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20 THE H1STOUY OF HERESIES,
s life and honour were more dear to him
alleged that the King
than his brother s life, and he gave orders to proceed with
his trial. The Admiral was condemned, and executed on the
20th of March, 1549. His lady, Queen Catherine, according to
some, died of a hroken heart ;
but we believe that she had pre
viously died in childbirth (10).
19. On the death of the Admiral, Earl Warwick was entire
master of Somerset s mind ; he wound him round as he pleased,
and had sufficient interest to appoint friends of his own to several
important places, by which he laid the foundation of the Duke s
ruin. He strengthened his party, besides, by the adhesion of
the Catholic lords very numerous still who were persuaded by
him, that there was no hope of
re-establishing the Catholic
Religion while Somerset was in power. About the same time,
the English lost Boulogne, in the ancient province of Picardy,
and the Regent was severely censured, for not having sent
reinforcements in time, to save it from the French. Several of
the barons and nobility, likewise, had enclosed commonages, in
different parts of the kingdom, to the great grievance of the
people, who looked to the Regent for redress, and not obtaining
it, broke out into rebellion, and Warwick got the Parliament
convoked. lie had a very strong party in both houses, so the
Regent was attainted, and sent to the Tower, and was executed
on the 22nd of January, 1552, and both Catholics and Pro
testants rejoiced at his death (11).
20. The Earl of Warwick having now disposed of all his
rivals, took the administration of affairs even during Edward s
lifetime into his own hands, and got another step in the Peerage,
being created Duke of Northumberland ; and not satisfied with
all this, prevailed on the King to leave his crown, by will, to his
daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, daughter of the Duke of
Norfolk, excluding Mary, daughter of Queen Catherine, as she
was declared illegitimate
in the reign of Henry VIII., and
Elizabeth, as daughter of the adultress, Anna Bolcyn. Edward
died soon after, in the sixteenth year of his age, on the 7th of
July, 1553, and Northumberland, it is said, immediately gave
orders that Mary should be secured ; but his secretary, a
(10) VariUas, /. 17, p. 120. (11) Varillas, /. 2, /. />. 17,
20, . P 1.
131, & /.