The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-12-13
| Historic
Blackguards|
By
Albert P0yson Terhune

~
SCOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOS
.r.. rssu. Si:sys g. s4s :. New Tor. wor
The Earl of Leicester, a might
Have-Been"Who Failed
~Here lies valiant warrior who never
drew q sword.
Here lies willy courtier who never kept
his word.
Here lies the Earl of Leicester VINO gov
erned the estates;
Whom, living, Man could never love ana
q Just Heaven now hates
"HIS scurrilous, mock-epitapn'
written by political foe. sizes
I'D the character Of Robert Dud'
ley, earl Of Leicester. far better
than do the stately lines on his tomb.
But neither of the two tell the most
important thing about him: namely,
that he probably. came within an ace
of being prince consort OF England,
husband of Queen Elizabeth, and lil
the laws could have been 5uggled 10
at the case) even king.
Leicester's only claims to success
were good looks, charm of manner
and total lack of conscience. Yet
these three qualities lifted him high
or than almost any other man OF his
day. He had the still further handi-
cap Of beginning his political career In
prison. The start was not favorable.
But the mans luck quickly made up
for this drawback.
His father, the duke OF Northum-
berland, plotted to make unlucky 1T
tie Lady Jane Gray (his daughter-in-
law) queen Of England. Queen Mary,
daughter of Henry VIII, crushed the
plot. mounted the throne herself, and
condemned to death Lady Jane. her
young husband. and Northumberland
himself. Robert Dudley (Northumber-
lands second son and Lady James
brother-in-law), was also thrown into
Jail, accused of a share In the con-
spiracy and was sentenced to death.
But he was soon set free and given
q court position.
When Elizabeth came to the throne
In 1858, her tickle fancy was caught
by young Dudley. He was strikingly
handsome-and she loved handsome
men. He was clever fatterer-and
she adored flattery. She gave Lei
cester one high Office after another,
heaping rank and honors upon him to
tho scandal of all Europe. n,
There can be no doubt the queen
was deeply in love with him. 1t was
rumored that this capricious sover-
eign, who had stubbornly refused to
marry any European prince or king,
meant to bestow her hand on Dudley.
But there was hitch in this plan.
He was already married. When. he
was q mere youth he welded Amy
Robsart, daughter of rich old knight.
For years Amy had been kept away
from court in an obscure Berkshire
country house, Cumnor hall. There
Dudley, once in great while, visited
hr. But, for the most part she lived
q wretchedly lonely life. Now that
he was an aspirant for Elizabeth's
hand, 1t became necessary for the
neglectful husband to get rid OF his
wife. Accordingly, Amy was found
ono day lying dead In Cumnor hall,
her neck broken.
It was soon after this tragedy that
the queen raised Dudley to the rank
of Earl of Leicester" She also sug-
gested him as suitable husband for
the unfortunate Mary Queen Of Scots.
(This was thought to be blind to
hide her own love for him. Leicester
afterward proposed that Mary, who
was then a prisoner Of Elizabeth's, be
put out Of the way by poison.) Eliza
beth gave Leicester the magnificent
castle Of Kenilworth and other rich es-
tates in Warwickshire. At this castle.
in 1875, he entertained the queen for
some days with series Of gaudy spec
tacles and reyels that cost him $780,
600, which sum his various court Of
fcers doubtless permitted him to gain
back from the people. @
At this time his coming marriage to
the queen was a matter of common
talk. Just what wrecked the plan no
one knows. In any case, something
occurred to destroy Leicesters hopes
and to turn him, In moment, from q
possible prince consort to q mere
might have BEEN"
He revenged himself by marrying
the countess of Essex, whose husband
he was suspected of poisoning. Eliza
beth could never bear to have her
courtiers look at any other woman ex-
cept herself. She few into mad rage
at news Of Leicester's marriage and
swore he should die in the Tower Of
London. But she soon forgave him
and even Afforded him new chances
for official incompetency.
In 1888, in his fifty-seventh year,
Leicester died. It was at the time.
rumored that he met death by drink
ing cup Of poison he had prepared
for his wife. This may have been q
BIT of malicious court gossip; or, II
true. II may have implied that he still
believed he could win Elisabeth's
hand.