Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
Chapter XVII - Persecutions in England During the Reign of Queen Mary
The premature death of that celebrated young monarch, Edward VI, occasioned the most
extraordinary and wonderful occurrences, which had ever existed from the times of our
blessed Lord and Savior's incarnation in human shape. This melancholy event became
speedily a subject of general regret. The succession to the British throne was soon made a
matter of contention; and the scenes which ensued were a demonstration of the serious
affliction in which the kingdom was involved. As his loss to the nation was more and more
unfolded, the remembrance of his government was more and more the basis of grateful
recollection. The very awful prospect, which was soon presented to the friends of Edward's
administration, under the direction of his counsellors and servants, was a contemplation which
the reflecting mind was compelled to regard with most alarming apprehensions. The rapid
approaches which were made towards a total reversion of the proceedings of the young king's
reign, denoted the advances which were thereby represented to an entire resolution in the
management of public affairs both in Church and state.
Alarmed for the condition in which the kingdom was likely to be involved by the king's
death, an endeavor to prevent the consequences, which were but too plainly foreseen, was
productive of the most serious and fatal effects. The king, in his long and lingering affliction,
was induced to make a will, by which he bequeathed the English crown to Lady Jane, the
daughter of the duke of Suffolk, who had been married to Lord Guilford, the son of the duke
of Northumberland, and was the granddaughter of the second sister of King Henry, by
Charles, duke of Suffolk. By this will, the succession of Mary and Elizabeth, his two sisters,
was entirely superseded, from an apprehension of the returning system of popery; and the
king's council, with the chief of the nobility, the lord-mayor of the city of London, and almost
all the judges and the principal lawyers of the realm, subscribed their names to this regulation,
as a sanction to the measure. Lord Chief Justice Hale, though a true Protestant and an upright
judge, alone declined to unite his name in favour of the Lady Jane, because he had already
signified his opinion that Mary was entitled to assume the reins of government. Others
objected to Mary's being placed on the throne, on account of their fears that she might marry
a foreigner, and thereby bring the crown into considerable danger. Her partiality to popery
also left little doubt on the minds of any, that she would be induced to revive the dormant
interests of the pope, and change the religion which had been used both in the days of her
father, King Henry, and in those of her brother Edward: for in all his time she had manifested
the greatest stubbornness and inflexibility of temper, as must be obvious from her letter to the
lords of the council, whereby she put in her claim to the crown, on her brother's decease.
When this happened, the nobles, who had associated to prevent Mary's succession, and
had been instrumental in promoting, and, perhaps, advising the measures of Edward, speedily
proceeded to proclaim Lady Jane Gray, to be queen of England, in the city of London and
various other populous cities of the realm. Though young, she possessed talents of a very
superior nature, and her improvements under a most excellent tutor had given her many very
great advantages.
Her reign was of only five days' continuance, for Mary, having succeeded by false
promises in obtaining the crown, speedily commenced the execution of her avowed intention
of extirpating and burning every Protestant. She was crowned at Westminster in the usual
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