Lady Jane Grey Reference Guide

The Art of Monarchy began two weeks ago on BBC Radio 4 and ‘examines objects in the Royal Collection that define the British monarchy.’ (BBC Radio 4).

This eight part series is collaboration between BBC Radio 4 and the Royal Collection and includes some Tudor /Stuart related pieces.

The series features historian Dr Anna Whitelock.

Part 1 – Behind the Royal Image
Saturday 11th February
10.30am

Part 1 included a miniature of Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII.

Miniature of Henry Fitzroy

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 2 – Friend or Foe
Saturday 18th February
10.30am

Part 2 included a painting of ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold’ and a miniature of Mary Queen of Scots.

The Field of the Cloth of Gold

Miniature of Mary Queen of Scots

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 3 – Faith
Saturday 25th February
10.30am

Part 3 includes the ‘Treatise against Martin Luther’, written by Henry VIII.

Treatise against Martin Luther by Henry VIII

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 4 – Magnificence
Saturday 3rd March
10.30am

Part 4 includes ‘The Abraham Tapestries’. Acquired by Henry VIII, the tapestries were used at the coronation of Tudor and Stuart monarchs. Also featured is a silver table made for Charles II.

The Abraham Tapestries

Silver Table

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 5 – People
Saturday 10th March
10.30am

Part 5 includes ‘The Wriothesley Garter Book.’ ’This book contains possibly the first contemporary view of Parliament at Blackfriars, depicting Henry VIII enthroned’ (BBC Radio 4). Also featured is a memorial ring bearing a miniature of Charles I.

The Wriothesley Garter Book

Memorial ring bearing a miniature of Charles I

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 6 – Progress
Saturday 17th March
10.30am

Part 6 includes ‘The Psaultier de David’ with an inscription by Elizabeth I and the Royal Greenwich Observatory, commissioned by Charles II, in 1675.

The Psaultier de David

Royal Greenwich Observatory

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Part 7 – Empire and Commonwealth
Saturday 24th March
10.30am

Part 8 – Legacy
Saturday 31st March
10.30am

Part 8 features ‘The Whitehall Mural after Hans Holbein the Younger’ and a portrait of Richard III.

The Whitehall Mural after Hans Holbein the Younger

Portrait of Richard III

Listen to the programme

Read the transcript

Further information:

BBC Radio 4 – The Art of Monarchy

The Royal Collection

The Anne Boleyn Files has an article about the executions of Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley.

The Anne Boleyn Files

Although ‘Tower: An Epic History of the Tower of London’ by Nigel Jones is a fast-paced and fascinating look at the Tower of London, he does make the following errors relating to Lady Jane Grey.

• Jones writes, ‘Edward died on the evening of 9 July’ (p228).

Contemporary sources state that King Edward VI died on 6th July.

‘The vj day of July, as they say, dessessyed the nobull kyng Edward the vj.’

Diary of Henry Machyn, p35

‘King Edward died at Greenwich, on the 6th July 1553, towards night.’

The Chronicle of Queen Jane and of Two Years of Queen Mary, and Especially of the Rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyat, p 1

• Jones also states ‘…11th July, as heralds proclaimed her accession to a muted reception in London, Jane was rowed downriver to the Tower’ (Jones, p229 )

Contemporary sources state that Queen Jane was taken to the Tower on 10th July.

‘The x day of July was reseyved in to the Towre (the Queen Jane) with a grett company of lords and nobulls…after the qwen, and the duches of Suffke her mother, bering her trayn, with mony lades, and ther was a shot of gunnes and chamburs has nott be sene oft be- tweyn iii and v of (the clock); by vj of the cloke be-gane the proclamasyon of the same (after) non (of) qwen Jane with ij Harold(s) and a trompet blohyng (declaring) that my lade Mare was unlawfully be-gotten, and so (went throught) Chepe to Fletstrett, proclamyng qwen Jane…’

Diary of Henry Machyn, p 35

‘The 10 of July, in the afternoone, about 3 of the clocke, lady Jane was convayed by water to the Tower of London, and there received as queene. After five of the clocke, the same afternoone, was proclamation made of the death of king Edward the sixt, and how hee had ordained by his letters patent bearing sate the 21. Of June last past that the lady Jane should be heire to the Crowne of England, and the heire males of her body, &e.’

The Chronicle of Queen Jane and of Two Years of Queen Mary, and Especially of the Rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyat, p 3

‘When I had written thus far, my honoured friend in the Lord, the 10th of July arrives, when it is publicly proclaimed here, in the name of the aforesaid king Edward is dead, that the lady Frances aforesaid, the queen’s mother, had no son, and therefore as I understand, that the government of this realm had devolved upon this queen Jane, to which event may our good and gracious God grant his blessing! Amen.’

Letter CXXV, Original Letters Relative to the English Reformation, p 274

• Finally, Jones writes that ‘Jane spent her last night, 8 February writing letters to her family.’ (Jones, p 242)

February 9th was the original date set for the execution of Lady Jane and Guildford Dudley. It was postponed until February 12th.

‘The Monday, being the xijth of Februarie, about ten of the clocke, ther went out of the Tower to the scaffold on Tower Hill, the lorde Guilforde Dudley, sone to the late duke of Northumberland, husbande to the lady Jane Grey, daughter of the Duke of Suffolke…

By this tyme was ther a scaffold made upon the grene over against the White tower, for the saide lady Jane to die apon.’

The Chronicle of Queen Jane and of Two Years of Queen Mary, and Especially of the Rebellion of Sir Thomas Wyat, p 54-55

This month’s update is ‘Tower: An Epic History of the Tower of London’ by Nigel Jones. It has been added to the General Works section of the bibliography.

Entries added to the following: Primary Accounts – Spinola, Captivity, Execution, Paintings – Delaroche and Writings of Lady Jane Grey – Speech from Scaffold, Letters – Letter to Mary, Letter to a Friend, Farewell Letters – Letter to Katherine Grey, Letters to Father, and Letter to Sir John Brydges.