The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-06
The Earl of Leicester, a Might
Have-Been" Who Failed

The Earl of Leicester, a Might.
Have-Been" Who Failed
Here lies valiant warrior who never
drew a sword.
Here lies a willy courtier who never KEEP.
his word.
Here lies the Earl Of Leicester who gov
erned the estates:
Whom. living. Man could never love and
a just Heaven now hates
UvHIs scurrilous, mock-epitaph.
written by a political foe. Eizes
n up 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 Qf
the laws could have been iuggled to
fit 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
er 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 lit
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
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 a clever fatterer-and
she adored 1attery. She gave Lei
cester one high Office after another.
heaping rank and honors upon him to
the scandal of all Europe.
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 70 bestow her hand on Dudley.
Bat there was a hitch in this plan.
He was already married. When he
was 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, Gunner hall. There
Dudley, once in great while, visited
hr. But for the most part she lived
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
one day lying dead In Cumnor hall,
her neck broken.
1t was soon after this tragedy that
the queen raised Dudley to the rank
of Earl OF Leicester" She also sug-
gested him as a suitable husband for
the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots.
(This was thought to be a 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 Leicester's hopes
and TO turn him, in a moment, from a
possible prince consort to a 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
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
4 for official iacompetency.
In 1883, IN his ffty-seventh year.
+ Leicester died. It was at the time.
rumored thar he met death by drink
ing a cup Of poison he had prepared
for his wife. This may have been 3
hit OF malicious court gossip. or. II
true. TT may have implied that he still
believed be could Win E,izabeths