Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-21
KENILwORTH,
THE LAST NEW NOVEL.


As this book is in every body's hands,
the following story may be acceptable to
our readers.
From " Ashmole's Antiquities OF berk'
SHIRE" being the part referred to by the au-
thor as 1.-The outlines of that melancholy
story."-Ist vol. p. lac 10 l54. little
Cumnor.* London, l7l9.
-" There is also in the said house
chamber. called Dudley's Chamber, where
the Earl OF Leicester's vile was murdered;
of which this IS the story following:
ROBERT Dudley. Earl Of Leicester,
very goodly parsonage, and singulary well
featured, being great favorite to Queen
Elizabeth, it was thought, and commonly
reported, that had he been Bachelor, or
Whoever the Queen would have made him
her husband; to this end, to free himself of
all obstacles, he commands, or perhaps with
fair Aa,tering intreates, desires his wife to
repose herself here. at his servant, Anthony
Forster's house, who then lived in the aore-
said Manor House-srd also prescribed 10
Sir Richard Varney, "a prompler to this de-
sgn,) a, his coming hither, that he should
first attempt to poison her, and if that did
not take effect, then by any other way
whatsoever to dispatch her This, it seems,
was proved by the report OF DR.. Walter
Bayly. sometime Fellow of New College,
then living in Oxford, and Professor Of
Physick in that University; who because he
would not consent to take away her life by
poison, the Earl endeavored to displace him
from the Court. This man, it seems, re-
ported for most certain, that there was
practice in Cumnor. among the consplra-
tors, to have poisoned this poor innocent
lady, little before she was killed, which
was attempted alter this manner. They
seeing the good lady sad and heavy las one
that well knew by her other handling, that
her death was not far off, began to persuade
her that her present disease was abundance
of melancholy. and other humours. &c. and
therefore would needs counsel her to take
some potion. which she absolutely refusing
to do, as still suspecting the worst; where
upon they sent message on day (una-
wares to her) by DR.. Bayly, and intreated
him to persuade her 10 take some little po-
ton by his direction, and they would fetch
the same at Oxford, meaning 10 have added
something of their own for her comfort, as
the Doctor, upon just cause and considera-
ton did suspect, seeing their great lmportu-
nifty, and the small neei the lady hal OF
physick, anG therefore be peremptorily de-
MED their request, misdoubting las re al
forwards repored)le if they had poisoned
her under the name of his potion, he might
after have been hanged for colour Of their
sin; and the Doctor remained still we'll
assured, that this way taking no effect, she
would not long escape their violence, which
afterwards happened thus. For Sir Richard
Vaney abovesaid (the chief protector in
this design who, by the Earl's order, re-
NAMED that day of her death alone with her,
wi b one man only, and Forster, who had
that day forcibly sent away all her servants
from her 10 Arlington Market, about 80
miles distant from tins place, they say,
whether frs. sitting her,. or else strangling
herl afterwards flung her down pair of
stairs and broke her neck, using much vio-
lence upon her; but, however. though it (!
was vulgarly reported that she by chance
fell down stairs (but yet without hurting her
hood that was upon her head, yet the inha !
bitanls will tell you there that she was con-
veyed from her usual chamber, where she
lay, to another where the beds head of the
chamber stood close to prvy posten
door, where they in the night came and sti-
fed her in her bed, bruised her head very
much, broke her neck, and at length flung
her down stairs; thereby believing the world
would have thought il mischance and to
have blinded their villiany.
=. But behold the mercy and justice Of God,
IN revenging and discovering this lady's
murder; for one OF the persons that was
e The first monument mentioned under
this title has an inscription commencing
thus: " Antonius Forster, generis gene-osa
propago Cumneroe Doninus Beroheriensis
erat"