Diary of Edward VI. 04 Jun 1550. Sir Robert Dudeley (age 17), third sonne to th'erle of Warwic (age 46), maried sir Jon Robsartes [his wife] daughter (age 17)¹, after wich mariage ther were certain gentlemen that did strive who shuld first take away a gose's heade, wich was hanged alive on tow crose postes.

Note 1. Whlst popular tradition, the ballad by Mickle, and Sir Walter Scott's romance of Kemlworth, had made the name of Amy Robsart exceedingly familiar, very little was formerly known of her actual history. That deficiency was in some measure supplied by a memoir of her, published in the Gentleman's Magazine for Dec. 1845, New Series, vol. xxiv. p. 595, to which was subsequently appended, in vol. xxxiv. p. 123, the account of her funeral at Oxford. Five letters relative to her mysterious death were also published in 1850, — nearly simultaneously in a new edition of Pepys's Diary, by Lord Braybrooke; and also in The Romance of the Peerage, by Mr. G. L. Craik (see the Gentleman's Magazine, New Series, vol. xxxiii. p. 255).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 26 Jul 1553. The xxvj day of July cam unto the Towre my lord marqwes of Northamton (age 41), by and my lord Robart Dudley (age 21), and the bysshop of London (age 53), and ser Recherd Corbett; and after cam in to the Towre my lord cheyffe justes Chamley (age 58), the lord Montyguw (age 68), at v of the cloke at nyght.

Note. The lord Montague. The person intended by this designation was sir Edward Montague, who was lord chief justice of the common pleas, as sir Roger Cholmley was of the king's bench. The new queen appointed sir Richard Morgan and sir Thomas Bromley in their places.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 22 Jan 1554. The xxij day of January was reynyd at yeld hall [Map] the lord Robart Dudlay (age 21) for tresun, the [his father] duke of Northumberland('s) sune, and cast the sam day.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 17 Mar 1557. The xvij day of Marche cam rydyng from kyng Phelype (age 29) from be-yond the see unto the court at Grenwyche [Map], to owre quen (age 41), with letters in post, my lord Robart Dudley (age 24), and after master Kemp of the preve chambur, that the kyng (age 29) wold com to Cales [Map] the xvij day of Marche; and the sam day dyd pryche a-for the quen the nuwe bysshope of Lynckolne doctur Watsun (age 42).

In 1558 John Lyttelton of Frankley (age 38) purchased the manor of Halesowen, Shropshire [Map] from Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 25).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Nov 1558. [The xxviijth day of November the Queen (age 25) removed to the Tower from the lord North's] plasse, (which) was the Charter Howsse. [All] the stretes unto the towre of London was newe gravelled. Her grace rod thrugh Barbecan and Crepulgat [Map], by [London-wall] unto Bysshope-gate [Map], and up to Leden-halle [Map] and thrugh Gracyus strett [Map] and Fanchyrchestrett [Map]; and a-for rod gentyllmen and [many] knyghtes and lordes, and after cam all the trumpetes blohyng, and then cam all the haroldes in a-ray; and my lord of Penbroke (age 57) [bare the] the quen('s) sword; then cam here Grace (age 25) on horsbake, [apparelled] in purpull welvett with a skarpe [scarf] abowt her neke, and [the serg]anttes of armes abowt here grace; and next after rod [sir] Robart Dudley (age 26) the master of her horse; and so the gard with halbards. [And] ther was shyche shutyng of gunes as never was hard a-for; so to the towre, with all the nobulles. And so here Grace lay in the towre [Map] unto the v day of Dessember, that was sant Necolas evyn. And ther was in serten plasses chylderyn with speches and odur places, syngyng and playing with regalles.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Oct 1559. [The] v day of October cam to [London by Ald]gatt the prynse of Sweythen (age 25), and [so to Leadenhall], and done [down] Gracyous-strett [Map] corner in a howse stod [the lord] marques of Northamtun (age 47) and my lord [his brother] Ambros Dudley (age 29) [and other gentlemen and] lades; and my lord of Oxford (age 43) browth (him) from Col[chester] [Map] and my lord Robart Dudley (age 27), the master of the quen('s) horse; and trumpettes bloyng in dyvers places; and thay had [a great] nombur of gentyllmen ryd with cheynes a-for them, and after them a ij C [200] of yomen rydyng, and so rydyng over the bryge unto the bysshope of Wynchastur plasse [Map], for [it] was rychely hangyd with ryche cloth of arres, wrought with gold and sylver and sylke, and ther he remanyth.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 19 Oct 1559. The xix day of October the prynche of Swaythen (age 25) whent to the court agayn, for my lord Robart Dudley (age 27) gave ym a grett bankett [banquet].

