ef Suffolk, for the dutchefs herself was contented to forego her claim.

Northumberland having thus far fucceeded, thought physicians were no longer ferviceable in the king's complaint; they were difmiffed by his advice; and Edward was put into the hands of an ignorant woman, who very confidently undertook his cure. After the use of her medicines, all the bad symptoms increased to a moft violent degree; he felt a difficulty of fpeech and breathing; his pulfe failed, his legs fwelled, his colour became livid, and many other symptoms appeared of his approaching end. He expired at Greenwich, in the fixteenth year of his age, and the feventh of his reign, greatly regretted by all, as his early virtues gave a profpect of the continuance of an happy reign. What were the real qua

July 6. lities of this young prince's heart there 1553. was no time to difcover; but the cultivation of his understanding, if we may credit historians, was amazing. He was faid to understand the Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish languages. He was verfed in logic, mufic, natural philofophy, and theology. Cardan, the extraordinary scholar and vifionary, happening to pay a vifit to the English court, was fo aftonished at his early progrefs, that he extols him as a prodigy of nature. It is probable, however, that fo much flattery as he received would have contributed to corrupt him, as it had formerly corrupted his father.

CHAP.

HE death of Edward only ferved to prepare

TH

fresh troubles for a people that had hitherto greatly fuffered from the depravity of their kings, or the turbulence of their nobility. The fucceffion to the throne had hitherto been obtained partly by lineal descent, and partly by the aptitude for government in the perfon chofen. Neither quite hereditary, nor quite elective, it had made anceftry the pretext of right, while the confent of the' people was neceflary to fupport all hereditary pretenfions. In fact, when wifely conducted, this is the beft fpecies of fucceffion that can be conceived, as it prevents that ariftocracy, which is ever the refult of a government entirely elective; and that tyranny which is too often established, where there is never an infringement on hereditary (claims.

Whenever a monarch of England happened to be arbitrary, and to enlarge the prerogative, he generally confidered the kingdom as his property, and not himself as a fervant of the people. In such cases it was natural for him at his decease to bequeath his dominions as he thought proper, making his own will the ftandard of his fubjects happiness. Henry the eighth, in conformity to this practice, made his will, in which he fettled the fucceffion merely according to his caprice. In that, Edward his fon was the first nominated to fucceed him; then Mary, his eldest daughter, by Catherine of Spain; but with a fpecial mark of condefcenfion, by which he would intimate her illegitimacy. The next that followed was ElizaVOL. III.

B

beth,

beth, his daughter by Anne Bullen, with the fame marks, intimating her illegitimacy alfo. After his own children, his fifter's children were mentioned; his younger fifter the dutchefs of Suffolk's iffue were preferred before those of their elder fifter the queen of Scotland, which preference was thought by all to be neither founded in juftice, nor fupported by reason. This will, was now, however, fet afide by the intrigues of Northumberland, by whofe advice a will was made, as we have seen, in favour of Lady Jane Gray, the dutchefs of Suffolk's daughter, in prejudice of all other claimants. Thus, after the death of this young monarch, there were no fewer than four princeffes who could affert their pretenfions to the crown. Mary, who was the firft upon Henry's will, but who had been. declared illegitimate by an act of parliament, which was never repealed. Elizabeth was next to fucceed, and though the had been declared illegitimate, yet he had been restored to her right during her father's life-time. The queen of Scotland, Henry's eldest fifter, was first in right, fuppofing the two daughters illegitimate, while lady Jane Gray might allege the will of the late king

in her own favour.

Of these, however, only two put in their pretenfions to the crown. Mary relying on the juftice of her caufe, and lady Jane upon the fupport of the duke of Northumberland, her father-inlaw. Mary was greatly bigotted to the popifh fuperftitions, having been biel up among churchmen, and having been even taught to prefer martyrdom to a denial of belief. As fhe had lived in continual restraint, he was referved and gloomy; fhe had, even during the life of her father, the refolution to maintain her fentiments, and refused to comply with his new inftitutions. Her zeal had rendered her furious; and the was not only blindly attached

attached to her religious opinions, but even to the popish clergy who maintained them. On the other hand, Jane Gray was strongly attached to the reformers; and though yet but fixteen, her judgment had attained to such a degree of maturity, as few have been found to poffefs. All hiftorians agree that the folidity of her understanding, improved by continual application, rendered her the wonder of her age. Ascham, tutor of Elizabeth, informs us, that coming once to wait upon lady Jane at her father's houfe in Leicefterfhire, he found her reading Plato's works in Greek, while all the rest of the family were hunting in the Park. Upon his teftifying his furprize at her fituation, the affured him that Plato was an higher amusement to her than the most studious refinements of fenfual pleafure; and fhe, in fact, seemed born for philofophy, and not for ambition.

Such were the prefent rivals for power; but lady Jane had the ftart of her antagonist. Northumberland, now refolving to fecure the fucceffion, carefully concealed the death of Edward, in hope of fecuring the perfon of Mary, who, by an order of council, had been required to attend her brother during his illness; but being informed of his death, the immediately prepared to affert her pretenfions to the crown. This crafty minister, therefore, finding that farther diffimulation was needlefs, went to Sion-houle, accompanied by the duke of Suffolk, the earl of Pembroke, and others of the nobility, to falute Lady Jane Gray, who refided there. Jane was in a great measure ignorant of all these transactions; and it was with equal grief and furprife that the received intelligence of them. She fhed a flood of tears, appeared inconfolable, and it was not without the utmost difficulty that the yielded to the entreaties

of Northumberland, and the duke her father. At length, however, they exhorted her to con'fent and next day conveyed her to the Tower, where it was then ufual for the kings of England to pafs fome days after their acceffion. Thither alfo all the members of the council were obliged to attend her; and thus were in fome measure made prifoners by Northumberland, whofe will they were under a neceffity of obeying. Orders were given al'fo for proclaiming her throughout the kingdom; but these were but very remifsly obeyed. When fhe was proclaimed in the city, the people heard her acceffion made public without any figns of pleasure, no applaufe enfued, and some even expreffed their fcorn and contempt.

In the mean time, Mary, who had retired, upon the news of the king's death, to Kennington Hall in Norfolk, fent circular letters to all the great towns and nobility in the kingdom, reminding them of her right, and commanding them to proclaim her without delay. Having taken these steps, the retired to Framlingham-Castle in Suffolk, that the might be near the fea, and efcape to Flanders in cafe of failure. But the foon found her affairs wear the most promifing afpect. The men of Suffolk came to pay her their homage; and being af fured by her, that he would defend the laws and the religion of her predeceffor, they inlifted themselves in her caufe with alacrity and affection. The people of Norfolk foon after came in; the earls of Bath and Suffex, the eldest fons of lord Wharton, and lord Mordaunt, joined her ; and lord Haftings, with four thoufand men, which were raised to oppofe her, revolted to her fide. Even a fleet that had been fent to lie off the coaft of Suffolk to prevent her efcaping, engaged in her fervice; and now, but too late, Northumberland faw the deplorable end of all his fchemes and ambition.

This