ExEcution of Henry Grey ~ Duke of Suffolk

ExEcution of Henry Grey ~ Duke of Suffolk

Henry Grey the Duke of Suffolk, was the father of Lady Jane Grey, who became known as the ‘Nine Day’s Queen’.
Although he supported the attempt to make his daughter queen in July 1553, he was quick to abandon her when the plot failed, and he was pardoned by Queen Mary I.

The slippery slope to Henry Grey’s demise, began in the beginning of 1554.
Henry Grey had a deep dislike of the old religion, and was opposed to the queen’s plans for her Spanish marriage.
Henry Grey needed no encouragement to join Thomas Wyatt’s unsuccessful rebellion against Catholic queen, Mary I.

By the end of January that year all was lost.
Wyatt fled to Wales and Henry Grey escaped to his estate in Warwickshire, where he was betrayed by his gamekeeper.
By the 10th of February, Henry Grey was locked in the Tower of London and found guilty of treason.
The date of his exEcution was set for the 23rd February.

Just as his daughter had done twelve days before, Henry Grey Duke of Suffolk climbed the wooden steps of the scaffold to his death, on the 23rd February 1554.
According to historian and writer John Foxe, Henry Grey was accompanied to Tower Hill by Hugh Weston, Queen Mary’s own chaplain.
Weston followed Henry Grey up the steps to the scaffold but Grey objected.
Henry Grey then pushed Weston down the steps, and a fight ensued.

Henry Grey then spoke to the assembled crowd.
He apologised for offending the queen, and spoke other platitudes to gain his place in heaven.

“Masters, I have offended the queen and her laws, and thereby am justly condemned to die, and am willing to die, desiring all men to be obedient.

And I pray God that this my death may be an en-sample to all men, beseeching you all to bear me witness, that I die in the faith of Christ, trusting to be saved by his blood only, and by no other trumpery, the which died for me, and for all them that truly repent, and stedfastly trust in him.

And I do repent, desiring you all to pray to God for me; and that when you see my breath depart from me, you will pray to God that he may receive my soul”

The exEcutioner asked for Henry Greys forgiveness, and he tied a handkerchief over Henry’s eyes.
Henry knelt down, and recited the Lord’s Prayer followed by the words “Christ have mercy upon me”.
He laid his head on the block and his head was removed with one blow.
His remains were buried in the chancel area of St Peter ad Vincula, the Tower chapel.

However, Henry Grey’s story doesn’t end there….
For the next 300 years his severed head sat in a vault of the Church of Holy Trinity in London, preserved by sawdust!
Rediscovered in 1851, the head was later moved to St. Botolph’s Church in Aldate, where for a time it was kept in a glass box by the church’s vicar.
It was shown to interested historians ‘on request’.
Henry’s head was finally buried in 1990.

? The mummified head, reputedly of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk.
The head had been found in 1849 in vaults at Holy Trinity, Minories, and was later passed to St Botolph’s Aldgate, where it was eventually buried in 1990.