Lady Jane Grey

LOT 177 | [JANE, LADY GREY] - QUEEN JANE'S COUNCIL

TWO DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE PROCLAMATION OF QUEEN MARY I, MARY TUDOR | Sold for £12,500 incl premium

View Lot 177 ⇒

The first letter, sent by Lady Jane Grey's Privy Council, formally acknowledges the reign of Queen Mary I, thus abandoning Lady Jane Grey's claim to the throne. The letter states: "wee havying no good oportunitie afore yhis tyme have proclaymed this day in the Citie of London, our sovereign lady Quene Marye to be in juste and laufull possession of thimperiall crowne of this realme, as by the proclamation sent to youe herewith more playnly shall appere..."

Lady Jane Grey was famously 'Queen for nine days' following the death of the young Edward VI on 6th July 1553, who had written the 'Device' proclaiming that she should be his heir, being a Protestant, unlike his elder sister, Mary Tudor. On 10th July, Jane was declared Queen by the Privy Council. However, Jane's support quickly dwindled in favour of Mary and, on the 19th July, the Privy Council switched allegiances and declared Mary to be Queen, as seen in this letter. Jane, not yet aged eighteen, was subsequently executed at the Tower of London on the 12th February 1554. Her father, Henry Grey, the 1st Duke of Suffolk, was executed several days later for his part in another attempt to overthrow Mary I when she announced her intention to marry King Philip of Spain.

Auction Information

RARE BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS, MAPS & PHOTOGRAPHS

Wednesday 23rd June 2021 | Live Online

View the auction results ⇒

Viewing by appoitment in Edinburgh 21st & 22nd June

Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs

Lyon & Turnbull’s dedicated team of Rare Books, Manuscripts & Maps specialists have established an international reputation for their auctions, selling both through our UK auction house, and via live online auctions. Our specialists are experts not only on books and manuscripts, but also on current market conditions, an essential combination to the successful sale of fine antiquarian books, modern first editions, folios, autographed letters and important archives.

Learn more ⇒