Lady Jane Grey
It is not without the utmost pity that we can reflect upon the unmerited fate of this youthful fair Lady Jane, who was but seventeen at the time of her death and her husband but a few years older. There are few stories so affecting us as hers, a true heroine and example to us all of true faith, goodness and humility. A young woman who was beautiful, kind, accomplished, intelligent, wise, refined and having a most Godly disposition. The latter qualities richly exemplified in her life and writings, two of which were written during her imprisonment. The first is a Prayer which displays at once her anguish and resignation; offering it up to the throne of Mercy, it was no doubt heard with the mercy it deserved and recompensed by an increase in spiritual strength which enabled her to support the sharpness of death which led her to life eternal:
“O Lord, thou God and Father of my life, hear me poor and desolate woman which flieth unto thee only in all troubles and miseries. Thou O Lord, art the only defender and deliverer of those that put their trust in thee and therefore, I being defiled with sin encumbered with afflictions, unquieted with troubles, wrapped in cares, overwhelmed with miseries and grievously tormented with the long imprisonment of this vile mass of clay, my sinful body do come unto thee.”
“O merciful Saviour, craving thy mercy and help without the which so little hope of deliverance is left, that I may utterly despair of any liberty. Albeit it is expedient that seeing our life standeth upon trying, we should be visited sometime with some adversity, whereby we might both be tried whether we be of thy flock or no and also know thee and ourselves the better; yet thou that saidst thou wouldst not suffer us to be tempted above our power, be merciful unto me, a miserable wretch. I beseech thee that I may neither be too much puffed up with prosperity, neither too much pressed down with adversity, lest I being too full should deny thee my God, or being too low brought, should despair and blaspheme thee my Lord and Saviour.”
“O merciful God, consider my miseries best known unto thee and be thou now unto me a strong tower of defence, I humbly require thee. Suffer me not to be tempted above my power, but either be thou a deliverer to me out of this great misery, either else give me grace patiently to bear thy heavy hand and sharp correction. It was thy right hand that delivered the people of Israel out of the hands of Pharaoh, which for the space of four hundred years did oppress them and keep them in bondage. Let it therefore seem good to thy fatherly goodness to deliver me, sorrowful wretch for whom thy son Christ shed his precious blood on the cross out of this miserable captivity and bondage wherein I am now.”
“How long wilt thou be absent? Forever? Oh Lord, hast thou forgotten to be gracious and hast thou shut up thy loving kindness in displeasure? Wilt thou no more be entreated? Is thy mercy clean gone for ever and thy promise come utterly to an end for evermore? Why dost thou make so long tarrying? Shall I despair of thy mercy O God?”
“Far be that from me! I am thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesus; give me grace therefore to tarry thy leisure and patiently to bear thy works assuredly, knowing that as thou canst so thou wilt deliver me when it shall please thee; nothing doubting or mistrusting thy goodness towards me for thou knowest better what is good for me than I do; therefore do with me in all things what thou wilt and plague me what way thou wilt.”
“Only in the meantime, arm me I beseech thee with thy armour that I may stand fast my loins being girt about with verity, having on the breastplate of righteousness and shod with the shoes prepared by the Gospel of peace; above all things taking to me the shield of faith, wherewith I may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit is thy most holy word, praying always all manner of prayer and supplication that I may refer myself wholly to thy will abiding thy pleasure and comforting myself in those troubles which it shall please thee to send me, seeing such troubles be profitable to me and seeing I am assuredly persuaded that it cannot but be well all that thou dost. Hear me O merciful Father, for his sake whom thou wouldest should be a sacrifice for my sins to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory. Amen” (The Literary Remains of Lady Jane Grey: with a Memoir of Her Life, by N. H Nicolas, 1825, pg. 49 - 51)
The other example, is a letter written the day before her death in Greek on the blank leaves of a Testament in the same language which she bequeathed to her sister the Lady Catharine:
“I have here sent you my dear sister Catharine, a book which although it be not outwardly trimmed with gold or the curious embroidery of the artfullest needles, yet inwardly it is more worth than all the precious mines which the vast world can boast of. It is the book, my only, best and best loved sister, of the law of the Lord.”
“It is the testament and last will which he bequeathed unto us wretches and wretched sinners which shall lead you to the path of eternal joy and if you, with a good mind read it and with an earnest desire follow it, no doubt it shall bring you to an immortal and everlasting life. It will teach you to live and learn you to die; it shall win you more and endow you with greater felicity than you should have gained by the possession of our woful father's lands, for as if God prospered him, you should have inherited his honours and manors so if you apply diligently this book seeking to direct your life according to the rule of the same, you shall be an inheritor of such riches as neither the covetous shall withdraw from you, neither the thief shall steal, neither yet the moths corrupt.”
