A Good Book On Eng-land

On this day in history in 1553 Lady Jane Grey was deposed after her nine days.

One of my favorite books is an antique (1884) book Mom and I picked up called History of England in Words of One Syllable. Evidently it was one of a series of children’s history books written all in one syllable words. I know. Snort. The Irony. “England” is two syllables. “Syllable?” Three syllables! This KILLS me. (They hedge and write out all the multi-syllable words with hyphens.)

Here is an excerpt so you can see why I love this book so much:

“In two days La-dy Jane Gray was said to be Queen in Lon-don, but the friends of La-dy Ma-ry held fast to her, and all knew she was the right queen. There were some who would have been glad to have had the La-dy Jane, for she was young, fair, and wise, and she was a Prot-est-ant. Soon one and all took the part of La-dy Mary, and the La-dy Jane, who knew that a great wrong had been done in her name, went back to her home with a glad heart. She had borne the name of queen ten days. But Queen Ma-ry felt she she would not be safe on her throne while La-dy Jane should live. Poor young thing, her fate was so hard! When she found that she must die she was calm. They led La-dy Jane to her doom from the Tow-er. She said to all she had meant no wrong. Then she lay her fair young head on the block.”

At this point I cackle “And then she was slaugh-tered!” I can only read my book for ten min-utes be-fore I start to think in words of one syl-la-ble. So. Think of La-dy Jane on this fine day so many years gone by, and do not take a throne that is foist on you, good peo-ple.