54 Amye Robsart. 
There are at Longleat several documents dated after the marriage 
in which they are both mentioned : but I did not think it necessary 
to bring them all. One only is here, being a grant of the manor 
of Hemsby, near Yarmouth, in Norfolk, by his father, John, then 
Duke of Northumberland, to his son, Lord Robert Dudley, and “the 
Lady Amie his wife.” (Appendix II). 
Their married life lasted rather more than ten years, from 4th 
June, 1550, to 8th September, 1560. The few particulars of it 
recovered from these papers will be mentioned presently. We return 
to the difference between the received story and the real facts. 
2.—AMYE NEVER AT KENILWORTH. 
It was mentioned just now that thousands of worthy sight-seers 
have paid their money and shed their tears, over the touching in- 
terview between the “Countess of Leicester ’’ and Queen Elizabeth 
atKenilworth—all for nothing : simply because no such interview ever 
took place—except at Covent Garden Theatre. The reason is, that 
Kenilworth Castle where the Earl received the Queen, did not belong 
to him at all during Amye’s life. She died 1560. The Queen gave 
Kenilworth to “Lord Robert” in June 1563. Sir Walter Scott might 
have easily known that from Warwickshire county history. The 
original Letters Patent, dated 20th June, 1563, by which the Queen 
gave it, are at Longleat : a very fine deed illuminated with a portrait 
of Queen Elizabeth and flowered border, but it is very large and long, 
and beyond the limits of a carpet bag. I have however brought an 
equally sufficient evidence: which is the Original Warrant from the 
Queen to deliver to Dudley possession of the Castle. (Appendix VIL.) 
This is an interesting document: being Queen Elizabeth’s authority 
to six gentlemen, named, to go to Kenilworth, and take possession 
on behalf of Lord Robert. The formal delivery is endorsed, dated 
29th June, and it is attested by the signatures of no less than sixty-- 
four witnesses. One may easily conceive that half the town of 
Kenilworth would pour out, with the laudable desire of seeing 
their fine old castle handed over to the great favourite of the day. 
But where was Amye? She had been in her grave nearly three 
years, since September, 1560. 
