The Lady Jane upon the Scaffold

These are the words that the lady Jane spake upon the scaffold, at the
hour of her death. First, when she mounted upon the scaffold, she said to
the people standing thereabout, "Good people, I am come hither to die,
and by a law I am condemned to the same. The fact against the queen’s
highness was unlawful, and the consenting thereunto by me: but, touching
the procurement and desire thereof by me, or on my behalf, I do wash my
hands thereof in innocency before God, and the face of you, good christian
people, this day:" and therewith she wrung her hands, wherein she had her
book. Then said she, "I pray you all, good christian people, to bear me
witness that I die a true christian woman, and that I do look to be saved by
no other mean, but only by the mercy of God, in the blood of his only Son
Jesus Christ: and I confess, that when I did know the word of God, I
neglected the same, loved myself and the world; and therefore this plague
and punishment is happily and worthily happened unto me for my sins;
and yet I thank God, that of his goodness he hath thus given me a time and
respite to repent. And now, good people, while I am alive, I pray you
assist me with your prayers." And then, kneeling down, she turned her to
Fecknam, saying: "Shall I say this psalm?" And he said, "Yea." Then said
she the psalm of "Miserere mei Deus" in English, in most devout manner,
throughout to the end; and then she stood up, and gave her maiden,
mistress Ellen, her gloves and handkerchief, and her book to master Bruges.
And then she untied her gown, and the hangman pressed upon her to help
her off with it; but she, desiring him to let her alone, turned towards her
two gentlewomen, who helped her off therewith, and also with her frowes,
paaft and neckerchief, giving to her a fair handkerchief to knit about her
eyes.
Then the hangman kneeled down and asked her forgiveness, whom she
forgave most willingly. Then he willed her to stand upon the straw; which
doing, she saw the block. Then she said, "I pray you dispatch me
quickly." Then she kneeled down, saying," Will you take it off, before I
lay me down?" And the hangman said, "No, madam." Then tied she the
handkerchief about her eyes, and feeling for the block, she said, "What
shall I do? Where is it? Where is it?" One of the standers-by guiding her
thereunto she laid her head down upon the block, and then stretched forth
her body, and said, "Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit;" and so
finished her life, in the year of our Lord God 1554, the 12th day of
February.

As told by John Foxe in his Acts and Monuments
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