Feb. 11, 2008 - This Day in History: The Execution of the Nine Days Queen
Most little girls dream of one day being a princess and, possibly, a queen. There is so much romanticism associated with the position. I mean, who wouldn't want to live in a beautiful castle, have a prince for a husband, wear beautiful gowns and jewels, and be waited on hand and foot? It seems the life of luxury. Of course, today's royalty little resembles that of four or five hundred years ago. During the 16th century life as a royal could be quite dangerous. In fact, most royals would likely lose their life in a murderous act of treason than to illness or old age. It's pretty safe to say that it was pretty dangerous to be in the monarchy then.
In that time in history, there was no such thing as separation of church and state. From what I have read and understand about the government and religious bodies of the time in Europe, the pope had great influence over the monarchy, if not totally controlling it. As time wore on, there was a great struggle from the throne to establish either a Protestant or Roman Catholic state church. It was pretty much like a ping pong match, back and forth, back and forth. It was very much an unsettled time in history as far as religion was concerned.
Several years ago I read about Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen, in a missions magazine. That true story was one of the few things besides the Bible that I have read that really, really stuck with me and made an impression on me. Would that all Christians could defend their faith as this young woman of God did.
Jane Grey was born either 1536 or 1537 in Leicestershire and was of royal stock. Ultimately, this would be the cause of her early death as she was caught in the middle of a stuggle for the throne of England.
Jane was a very intelligent and educated young woman who learned Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. When barely 10 years of age, she was sent to live with her aunt, Catherine Parr, wife to Hentry VIII. At around age 16, she was forced into a marriage to Lord Guilford Dudley, a man she called ugly and stupid. His father, a protestant, was contriving a way to keep Mary, a Roman Catholic, from ascending to the throne at the death of Edward VI. Jane was to be his pawn in a struggle to keep the England a Protestant country. This move would cost the man his life.
Through a complicated turn of events initiated by Guilford's father, and against her wishes, Lady Jane Grey took up residence with her husband in the Tower of London in order to become the Queen of England. However, Mary, Edward VI's sister, was rightful heir to the throne and she wouldn't rest until she was in her rightful place, which she soon did. The plan to place and keep Jane on the throne had fallen apart and even her own father quickly proclaimed Mary as Queen. Protestant Jane was now prisoner to her Catholic cousin Mary. However, to be fair it must be stated that Mary knew that Jane had been used. It is believed that she genuinely liked Jane, especially seeing as how she was a relative and she had known her all of her life. Though she wanted to padon Jane, the political struggle raged on and it never came to pass.
Mary was in a quandry. Though she had no real reason to keep Jane prisoner, if she released her, she would be releasing a figurehead for the opposition, the Protestants. Mary thought that she might be able to fix the situation was pursuading Jane to renounce her Protestant faith and become a Catholic. If this occured, Jane would have no sway with the Protestant believers.
At only sixteen years of age, Jane staunchly defended her faith, refusing to recant. When this did not work, Mary thought she might convince Jane through a public debate with Papal advisors. This is where the influence of her Protestant tutors paid off. Imagine a young girl so defending her faith as to leave her opposers speechless. As wonderful as this was, it unfortuately made clear to Mary that Jane was indeed a threat to her throne. So long as she was alive, the threat of a Protestant uprising would always be looming before her.
On February 12th, 1554, Jane was led to her death, but not silently or despairingly. In a letter to her sister, she encouraged her to read a copy of the Greek New Testament she sent to her, saying, among other things, "It shall teach you to live, and learn you to die."
Jane was a great witness to the mercy and grace of God Almighty when, right before her execution, she proclaimed that ". . . I die a true Christian woman, and that I look to be saved by none other means, but only by the mercy of God in the merits of the blood of his only son Jesus Christ." Her words had such a profound affect on her executioner that he begged her forgiveness.
Why I have been so drawn to Lady Jane Grey is really a question that doesn't have a firm answer. When I first read of Jane, I had been a Christian about 6 years, but was going through a huge growth in my faith. I loved to read stories of Christians from long ago, especially those who died for their faith. Two of my favorite books were, and remain, Foxe's Book of Martyrs and The Trail of Blood, a chroncile of the persecution of Baptists through the ages.
I remember as a young girl hearing of stories from the Bible of men and women who were killed because of their faith. I reasoned in my naive little mind that if that were to ever happen to me, I would outwardly deny my faith, but inwardly retain it. I laugh now as I look back on that. But I now know that faith is a way of life. It is not something that you pick up and put down as it suits your life. True faith hangs on no matter what.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen:
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I think that at the supper I neither receive flesh nor blood, but bread and wine; which bread when it is broken, and the wine when it is drunken, put me in remembrance how that for my sins the body of Christ was broken, and his blood shed on the cross.
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The faith of the church must be tried by God's word, and not God's word by the church; neither yet my faith.
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I have sent you, good sister Katherine , a book, which although it be not outwardly trimmed with gold, yet inwardly it is more worth than precious stones. (Written within the Greek Testament Jane gave her sister Katherine)
May we all study and strive to be able to give an answer for our faith!
Love to you all,
Julia Lynne
© 2008 Julia Faulkner
Thoughtful thoughts
Feb. 28, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by dukygurl
I did enjoy this post very much. Thank you.
Jun. 10, 2008 - Lady Jane Grey
Posted by Anonymous
Hi Julia-I am Val Gray and live in Boise, Idaho. I am researching LJG for a book I'm writing and loved your blog site. My blog site is http://growingrays.blogspot.com
Take a look at my daughters blog sites too. They are homeschooling their children also.
God bless you and may God continue to grow your faith.
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