Henry Machyn's Diary. 27 Oct 1559. The xxvij day of October was cristened at sant Benettes at Powlles warff [Map] ser Thomas Chamburlayn's (age 55) son, and the chyrche hangyd with cloth of arres, the godfathers names the prynche of Swaynthen (age 21) one and my lord Robart Dudley (age 27), and the godmoder was my lade of Northamtun (age 33); after the cristenyng waffers, spysbred, comfettes, and dyver odur bankettes, dysses [dishes], and epocras and muskadyll [in great] plente; the lade was the wyff of master Machyll, altherman and clothworker.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Nov 1559. The v day of November ther was grett justes at the quen('s) palles [palace], and ther was my lord Robartt Dudley (age 27) and my lord of Hunsdon (age 33) wher the chalengers, and all they wher (in) skarffes of whyt and blake, boyth haroldes and trumpeters; and deffenders my [his brother] lord Ambros (age 29) with odur; and the haroldes and trumpeters and the fotmen with skarffes of red and yelow sarsenett.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 28 Apr 1560. The sam day at after-none att the court was grett justes, my lord of Sussex (age 35) and my lord Robartt Dudley (age 27) and ij more a-gaynst the yerle of Northumberland (age 32) and my [his brother] lord Ambrose Dudley (age 30) and my lord of Hunsdon (age 34) and master Cornewalles and (blank): and ther was mony stayffes broken; and ther stod in the standyng as juges my lord markes of Northamtun (age 48), my lord of Ruttland (age 33), and my lord of Penbroke (age 59), and my lord admerall (age 50) and the Frenche inbassadur, and master Garter (age 50) and master Norey (age 50) dyd wrytt wome [whom] dyd rune; and by chanse of the brykyng of a stayff a pesse fluw up wher the juges sitt and hyt my lord of Penbroke (age 59) (blank) and ther rod the trumpeters and the haroldes of armes.

Henry Machyn's Diary. On or after 29 Aug 1560. The (blank) day of August was bered my [his wife] lade Dudley (age 28) the wyff of my lord Robart Dudley (age 28) the master of the quen('s) horse, with a grett baner of armes and a vj baners-rolles of armes, and a viij dosen penselles and viij dosen skochyons, and iiij grett skochyons of armes, and iiij haroldes, master Garter (age 50), master Clarenshux (age 50), master Lanckostur, and (blank).... with ij harolds, master Clarenshux (age 50) and , and a standard and a pennon of armes, a cot armur, helmett, and crest, and mantylles, and sword, and a viij dosen of skochyons of armes and vj of bokeram, and [many] mornars in blake, and ther was grett [dinner and] a dolle of mones [money] as many as cam.

Note. P. 242. Funeral of lady Amy Dudley. The name of "Amy Robsart" is invested with a prevailing interest as the heroine of poetry and romance. I have collected what is known of her, and endeavoured to sift the mysterious rumours of her assassination, in a memoir which appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine for December, 1845. I have now to append the following additional memorial: "Lady Amie Robsert, late wyff to the right noble the lord Robert Dudley, knight and companyon of the most noble order of the garter, and master of the horsse to the quenes moste excellent majestie, dyed on sonday the 8. of Septembre at a howsse of Mr. Foster, iij. myles from Oxford, in the 2. yere of quene Elizabeth, 1560, and was beryed on sonday the 22. of September next enshewenge in our Lady churche of Oxford." (MS. Harl. 897, f. 80b.)

