The Manner of Amy's Death

by Mackrodt, Carol

  “Well I know how she feels,” says Amy downheartedly as we pack our belongings once again for a summer visit to her sister Anne’s household.

  Chapter Fifteen

  1557 - A New Year

  By Christmas 1556, there’s still no sign of Robert but we do have news of his whereabouts. Apparently he’s been working with Prince Philip’s courtiers in the Low Countries and has been seen with the Earl of Pembroke in the English-held port of Calais, France, inspecting the fortifications on behalf of the Council. Amy is considerably relieved.

  We’re now with Amy’s mother at Stanfield Hall in Norfolk. The daily Christmas celebrations are enjoyable with players performing masques to music, dancing, a story teller who recounts the tale of Sir Gawain and the green knight (Amy squeals with horror as the green knight’s head, a turnip painted and decorated with animal fur, rolls down the Great Hall!) and a company of village mummers who perform a play that’s simply mimed to music and a strange mixture of comedy and folk story.

  Amy loves these entertainments and claps with delight when the doctor restores to life the Turk slain by St George. The doctor pours a potion from a small bottle down the throat of the Turk and indicates to us all that it will revive the dead man. And indeed it does, for the Turk gets up and fights again! Amy’s animated and flushed with the fun of the evening and, still not knowing who the mummers truly are, we all sit down with them for a feast of a supper in the Great Hall. The leftovers are collected and given to the company to take home.

  Apart from the lack of contact from Robert and the absence of gifts from Robert to Amy, the festive season passes pleasantly. Amy’s now resigned to Robert’s permanent absence and the news from court predicts that the Queen will soon have other matters to occupy her as King Philip of Spain picks a quarrel with the Pope by allowing the Duke of Alva to invade the Papal States. Pope Paul IV asks for French help and Douai in the Low Countries, held by the Spanish, is attacked by the French. It is an act of war, a war that England will have to fight with Philip against France and he loses no time requesting the necessary assistance from his wife, Queen Mary.

  By March 1557, however, there’s much better news. Robert has been sent to the Queen by Philip to deliver the joyful news that the Prince has decided to return to England within the next few days. Queen Mary’s overjoyed and, as the bearer of good tidings, Robert is completely in her favour at last. Amy and I are now back at the Hyde household in Throcking while Robert lives at Christchurch, a house in London owned by his brother Henry’s wife, Margaret Audley. It’s conveniently close to court and Robert’s Spanish masters. But Prince Philip is now expecting repayment from the Dudley brothers for the friendship he’s shown them in the past and is about to call in the debt.

  Amy, however, is preoccupied with other matters. Her mother’s just died meaning that Amy can now claim her inheritance from her father, all the vast lands in Norfolk and the tumbledown manor house at Syderstone. It’s enough to ensure a visit northwards by Robert who will, of course, be the true inheritor of his wife’s property. And, by the end of May, Robert’s been on a spending spree! Not only has he sold off part of Amy’s vast estate but he’s borrowed from money lenders, mortgaged parts of the Hales Owen estate and, in July, he mortgages the whole of the Hales Owen manor to a friend of his, called Mr Forster who has a reputation for honesty and straight dealing.

  “Robert, now that we have so much money, may we begin to look for a manor of our own,” pleads Amy.

  “Of course we can, my love. Just be patient and everything will work out for us,” replies her husband.

  A man called Thomas Blount who looks after Robert’s financial matters, as he had done for Robert’s father many years before, comes to visit us at Throcking and the two men sit up late into the night talking. The following day, while the gentlemen of the house are out hunting, Amy opens Robert’s account books and glances through them. There are many payments she can’t understand and what’s more these are very large amounts. She’s furious.

  When she’s alone with Robert that evening and Blount’s returned to London with the accounts, she confronts her husband about the payments and there’s another violent argument with Robert claiming that this is none of her business and Amy declaring that, since part of the money has come from her father’s estate, it is her business. Amy’s suspicions over Elizabeth are once again on the surface as she remembers Robert’s recent business trips around Throcking Manor where gossip is rife concerning the Lady Elizabeth and the way she’s being kept a virtual prisoner at Hatfield with a few loyal friends, a small number of paid servants and little personal money to hire more. Elizabeth has many properties but no ready cash and Amy suspects that Robert’s using her inheritance to subsidise his former friend.

  The argument becomes more and more heated until Robert says, “I’ll tell you what the money’s for, my lady. You sit at home enjoying an idle life ordering gloves and ribbons as you please while I’m left to ensure the safety of our family and, as such, I’ve had to promise allegiance to Prince Philip in the forthcoming war with France and these matters cost money. An army doesn’t pay for itself.”

  “War with France! Army? What are you talking about, Robert? We’re not at war with France. The Council would never agree to it,” says Amy.

  “Apparently, they did, especially when Queen Mary threatened the Privy Counsellors with treason if they refused.”

  “She can deny Prince Philip nothing,” says Amy.

  “Yes she’s a good wife in that respect,” says Robert bitterly. Amy is stung by this and says nothing.

