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design. All these excellent institutions have continued till the present time, and are noble monuments of the influence of truly Protestant principles.

The physicians having declared their utter inability to stop the king's disease, a female empiric was allowed to prescribe. Her remedies were injurious; at any rate, the king continued to grow worse. A report of his amendment was circulated, but the precautions needful in case of his death were acted upon. On July 6, 1553, Edward vi. expired. A few hours before his death, thinking himself alone, he uttered an earnest prayer, which his physician, Dr. Owen, and four other attendants heard, and noted down: "O Lord God, free me, I beseech thee, out of this miserable and wretched life. Receive me among the number of thine elect, if so it be thy pleasure. Although not mine, but thy will be done. To thee, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Thou knowest how happy I shall be if I may live with thee in heaven. Yet I would I might live, and be well, for thine elect's sake, that I might faithfully serve thee. O Lord God, bless thy people, and save thine inheritance. O save thy people of England; defend this kingdom from papistry, and preserve thy true religion in it, that I and my people may bless thy most holy name, through thy Son Jesus Christ." Opening his eyes, he saw his physician, and said, "Are you there? I had not thought you had been so near. I was making my prayer to God." A silence ensued; when saying, "I am faint-Lord, have mercy on me ; receive my soul," he suddenly expired. An effort was made to conceal the melancholy event; but the rumour soon spread, though without authority: thus the public mind was for some time agitated between doubt and denial.

There is no occasion to enlarge upon the character of this pious and estimable young prince. The few instances of proceedings which are blots upon his character, were occasioned by undue influence, overcoming the better traits of his youthful mind. His moral

firmness might have increased had he advanced in years; but it is enough for us to be sure that the portion of work allotted to him was performed, when his Lord and Master thus permitted him to retire to rest. And it was an important work. The brightness of the spiritual light diffused under his sway, contrasted fully with the darkness of his sister Mary's acts; he left a foundation too firm for her to root out, which supplied a platform for the superstructure Elizabeth was permitted to rear. We must not forget that the Reformation, as settled in Edward's days, is, in fact, the Protestantism of our land; and that during his reign, however defective the characters of Somerset and Northumberland might be, still true religion was openly recognised as the main principle by which the government was regulated.

The pursuits of this amiable monarch were not inconsistent with his religious profession. He cultivated literature, and studied matters connected with general polity, and the government committed to him. The journal of events during his reign, kept by himself, exhibits his pursuits and recreations; he took part in manly exercises, though his general health and strength did not permit him to excel therein. He took pleasure in filling his part as king on public occasions, but never allowed himself to be diverted thereby from the due improvement of time.

Such was the fair promise of a youthful monarch, trained in the fear of God and regard for his holy word. We have seen the reverence for the Bible manifested at his coronation. An interesting anecdote of his childhood shows how deeply he was imbued with this reverence. One day, when very young, he wished while at play to get something that was above his reach; a companion observing this, brought a large book for him to stand upon; but Edward, perceiving that it was the Bible, rebuked his associate for want of respect to the Scriptures, and lifting the book reverently from the ground, he kissed it, and replaced it on the shelf.

It is useless to speculate what Edward might have been in after years. It is enough to turn to the list of English monarchs trained in the ways of the world, and after the customs of their day. Comparing them with our sixth Edward, who was brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, we may fairly ask, whether he did not give the best promise of being a nursing father to his people in advanced life, had God seen fit to have allowed him a longer continuance on earth?

Child in age, and child in heart,
Thy magnificent array

Could not joy or pride impart,

Thou hadst treasures more than they.
More than courtiers kneeling low;
More than flattery's ready smile;
More than conquests o'er the foe,
More, even more than England's isle.
Treasures, in which mind hath part,
Joys, that teach the soul to rise;
Hopes, that can sustain the heart,
When the body droops and dies.
Therefore, Star, thou art not shaded
In the darkness of the tomb:
Royal Rose! thou art not faded,
But in Paradise dost bloom.

LADY JANE GREY.

USURPED THE THRONE TWELVE DAYS.

From July 6th to 17th, 1553.

LADY JANE GREY was the daughter of Charles Brandon, the duke of Suffolk, who married the youngest sister of Henry VIII. Her mother was still living, so that any claim to the throne rested in her rather than her daughter; but as the accession of the mother would not have met the views of Northumberland and the other nobles, they prevailed upon her to relinquish in her daughter's favour any rights she might have under her brother's will. Lady Jane was a pleasing and highly accomplished female. Brought up in the severe family discipline usual at this period, she found her chief pleasures in books and literary pursuits. Under the tuition of Aylmer, afterwards bishop of London, she thoroughly

learned the Latin and Greek languages; she also studied Hebrew, and was acquainted with French and Italian. Her marriage with lord Guildford Dudley has been noticed: this union was connected with Northumberland's desire to obtain the crown for his family; and the whole, as Turner ably shows, was the result of a confederacy or conspiracy amongst the principal nobles, to exalt their own power.

The death of Edward vi. took place on July 6th, 1553, in the evening. The first objects of Northumberland and his confederates were, to get the princess Mary into their power, and to make the preparations necessary to enable them to support the queen they were about to place upon the throne. These preparations had already been commenced, but not to the extent which might have been expected: however, the Tower was under their command, a fleet in the Thames was ready to obey their orders, arrangements for levying forces had been already made. Mary was come to Hoddesdon, near London, in consequence of a message desiring her to attend the dying king; there private information was sent to her of her brother's decease and the proceedings of the lords, probably by lord Arundel, one of the council. With prompt decision she took horse that night, and hastened to her house at Kenninghall, in Norfolk, sending to several of her friends to meet her there. Meanwhile the council prepared for the public announcement of queen Jane. A few days before the decease of Edward, the duchess of Northumberland had intimated to her that she was to be queen in case of his death. She was disturbed by this intelligence, and returned home, from whence, upon the death of Edward, she was again conducted to the residence of Northumberland, where the chief nobility waited upon her; they rendered solemn homage, and stated her appointment to the throne, under the will of the late monarch, to the exclusion of the two princesses.

Lady Jane was, as she affirmed in a letter to Mary,