GREY, Lady JANE, an English lady of royal birth and singular misfortunes, was the eldest daughter of Henry Grey, marquis of Dorset, afterwards duke of Suffolk, and lady Frances Arandou. Lady Frances was the daughter of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, and of Mary, sister of Henry VIII., who had been married to Louis XII., of France, but had become a widow. Jane Grey was born at Broadgate, Leicester shire, in 1537. Having discovered, at an early age, surprising talents, she was furnished with an excellent tutor, Aylater, afterwards bishop of London, and under his care, made extraordinary progress in arts and sciences, and particularly in languages. being able to speak and write Latin and Greek, as well as French and Italian. We have the testimony of Roger Ascham, that he found her reading the Phadon of Plato in Greek, while the rest of the family were engaged in hunting. She also sang and played well, and was versed in other feminine accomplishments.
In 1553, after the fall of Somerset, the dukes of Suffolk and Northumberland. now ruling in the name df the youthful king Edward VI., and foreseeing his speedy death, determined to change the succession to the crown, and secure it to their own families. Lady Jane Grey, now sixteen years old, was therefore married to lord Guilford Dudley, fourth son of the duke of Northumberland. in May, 1553. The king, failing in body, and weak in mind, and surrounded by selfish or fanatical advisers, was persuaded to make a deed of settlement, setting aside the right of succession of his sisters Mary and Elizabeth, and Mary Queen of Scots, leaving the crown to lady Jane, who was innocent of the conspiracy. After the king's death her ambitious relatives hailed her as "queen."
Lady Jane at first shrunk from honor so treacherously won, but ultimately yielded to the force of their entreaties and commands, and allowed herself to be proclaimed. The people of England resented the unscrupulous conduct of Suffolk and Northumberland, and learned, brilliant, and amiable as lady Jane was, they rallied, with the true English instinct of loyalty, round Mary. Northumberland was defeated, sent to the towe.r, and beheaded Aug. 22, 1553 ; and in the following Nov. lady Jane and her husband were also condemned.: For a while:Marybesitated,to 'pronounce death against the young couple, but al length she issneiffhe fatal warrant on Feb. '8; and, four days after, both were executed. Lady Jane reigned only ten days. She met her fate with remarkable firmness, making a brief address, in which she confessed the justice of her sentence ; but said : " I only consented to the thing I was forced into." Several epistles and other writings attributed to her are extant.