  “Anyway,” continues Robert, “You needn’t concern yourself on my behalf. Blount tells me that war was declared five days ago so tomorrow I travel back to London where I’ll meet up with my bothers, Ambrose and Henry. We’re to serve under the Earl of Pembroke on the frontier in Flanders. You may soon be rid of me for ever.”

  “Oh no, Robert! Please don’t leave like this just when we have all we need to make us happy. Please don’t go just yet. Please. Just one more day so we can make up these differences …..”

  But Amy’s wasting her breath. A door bangs shut as Robert goes into the chamber vacated by Thomas Blount. There’s the sound of a key turning in the lock. When Amy shows her swollen, tear-stained face at breakfast, Robert’s already on the road, riding hard for London.

  Chapter Sixteen

  A FamilyTragedy

  Amy’s been in a dreadful state since Robert’s departure and is consumed by guilt at the way in which they parted. She’s heard that there has been fierce fighting in Flanders and has no idea whether any or all the Dudley brothers are safe. However she has to pull herself together as there’s now no one to manage her father’s estate at Syderstone. Ironically she now has it all to herself and, upon being reminded that Robert had debts to be settled, she writes a business letter to Mr Flowerdew, the estate manager. Amy, at twenty five, has now grown up.

  “Mr Flowerdew,

  I understand from Gryse that you told him to remind me about the matter of the sale of sheep from Syderstone which I forgot to ask my lord about before he left as he was troubled with weighty affairs and I was in a desperate state at his sudden departure. I have now to take that decision myself and trust you as a friend when you say that we should sell the wool as soon as possible. Do so immediately even if it means selling at a lower price than we would normally expect. My lord required me before leaving to pay these poor men everything he owes them and to do so urgently so I do not mind sustaining a loss to fulfil his wishes. My lord wanted the money to be sent to Gryse in London. I’m sorry to be always troubling you and, until such time as I may repay you, I send you my thanks. So to God I leave you,

  From Mr Hyde’s, 7th August

  Amy Dudley”

  Amy is determined now to do all she can to please Lord Robert. She has no idea where this money is going but knows that it is needed to settle an urgent debt. Her jealousy of Elizabeth is forgotten for now and she prays every day f
or her husband’s safe return.

  Still there’s no news.

  Summer passes into autumn but we won’t be helping with the harvest as we once did. The girlish Amy who once took such a delight in apple picking and preserve making is beginning to look tired and drawn with worry. She has little interest in life and looks much older than her years. The illness that affects her when she’s distressed, returns and her breasts swell and are painful.

  “Are you sure, Amy, that you are not with child?” asks Mrs Hyde.

  Amy shakes her head sadly and returns to her chamber, away from the curious stares of the women in the household.

  In September we hear that the Earl of Pembroke and his men are to join forces with the Spaniards near St Quentin on the Flemish border but we do not know if Robert is still with this army. The town is being held by the French and Philip’s soldiers face a huge battle and a siege to take it back.

  October comes and, at last, there’s news but it’s very bad news. Mary Sidney sends a messenger to tell us that her youngest brother, Henry, the darling of the family, has been killed outside St Quentin. She believes that Ambrose and Robert are still alive but has no more information other than what some of the early returning troops have said – that it was the worst fighting they had ever seen.

  “Oh poor Henry and poor Margaret. They’re both so young,” says Amy.

  “I’ll always remember the fear on Henry’s face when we saw them riding down the road from Cambridge after he was arrested with his father and brothers. He was only sixteen then. I wonder if Robert knows about his death– he’ll be distraught.”

  My question is answered when, two weeks later, Robert returns to Mr. Hyde’s house. But he’s not the Robert who left at the end of June. Haggard and thin, moody and silent, greeting only Mr Hyde with the briefest of courtesies, Robert slumps at the large oak table and shovels spoons of the cook’s rabbit broth into his mouth in a most uncouth manner, as if he is digging in the garden and disposing of each spade load down his throat.

  Uncertainly Amy walks over to him and places her hand on his shoulder but he looks at it and then at her as if he doesn’t know who she is. Amy takes her hand away and, giving me a worried look, stands a little way off, observing him. As soon as Robert’s finished his broth, he stands, picks up his cloak and, without a word, strides off up the stairs where we hear the door of his chamber close and the bolt drawn.

  Mr Hyde looks at Amy sympathetically and takes her hand.

  “Try not to trouble yourself too much about this, Amy. I’ve known it before when men come home after a bloody battle. They’re in shock and it affects their brain for a while – a temporary madness – but it will pass. Try not to approach him when he doesn’t wish for company and just leave him to his own thoughts for a while. We will all have to bear with him.”

  So for three weeks Robert comes down for his meals, occasionally walks around the garden a couple of times, and then returns to his own chamber. The servants leave the hall silently when he appears; they’re frightened of him and he looks so wild and dishevelled that Amy and I are not surprised. Occasionally Amy, who waits upon him at the table, will ask, “Robert my love, would you like this bread?” …… or this jelly, or an apple, or some more broth or whatever. The response is always the same. He looks at her as if he’d forgotten she was there, can’t understand which language she is talking and is wondering where he’s seen her before. It’s frightening.

