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Kenilworth
by Walter Scott
INTRODUCTION
A certain degree of success; real or supposed; in the delineation
of Queen Mary; naturally induced the author to attempt something
similar respecting 〃her sister and her foe;〃 the celebrated
Elizabeth。 He will not; however; pretend to have approached the
task with the same feelings; for the candid Robertson himself
confesses having felt the prejudices with which a Scottishman is
tempted to regard the subject; and what so liberal a historian
avows; a poor romance…writer dares not disown。 But he hopes the
influence of a prejudice; almost as natural to him as his native
air; will not be found to have greatly affected the sketch he has
attempted of England's Elizabeth。 I have endeavoured to describe
her as at once a high…minded sovereign; and a female of
passionate feelings; hesitating betwixt the sense of her rank and
the duty she owed her subjects on the one hand; and on the other
her attachment to a nobleman; who; in external qualifications at
least; amply merited her favour。 The interest of the story is
thrown upon that period when the sudden death of the first
Countess of Leicester seemed to open to the ambition of her
husband the opportunity of sharing the crown of his sovereign。
It is possible that slander; which very seldom favours the
memories of persons in exalted stations; may have blackened the
character of Leicester with darker shades than really belonged to
it。 But the almost general voice of the times attached the most
foul suspicions to the death of the unfortunate Countess; more
especially as it took place so very opportunely for the
indulgence of her lover's ambition。 If we can trust Ashmole's
Antiquities of Berkshire; there was but too much ground for the
traditions which charge Leicester with the murder of his wife。
In the following extract of the passage; the reader will find the
authority I had for the story of the romance:
〃At the west end of the church are the ruins of a manor;
anciently belonging (as a cell; or place of removal; as some
report) to the monks of Abington。 At the Dissolution; the said
manor; or lordship; was conveyed to one Owen (I believe); the
possessor of Godstow then。
〃In the hall; over the chimney; I find Abington arms cut in
stonenamely; a patonee between four martletts; and also another
escutcheonnamely; a lion rampant; and several mitres cut in
stone about the house。 There is also in the said house a chamber
called Dudley's chamber; where the Earl of Leicester's wife was
murdered; of which this is the story following:
〃Robert Dudley; Earl of Leicester; a very goodly personage; and
singularly well featured; being a great favourite to Queen
Elizabeth; it was thought; and commonly reported; that had he
been a bachelor or widower; the Queen would have made him her
husband; to this end; to free himself of all obstacles; he
commands; or perhaps; with fair flattering entreaties; desires
his wife to repose herself here at his servant Anthony Forster's
house; who then lived in the aforesaid manor…house; and also
prescribes to Sir Richard Varney (a prompter to this design); at
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 physic in that university; whom; because
he would not consent to take away her life by poison; the Earl
endeavoured to displace him the court。 This man; it seems;
reported for most certain that there was a practice in Cumnor
among the conspirators; to have poisoned this poor innocent lady;
a little before she was killed; which was attempted after this
manner:They seeing the good lady sad and heavy (as 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; etc。; and therefore
would needs counsel her to take some potion; which she absolutely
refusing to do; as still suspecting the worst; whereupon they
sent a messenger on a day (unawares to her) for Dr。 Bayly; and
entreated him to persuade her to take some little potion by his
direction; and they would fetch the same at Oxford; meaning to
have added something of their own for her comfort; as the doctor
upon just cause and consideration did suspect; seeing their great
importunity; and the small need the lady had of physic; and
therefore he peremptorily denied their request; misdoubting (as
he afterwards reported) lest; if they had poisoned her under the
name of his potion; he might after have been hanged for a colour
of their sin; and the doctor remained still well assured that
this way taking no effect; she would not long escape their
violence; which afterwards happened thus。 For Sir Richard Varney
abovesaid (the chief projector in this design); who; by the
Earl's order; remained that day of her death alone with her; with
one man only and Forster; who had that day forcibly sent away all
her servants from her to Abington market; about three miles
distant from this place; they (I say; whether first stifling her;
or else strangling her) afterwards flung her down a pair of
stairs and broke her neck; using much violence upon her; but;
however; though it was vulgarly reported that she by chance fell
downstairs (but still without hurting her hood that was upon her
head); yet the inhabitants will tell you there that she was
conveyed from her usual chamber where she lay; to another where
the bed's head of the chamber stood close to a privy postern
door; where they in the night came and stifled 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
it a mischance; and so have blinded their villainy。 But behold
the mercy and justice of God in revenging and discovering this
lady's murder; for one of the persons that was a coadjutor in
this murder was afterwards taken for a felony in the marches of
Wales; and offering to publish the manner of the aforesaid
murder; was privately made away in the prison by the Earl's
appointment; and Sir Richard Varney the other; dying about the
same time in London; cried miserably; and blasphemed God; and
said to a person of note (who hath related the same to others
since); not long before his death; that all the devils in hell
did tear him in pieces。 Forster; likewise; after this fact;
being a man formerly addicted to hospitality; company; mirth; and
music; was afterwards observed to forsake all this; and with much
melancholy and pensiveness (some say with madness) pined and
drooped away。 The wife also of Bald Butter; kinsman to the Earl;
gave out the whole fact a little before her death。 Neither are
these following passages to be forgotten; that as soon as ever
she was murdered; they made great haste to bury her before the
coroner had given in his inquest (which the Earl himself
condemned as not done advisedly); which her father; or Sir John
Robertsett (as I suppose); hearing of; came with all speed
hither; caused her corpse to be taken up; the coroner to sit upon
her; and further inquiry to be made concerning this business to
the full; but it was generally thought that the Earl stopped his
mouth; and made up the business betwixt them; and the good Earl;
to make plain to the world the great love he bare to her while
alive; and what a grief the loss of so virtuous a lady was to his
tender heart; caused (though the thing; by these and other means;
was beaten into the heads of the principal men of the University
of Oxford) her body to be reburied in St; Mary's Church in
Oxford; with great pomp and solemnity。 It is remarkable; when
Dr。 Babington; the Earl's chaplain; did preach the funeral
sermon; he tript once or twice in his speech; by recommending to
their memories that virtuous lady so pitifully murdered; instead
of saying pitifully slain。 This Earl; after all his murders and
poisonings; was himself poisoned by that which was prepared for
others (some say by his wife at Cornbury Lodge before mentioned);
though Baker in his Chronicle would have it at Killingworth; anno
1588。〃 'Ashmole's Antiquities of Berkshire; vol。i。; p。149。 The
tradition as to Leicester's death was thus communicated by Ben
Jonson to Drummond of Hawthornden:〃The Earl of Leicester gave
a bottle of liquor to his Lady; which he willed her to use in any
faintness; which she; after his returne from court; not knowing
it was poison; gave him; and so he died。〃BEN JONSON'S
INFORMATION TO DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN; MS。; SIR ROBERT SIBBALD'S
COPY。'
The same accusation has been adopted and circulated by the author
of Leicester's Commonwealth; a satire written directly against
the Earl of Leicester; which loaded him with the most horrid
crimes; and; among the rest; with the murder of his first wife。
It was alluded to in the Yorkshire Tragedy; a play erroneously
ascribed to Shakespeare; where a baker; who determines to destroy
all his family; throws his wife downstairs; with this allusion to
the suppose