By the Rev. Canon J. EB. Jackson, F.8.A. 75 
the death “he was quite sure was accidental. He had examined 
into the cireumstances with the greatest scruple, and could discover 
nothing like foul play, however the public mind was possessed with 
the opposite opinion.” This evidence comes from official Elizabethan 
correspondence, discovered among the archives at Simancas, in Spain. 
At Longleat, in Wilts, I found, by the merest accident, in a most 
unlooked-for quarter, similar evidence, only more valuable, because 
non-official. A common letter about sending venison pasties, and 
apologizing for the possibly bad baking of them, is hardly a docu- 
ment in which one would have expected to find anything to help in 
forming an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the husband of 
Amye Robsart. But the fact is that upon finding that first curiosity, 
her letter to her taylor, I scrutinized very carefully every scrap be- 
longing to that period, in hopes of finding more. The following 
letter to Robert Dudley is written by Henry Hastings, Earl of 
Huntingdon, his brother-in-law. He was one of a few of Blood 
Royal who were in turn named for the Succession to the Crown in case 
of Elizabeth’s death: being a candidate of the House of York, 
descended (through the Pole family) from George, Duke of Clarence, 
‘brother of King Richard III., not, as it would appear, being himself 
ambitious of the honour, but the nominee of a certain political party, 
Lord Huntingdon’s letter was written from the town of Leicester, 
17th September, 1560, nine days after the death of Amye, and 
before the writer had heard of it. The postscript was added when 
the news had reached him. . 
Henry Hastings, Earl of Huntingdon to Lord Robert Dudley. 
“*My very good Lord. After my most harty commendations, Although I 
_ am sure you are not without plenty of Red deer, yet I am bold to send you half 
a dozen pies of a stag which was bred in the little garden at Ashby (de la 
Zouche). I would be glad to understand how the baking doth like you, for I 
am in some doubt my Cook hath not done his part, but you must pardon this 
fault, and it shall be amended: for if you love to eat of a stag, I will have one 
ready for you any time (I trust) this winter. It shall be as fat as any forest 
doth yield, & within 4 days warning he shall be sent to you. Thus my good 
_ tord and brother I take my leave, wishing to you in all things as to myself. 
From Leicester the 17 of Sept. 
Your assured brother to the end 
H. Huntyrnepon.” 
“As I ended my Letter, I understood by Letters the death of my Lady your 
