Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-04-04
DID DUDLEY KILL
AMY ROBSAR1'!


Did Robert Dudley. earl of Leicester.
murder his wife. Amy ROsart. in order
that he might carry out a design he
had of marrying Queen Elizabeth. who
seemed for a time to have encouraged
his attentions. In fact, for a time the
queen made no secret OF her infatua-
ton. Dudley had married Amy on
June 4. 1850. There is no doubt they
were deeply attached to one another
at the time, but Dudley's ambition led
him to neglect his wife n after a
time they separated n Lady Amy
liver for the most part in the coun-
try.
Early in 1860 Dudley's wife moved
to Cumno place. Anthony Forster,
h chief controller of Dudley's pri-
vate expenses and his personal friend.
arranged for the rental. Forster and
his wife also made their home at
Cumnor place. On Sunday, September
8, 1860, Lady Amy is said to have di-
rected the whole household to visit
Arlington fair. Three ladies of the
household declined to go. !.
Late in the day the domestics re-
turned from Abingdon and found Amy
lying dead at the foo of the stair
case in the hall. She had been play
ing at tables with h other ladies. it
was stated. but suddenly left the
room, had fallen downstairs and
broken her neck.
1t did not seem "A very likely story.
At once. owing to these peculiarly
suspicious circumstances. A dark ru-
Mor began to be circulated that she
had been put out of the way to en-
able Dudley to accept the willing
iiand of a royal bride. Several days
before the tragedy was perpetrated
at Gunner hall it had beer reported
In h cour; that she was very i'll and
not expected to recover but it APP
peared afterward that at the time she
was In perfect health.
The Spanish ambassador. DE Quad
-. writes to the duchess of Parma:
THE queen. on her return from hunt
ing. told me that Lord Roberts wife
was dead. or nearly so, and begged
me to say nothing about it. Assured
~ 1T Is a matter full Of shame and in
famy. Since this was written his ex-
cel!ency adds. the death of Lord Rob
ert,s wife has been given out publicly"
Inere was certainly a great a Of
or feminine feeling in the brief. hard
Terms IN which the queen announced
the tragic death of the unfortunate
lady from whom she had alienated a
husbands affection.
OF the day, wrote to Cecil tina the
country was full of dangerous sus-
plciOn and muttering of the death
OF her that was Lord Robert Dud-
VIE, and entreated that there
might De an r investigation,
WIN punishmert If any were found
guilty; for IL the matter were hushed
Up or passed over. the d%ispleasure Of
0 the dishonor Of the queen and
the danger OF the whole realm were
to be feared"
Lord Robert caused a coroner's in
quest to sit on the body of his de-
ceased wife, hut it was detected thar
he was in correspondence with the
foreman of the Jury; and. although
g verdict of accidental death was re-
urned Lord Robert continued to be
urdened with the suspicion of hav-
ing contrived the murder or. to use
CeciIs more expressive words. was
manned by the death Of his WIFE
Throckmorton. the English a1mbas-
ado at Paris. was SO thoroughly NOR
tined at h light In which this affair
was regarded OF the continent that he
wrote to Cecil: THE truths be so grim
and so maliciously reported here.
oucni the marriage Of Lord Rob-
ert and the death of his wife, that I
know not where to turn me nor what
countenance to bear"
IN spite OF the suspicious cfrcum-
2 Of the death. nothing can be
nlstoricaliy proven against Dudley.
lis absence from the inquest and
g funeral was against him. All the
hpleasa rumors that were anoat at
= time were more or less vague, and
4 is difficult to believe that the al.
!eSed murder would have been hushed
up Wnen 80 many persons regarded .it
@ the interest OF themselves ana tho.
nation to bring 1t home to Dudley.
Generally those who have studied the
subject carefully are OF the opinion that
y ieast 3 was morally guilty Of
the death OF Amy Robsart.