“Desire with David, my best sister, to understand the law of the Lord your God; live still to die that you by death may purchase eternal life and trust not that the tenderness of your age shall lengthen your life; for unto God when he calleth all hours, times and seasons are alike; and blessed are they whose lamps are furnished when he cometh; for soon will the Lord be gloried in the young as in the old. My good sister, once again more, let me entreat thee to learn to die; deny the world, defy the devil and despise the flesh and delight yourself only in the Lord: be penitent for your sins and yet despair not; be strong in faith, yet presume not; and desire with Paul to be dissolved, or to be with Christ, with whom even in death there is life.”
“Be like the good servant and even at midnight be working, lest when death cometh and stealeth upon you like a thief in the night, you be with the servants of darkness found sleeping and lest for lack of oil you be found with the five foolish virgins or like him that had not on the wedding garment and then you be cast into darkness or banished from the marriage.”
“Rejoice in Christ as I trust you do and seeing you have the name of a Christian, as near as you can follow the steps and be a true imitator of your master Christ Jesus, and take up your cross, lay your sins on his back and always embrace him.”
“Now as touching my death, rejoice as I do my dearest sister, that I shall be delivered of this corruption and put on in-corruption; for I am assured that I shall for losing of a mortal life win one that is immortal, joyful and everlasting the which I pray God grant you in his most blessed hour and send you his all saving grace to live in his fear and die in the true Christian faith. From which in God's name, I exhort you that you never swerve, neither for hope of life nor fear of death for if you will deny his truth to give length to a weary and corrupt breath, God himself will deny you and by vengeance make short what you by your soul's loss would prolong; but if you will cleave to him, he will stretch forth your days to an uncircumscribed comfort and to his own glory. “To the which glory God bring me now and you hereafter when it shall please him to call you. Farewell once again my beloved sister and put your only trust in God who only must help you. Amen.”
“Your loving sister, JANE DUDLEY” (The Literary Remains of Lady Jane Grey: with a Memoir of Her Life, by N. H Nicolas, 1825, pg. 41 - 43)
What an example of her youth and faith does this noble women afford us? What grace do her virtues and merits shed on our history? Should we not be proud to call her our countrywoman? Should we not endeavour to render ourselves worthy too, by imitating her in all her admirable qualities? Let us then read the Book she valued more than royalty, riches and life itself and follow it too!
Please visit http://ladyjanegrey.weebly.com/ for more inspiration.
“O Lord, thou God and Father of my life, hear me poor and desolate woman which flieth unto thee only in all troubles and miseries. Thou O Lord, art the only defender and deliverer of those that put their trust in thee and therefore, I being defiled with sin encumbered with afflictions, unquieted with troubles, wrapped in cares, overwhelmed with miseries and grievously tormented with the long imprisonment of this vile mass of clay, my sinful body do come unto thee.”
“O merciful Saviour, craving thy mercy and help without the which so little hope of deliverance is left, that I may utterly despair of any liberty. Albeit it is expedient that seeing our life standeth upon trying, we should be visited sometime with some adversity, whereby we might both be tried whether we be of thy flock or no and also know thee and ourselves the better; yet thou that saidst thou wouldst not suffer us to be tempted above our power, be merciful unto me, a miserable wretch. I beseech thee that I may neither be too much puffed up with prosperity, neither too much pressed down with adversity, lest I being too full should deny thee my God, or being too low brought, should despair and blaspheme thee my Lord and Saviour.”
“O merciful God, consider my miseries best known unto thee and be thou now unto me a strong tower of defence, I humbly require thee. Suffer me not to be tempted above my power, but either be thou a deliverer to me out of this great misery, either else give me grace patiently to bear thy heavy hand and sharp correction. It was thy right hand that delivered the people of Israel out of the hands of Pharaoh, which for the space of four hundred years did oppress them and keep them in bondage. Let it therefore seem good to thy fatherly goodness to deliver me, sorrowful wretch for whom thy son Christ shed his precious blood on the cross out of this miserable captivity and bondage wherein I am now.”
“How long wilt thou be absent? Forever? Oh Lord, hast thou forgotten to be gracious and hast thou shut up thy loving kindness in displeasure? Wilt thou no more be entreated? Is thy mercy clean gone for ever and thy promise come utterly to an end for evermore? Why dost thou make so long tarrying? Shall I despair of thy mercy O God?”
