Warwick castle and its earls : from Saxon times to the present day

Front matter

Oh Oh

W3

V.I

Book I

Early History of Warwick — Britons and Romans — John Rous, the Antiquary — Early Legends recorded in his Roll — The Truth that underlies them ... . -i

Ethelfleda, Daughter of Alfred the Great — Her Life and Work — Her Castle at Warwick — Architectural Details — The Saxon Earls of Rous — Were they really Earls, or were they Shire-reeves ? . lo

Earl Rohand — His Daughter Phyllis — Her Love for Guy — The Legend of Guy's Adventures and of his Retirement to the Hermitage at Guy's Cliff — The Relics at Warwick Castle — