Funeral of Amy Robsart 1560 Rapahel Tuck Oxford Pageant

Postcard

 

• Picture / Image:  The Funeral of Amy Robsart 1590
• Publisher:  Raphael Tuck Oxford Pageant Official postcard 5343
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s):  n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes & Key words:  one slight bent corner

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information:

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Amy Dudley (née Robsart; 7 June 1532 – 8 September 1560)^[2] was the first wife of Lord Robert Dudley, favourite of Elizabeth I. She is primarily known for her death: she fell down a flight of stairs. As she was apparently suffering from an illness, and her husband was hoping to marry the Queen after her death, he was suspected by many to have been involved in her demise. Her fate became a popular subject of speculation, especially in the 19th century.

Amy Robsart was born in Norfolk, the heiress of a landowner, Sir John Robsart, and his wife, Elizabeth Scott. Three days before her eighteenth birthday, Amy married Robert Dudley, a younger son of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. Robert's younger brother was Guilford Dudley, who later married Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days. Amy and Robert probably first met about ten months before their wedding.^[3] Amy would inherit her father's estate after both her parents' death.^[4] Still, after the marriage, the young couple depended heavily on both their fathers' gifts, especially Robert's.^[5] It was most probably a love-match.^[6] In 1549/1550, the Duke of Northumberland was the most powerful man in England. The marriage strengthened his influence in Norfolk, where he had so far had little of it; this made the match acceptable to him.^[7] William Cecil later commented disapprovingly on this "carnal marriage".^[8]

The wedding was held on 4 June 1550, with Edward VI in attendance. When her husband spent fifteen months in The Tower of London as a prisoner in 1553–1554, Amy asked the Privy Council for permission to visit him.^[9] Following the accession of Elizabeth I, Dudley spent most of his time at Court with the new Queen. Elizabeth was in love with him, and they made the impression of having an affair. In April 1559, several diplomats reported that some at court already speculated that the Queen would marry him, "in case his wife should die",^[10] as Lady Dudley was very ill in one of her breasts.^[11] Amy Dudley came to London and Windsor for Robert's inauguration as a Knight of the Garter in May and June 1559^[12] with twelve horses hired for the occasion.^[13] At this time, on 6 June, the new Spanish ambassador de Quadra wrote that her health had improved, but that she was careful with her food.^[14] During 1560, Amy Dudley's movements seem to have become less, she was now living in the manor house of Cumnor Place, near Abingdon in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). The house was owned by friends of Dudley's, some of whom lived with her. She continued ordering dresses and finery, as accounts and a letter from her of 24 August 1560 show.

Amy Robsart is best known for her death, which occurred at Cumnor Place on Sunday, 8 September 1560, the day of Our Lady's Fair at Abingdon. Lady Amy gave all her servants permission to go to the fair and got angry and insisted when several refused. Her companion, Mrs. Odingsells, refused to leave, however, believing it unfit for her to mingle with the crowd on a Sunday. Thus remaining at the house were Amy Dudley and Mrs. Odingsells, as well as Mrs. Owens, the elderly mother of the house's previous owner; additionally, Mrs. Odingsells and Mrs. Owen would both have had servants with them at the time. When the rest returned from the fair, they found Amy lying dead at the foot of a flight of stairs. Dudley, who was in Windsor with the Queen, sent a friend to Cumnor to check on the circumstances and an inquest took place: the verdict was death by accident.^[16] Amy was buried at St. Mary's, Oxford with considerable pomp. As was the custom, Dudley did not attend the funeral. The court went into mourning.