Alfred Dodd writes in his book, The Marriage of Elizabeth Tudor, "It was generally believed at the time that she was murdered, and that Dudley, if not Elizabeth herself, was an accessory to the crime. This belief receives some support from certain discoveries made in the archives at Simancas, which indicate that a plot to poison her was actually entered into before her death. (Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Vol. VI, p. 566.)"
Robert Dudley rarely visited his wife and because of his neglect she spiraled into despair and depression. She most likely was aware of Dudley's ambitions and the Queen's high regard for him. In addition, she was said to have been ill with possibly breast cancer. All of these combine to form an unhappy, lonely person. It was a Sunday and she sent all the servants into town for a festival that was happening that day. When they returned, they found her at the bottom of the staircase. Did she throw herself down the stairs in hopes of throwing her life away? Did she just chance to slip and fall? Did Elizabeth's Secretary, William Cecil, Dudley's enemy, start rumors of murder and intentionally loosen the railing spindles in hopes that Amy would lean on them and fall?
Francis Bacon wrote some lines in cypher pertaining to the death of Amy Robsart. The following is an excerpt from Orville Owen's Sir Francis Bacon's Cipher Stories, Vol. II:
"Some did cry, 'Ayme! Ayme!'
'This, by his voice, should be my lord,' said she, And from the great chamber to the landing ran; And thinking the pillars steadfast and firmly stay'd, Did lean upon the rail and there awhile As on a pillory looking through she stood; But it, not capable to sustain a rush Or the impressure of her palm, went down. On the slippery standing She tremblingly a moment stood and cried to heaven; Then from human help exiled, with earnest moan She on the sudden headlong dropt Down, down, down to the hard court beneath, And her neck asunder broke And all the bowels in her body brast."
It seems a little far fetched that the murderers would loosen the spindles in order to target Amy Robsart. There were other people that lived in the house. What if one of them fell off the banister instead? Even if the murderer entered the house and pushed her through the banister, how would the murderer know that if/when she fell, she would die? Isn't there a great chance that she would break a bone, yet not die? It just seems to me that if someone was intent on doing the deed, they would choose a method that had a higher chance of success.
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating stuff! I have just read Philippa Gregory's The Virgin's Lover, and I loved the take on the whole sordid affair. So much for the"virginal" queen - just another tart, after all!
ReplyDeleteCherry (South Africa)
I just read an intriguing new book called "Death and the Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I and the Dark Scandal That Rocked the Throne," by Chris Skidmore. It investigates some very interesting new evidence regarding the death of Amy Robsart. The coroner's report was apparently lost for hundreds of years and was recently unearthed in the National Archives. In addition, "The Journall of Matters of State" was found to include some enlightening information from the British Library, which also was recently discovered. This document names Sir Varney as being there at Cumnor Place on that day, and interestingly enough, so does Leicester's Commonwealth. Varney was a man employed by Robert Dudley. Also, a man named Smyth who was a foreman of the coroner's inquest, was employed by Queen Elizabeth. With his influence, it was judged that her death was accidental.
ReplyDeleteThe coroner's report mentions that Amy not only suffered a broken neck, but also two head wounds. One is mentioned to be 1/4-inch deep and the other two inches deep. It does not mention where on her head the wounds were located. A wound 1/4-inch deep could justifiably be made if you crashed your head into some stone steps, but two inches? In my opinion it sounds like a dagger or an arrowhead wound.
Skidmore also examines some documented conversations and letters to investigate Amy's death. I highly recommend his book if you would like to read more on the subject!