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Guildford Dudley
Father: John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland Mother: Jane Guildford, Duchess of Northumberland Born around 1534 and one of six brothers, Guildford
was educated as an athlete and a scholar. He married Lady Jane Grey on
25 May 1553 ( the date may have been 21 May ) at nineteen years of age.
Jane's biographer's have painted the picture of a precocious, spoilt young
man, doted on by his parents and disinterested in his wife. Of the little
information we have of Guildford Dudley we do know Jane referred to his 'Jane' etched on a wall of the Beauchamp Tower. Guildford was tried at Guildhall on 13 November 1553 and found guilty of treason. On the morning of his execution, 12 February 1554, he was refused the counsel of a Protestant minister and he turned down the offer made by Dr Feckenham to accompany him. Most of Jane's biographers report that Guildford wept on his way to Tower Hill. At the scaffold, Guildford did not address the crowd. He knelt, said his prayers, held up his hands to God and asked the people to pray for him. Afterwards, his body was placed in a cart and taken back within the confines of the Tower. He was laid to rest in the Chapel Royal of St.Peter ad Vincula. |
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aggressive temperament, and ill treatment of her when he learned she would
not crown him King. Guildford was taken into custody on 20 July and imprisoned
in the Beauchamp Tower. It was in this lodging that the inscription, 'Jane'
(pictured below) was found etched in the stone wall. Many have seen this
as a romantic gesture in reference to his young wife. While it is possible
that Guildford did do the etching, it should also be remembered that his
mother's name was also Jane.