“Far be that from me! I am thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesus; give me grace therefore to tarry thy leisure and patiently to bear thy works assuredly, knowing that as thou canst so thou wilt deliver me when it shall please thee; nothing doubting or mistrusting thy goodness towards me for thou knowest better what is good for me than I do; therefore do with me in all things what thou wilt and plague me what way thou wilt.”
“Only in the meantime, arm me I beseech thee with thy armour that I may stand fast my loins being girt about with verity, having on the breastplate of righteousness and shod with the shoes prepared by the Gospel of peace; above all things taking to me the shield of faith, wherewith I may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit is thy most holy word, praying always all manner of prayer and supplication that I may refer myself wholly to thy will abiding thy pleasure and comforting myself in those troubles which it shall please thee to send me, seeing such troubles be profitable to me and seeing I am assuredly persuaded that it cannot but be well all that thou dost. Hear me O merciful Father, for his sake whom thou wouldest should be a sacrifice for my sins to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory. Amen” (The Literary Remains of Lady Jane Grey: with a Memoir of Her Life, by N. H Nicolas, 1825, pg. 49 - 51)
The other example, is a letter written the day before her death in Greek on the blank leaves of a Testament in the same language which she bequeathed to her sister the Lady Catharine:
“I have here sent you my dear sister Catharine, a book which although it be not outwardly trimmed with gold or the curious embroidery of the artfullest needles, yet inwardly it is more worth than all the precious mines which the vast world can boast of. It is the book, my only, best and best loved sister, of the law of the Lord.”
“It is the testament and last will which he bequeathed unto us wretches and wretched sinners which shall lead you to the path of eternal joy and if you, with a good mind read it and with an earnest desire follow it, no doubt it shall bring you to an immortal and everlasting life. It will teach you to live and learn you to die; it shall win you more and endow you with greater felicity than you should have gained by the possession of our woful father's lands, for as if God prospered him, you should have inherited his honours and manors so if you apply diligently this book seeking to direct your life according to the rule of the same, you shall be an inheritor of such riches as neither the covetous shall withdraw from you, neither the thief shall steal, neither yet the moths corrupt.”
“Desire with David, my best sister, to understand the law of the Lord your God; live still to die that you by death may purchase eternal life and trust not that the tenderness of your age shall lengthen your life; for unto God when he calleth all hours, times and seasons are alike; and blessed are they whose lamps are furnished when he cometh; for soon will the Lord be gloried in the young as in the old. My good sister, once again more, let me entreat thee to learn to die; deny the world, defy the devil and despise the flesh and delight yourself only in the Lord: be penitent for your sins and yet despair not; be strong in faith, yet presume not; and desire with Paul to be dissolved, or to be with Christ, with whom even in death there is life.”
“Be like the good servant and even at midnight be working, lest when death cometh and stealeth upon you like a thief in the night, you be with the servants of darkness found sleeping and lest for lack of oil you be found with the five foolish virgins or like him that had not on the wedding garment and then you be cast into darkness or banished from the marriage.”
“Rejoice in Christ as I trust you do and seeing you have the name of a Christian, as near as you can follow the steps and be a true imitator of your master Christ Jesus, and take up your cross, lay your sins on his back and always embrace him.”
“Now as touching my death, rejoice as I do my dearest sister, that I shall be delivered of this corruption and put on in-corruption; for I am assured that I shall for losing of a mortal life win one that is immortal, joyful and everlasting the which I pray God grant you in his most blessed hour and send you his all saving grace to live in his fear and die in the true Christian faith. From which in God's name, I exhort you that you never swerve, neither for hope of life nor fear of death for if you will deny his truth to give length to a weary and corrupt breath, God himself will deny you and by vengeance make short what you by your soul's loss would prolong; but if you will cleave to him, he will stretch forth your days to an uncircumscribed comfort and to his own glory. “To the which glory God bring me now and you hereafter when it shall please him to call you. Farewell once again my beloved sister and put your only trust in God who only must help you. Amen.”
“Your loving sister, JANE DUDLEY” (The Literary Remains of Lady Jane Grey: with a Memoir of Her Life, by N. H Nicolas, 1825, pg. 41 - 43)
What an example of her youth and faith does this noble women afford us? What grace do her virtues and merits shed on our history? Should we not be proud to call her our countrywoman? Should we not endeavour to render ourselves worthy too, by imitating her in all her admirable qualities? Let us then read the Book she valued more than royalty, riches and life itself and follow it too!
Please visit http://ladyjanegrey.weebly.com/ for more inspiration.