs acknowledge that being constrained, and as you well know continually assayed, in taking the crown upon me, I seemed to consent, and therein grievously offended the queen and her laws; yet do I assuredly trust, that this my offence towards God, is so much the less, in that being in so royal an estate as I was, mine enforced honour never mixed with my innocent heart. And thus good father, I have opened my state to you, whose death's at hand, although to you perhaps it may seem right woeful, to me there is nothing more welcome, than from this vale of misery to aspire to that heavenly throne of all joys and pleasure with Christ our Saviour; in whose stedfast faith, if it be lawful for the daughter so to write to her father, the Lord that hitherto hath strengthened you, so continue you, that at last we may meet in heaven, with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

On Sunday evening, which was the last she was to spend in this world, she wrote an exhortation

in the Greek tongue, as some say, on the blank leaves at the end of a Testament in the same language, which she bequeathed as a legacy to her sister, the Lady Catharine Grey; a piece which, if we had no other left, it is said were sufficient to render her name immortal. In the morning, the Lord Guilford earnestly desired the officers, that he might take his last farewell of her; which though they willingly permitted, yet upon notice, she advised the contrary, assuring him that "such a meeting would rather add to his afflictions than increase the quiet, wherewith they had prepared their souls for the stroke of death; that he demanded a lenitive which would put fire into the wound, and that it was to be feared her presence would rather weaken than strengthen him; that he ought to take courage from his reason, and derive constancy from his own heart; that if his soul were not firm and settled, she could not settle it by her eyes, nor confirm it by her words; that he would do well to remit this interview to the other world; that there, indeed, friendships were happy, and unions indissoluble, and that theirs would be eternal, if their souls carried with them nothing of terrestrial which might hinder them from rejoicing." All she could do was, to give him a farewell out of a window, as he passed to the place of his dissolution, which he suffered on the scaffold on Tower Hill, with much Christian meek

She beheld his dead body wrapped in a linen cloth, as it passed under her window to the Chapel

within the Tower. About an hour after, she was led to the scaffold; she was attended by Feckenham, but was observed not to give much heed to his discourses, keeping her eyes stedfastly fixed on a book of prayers which she had in her hand. After some short meditation, she saluted those who were present, with a countenance perfectly composed; then taking leave of Dr. Feckenham, she said, "God will abundantly requite you, good Sir, for your humanity to me, though your discourses gave me more uneasiness than all the terrors of my approaching death." She next addressed herself to the spectators in a plain and short speech; after which kneeling down she repeated the "Miserere" in English. This done, she stood up and gave to her women her gloves and handkerchief, and to the Lieutenant of the Tower her Prayer Book. The executioner, kneeling, desired her pardon, to which she answered "most willingly." He desired her to stand upon the straw; which bringing her within sight of the block, she said, "I pray you dispatch me quickly;" adding presently afterwards, " will you take it off before I lay me down?" the executioner answered, " no madam." Upon this the handkerchief being bound close over her eyes, she began to feel for the block, to which she was guided by one of the spectators. When she felt it, she stretched herself forward, and said, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit;" and immediately her head was separated at one stroke.