  Towards the middle of November there’s a day which is unusually sunny and warm for the time of year. Amy and I decide to spend some time in the garden and take a bag to pick some of the herbs before the frost kills them off. We plan to dry them in the bread oven as it cools down and preserve them for the winter months. Rounding a corner we encounter Robert sitting on a bench, hunched forward, his head in his hands. From the way his shoulders are shaking it’s obvious he’s crying.

  We try to back away quietly up the path before he sees us. We know that fighting men resent anyone seeing them in this state and Robert has always had the reputation for being the most fearless and athletic in the lists and in the tournaments fought at court. But he lifts his head and his sad and tearful eyes are looking straight at us. Without a word he stretches out his arm and holds out his hand for Amy to take. Before I can embarrass him with my presence I turn and walk away.

  The following day Amy tells me that they are travelling to see Henry Dudley’s widow, Margaret Audley, at her home Christchurch in London. Queen Mary was, by all accounts, shocked to hear of young Henry’s death and, in gratitude for the loyalty that the family’s shown to Prince Philip, has forgiven the two remaining Dudley brothers, Ambrose and Robert. This means that the attainder which was placed on the whole family after the Lady Jane Grey affair has now been lifted and they can all have back the family property that was confiscated. Once again the Queen has shown herself to be a strange mixture of compassion to her one time enemies and vindictiveness to heretics who are still being burned in even larger numbers.

  “Once we have inherited our property,” says Amy, “We will be free to choose a manor of our own in Norfolk. Just imagine it, Kat! A beautiful house of our own, fruit trees, a little garden and a deer park - plenty of hunting land for Robert.”

  “Has Robert agreed to this?” I’m astonished.

  “Yes – he says he’ll no longer have to fight wars for others to make a living and never wants to see another battlefield. Henry’s widow has offered him the use of Christchurch in London because she can’t bear to be there – it has too many memories of Henry. So Robert can have it and he’ll sometimes go there when he wants to be alone to resume his studies of mathematics or we’ll both go there when we need to be at court. But most of the time we’ll live as Lord and Lady of the manor here in Norfolk.”

  I could never have imagined Robert Dudley settling down as Lord of the Manor in some sleepy part of Norfolk but I expect that the war has made him see life in a different light. After all, Amy tells me, at St Quentin he saw Henry blown to pieces by a cannonball while the two of them stood side by side.

  Chapter Seventeen

  January 1558

  Amy and Robert returned to Throcking before Christmas 1557 and now intend to start their search for a manor in the spring. For perhaps the first time since their marriage almost eight years ago they seem happy and contented. The winter weather is cold and Christmas has been observed as a religious festival but with none of the traditional celebrations as we’re all still in mourning for Henry. Other than the traditional feast for the benefit of the servants it’s a quiet time.

  With the harsh snowfalls of January painting the landscape white, Robert uses what little daylight there is sitting by the window and reading while Amy sews. They’re expecting Robert Blount to ride from London with news of business transactions to be made, letters to be signed and accounts to be scrutinised but the deep snow has all but cut us off from any form of communication. Still our small family here at this mansion of Mr Hyde’s is self sufficient. Many of the animals were slaughtered before Christmas and, as the nights became colder and the ponds froze over, the meat was preserved in pits of ice hewn from the ponds. Now we only have to feed the animals intended for breeding next spring and the three cows still producing a little milk. In the buttery there’s plenty of cheese, ale, preserves, meat pickled in spices and jellies while in the grain store, guarded from the mice by a family of cats, there’s wheat and rye for bread, dried peas and beans. We will not starve.

  By mid February the days are longer and a short spell of good weather allows the outside world to reach us again. Mr Blount, ever the faithful servant to Lord Robert, battles through the mud and melting snow to reach us and brings astonishing news from the court.

  Just after Christmas the Queen had convinced herself once again that she was expecting to give birth to a child although Prince Philip left her for Flanders five months ago and has not returned since. Mary’s certain that during his stay in England, a stay of just thre
e months, she had conceived an heir to the throne and was again begging him to return to court. But Philip mistrusted her assessment of the situation even though it was widely reported that, during his summer stay in England, they were enjoying a second honeymoon! And now he must be remembering with some embarrassment the previous debacle of Mary’s “confinement” and refuses to return.

  Robert gives a faint smile. “He had many mistresses in Flanders,” he says. “I think Philip’s enjoying his freedom too much.” Amy gives him a sharp and quizzical look. If Philip had mistresses, what about those around him?

  “Anyway,” continues Blount, “The Queen is still adamant that she’s with child though the word at court is that her swollen belly is a sign of something far worse, a much more serious illness. It’s rumoured that,” - Blount looks around to check there are no servants around - “she may well die before the year is out.” To talk of the Queen’s death is treason and we’re all shocked. Blount leans back in his chair and smiles.

  “Whatever,” he continues, “There’s even worse to tell. Calais has fallen to the French.”

  “What! Calais?”

  “I’m afraid it’s quite true. The French attacked the garrison there while everyone was still celebrating at the beginning of January. They took our men by surprise and the town fell after a short struggle.”

  “But we’ve held Calais for two hundred years. It was the last of our possessions in France. Why did the Spanish not come to our assistance?” says Mr Hyde.