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30 Nov 1560. The last day of November, that was sant Andrews day, was a grett fray at the cowrt be-twyn my lord Robart [Dudley's] (age 28) men and (blank) Harbard('s) [Herbert's] men; and that day was no water in [any] condyth [conduit] in London but in Lothbere.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 09 Feb 1561. The ix day of Feybruary dyd pryche at Powlles crosse [Map] master Pylkyngtun (age 41), electyd byshope of Durram, and ther was my lord mare (age 65) and the althermen and my lord Robart Dudley (age 28) and master secretore Sysselle (age 40), and dyvers odur of the quen('s) consell; and after to my lord mare to dener.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 19 Jun 1561. The xix day of June was a grett wager shott in Fynsbere feld be-twyn my lord Robartt Dudley (age 28) and my (unfinished)

1564. Unknown Painter. Portrait of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 31). The portrait shows the arms of Dudley twice, top left surrounded by the Collar of the Order of St Michael and top right the Order of the Garter. Dudley received the Order of St Michael in 1566 which suggest the painting isn't by Steven van der Meulen, to whom it was formerly attributed, who died in 1564.

On 21 Aug 1565 William Devereux of Merevale (age 40) was knighted at Kenilworth Castle [Map] by Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 33).

In 1571 Nicholas Hilliard (age 24) produced "a booke of portraitures" for Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 38).

Around 1575 Unknown Painter. Portrait of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 42).

Around 1575 Unknown Painter. Portrait of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 42) wearing his Garter Collar.

In 1585 Richard Browne Clerk (age 46) accompanied Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 52) to the Netherlands as Victualler.

In 1586 [his brother-in-law] William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury (age 42) was knighted by Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 53).

In 1587 William Segar (age 33). Portrait of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 54).

In 1605 [his illegitimate son] Robert Dudley (age 30) took a case for his legitimacy to the Star Chamber supported by his mother Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield (age 63) who claimed she and Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester had been married in secret. The Star Chamber found against him after which he left the country.

Pepy's Diary. 24 Nov 1665. After dinner Captain Cocke (age 48) and I about some business, and then with my other barrel of oysters home to Greenwich, Kent [Map], sent them by water to Mrs. Penington, while he and I landed, and visited Mr. Evelyn (age 45), where most excellent discourse with him; among other things he showed me a ledger of a Treasurer of the Navy, his great grandfather, just 100 years old; which I seemed mighty fond of, and he did present me with it, which I take as a great rarity; and he hopes to find me more, older than it. He also shewed us several letters of the old Lord of Leicester's, in Queen Elizabeth's time, under the very hand-writing of Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary, Queen of Scotts; and others, very venerable names.

Evelyn's Diary. 12 Feb 1683. He gave to the Trinity Corporation that land in Deptford [Map] on which are built those almshouses for twenty-four widows of emerited seamen. He was born the famous year of the Gunpowder Treason, in 1605, and being the last [male] of his family, left my wife (age 48), his only daughter, heir. His grandfather, Sir Richard Browne, was the great instrument under the great Earl of Leicester (favorite to Queen Elizabeth) in his government of the Netherland. He was Master of the Household to King James, and Cofferer; I think was the first who regulated the compositions through England for the King's (age 52) household, provisions, progresses,49 etc., which was so high a service, and so grateful to the whole nation, that he had acknowledgments and public thanks sent him from all the counties; he died by the rupture of a vein in a vehement speech he made about the compositions in a Parliament of King James. By his mother's side he was a Gunson, Treasurer of the Navy in the reigns of Henry VIII., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, and, as by his large pedigree appears, related to divers of the English nobility. Thus ended this honorable person, after so many changes and tossings to and fro, in the same house where he was born. "Lord teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom!".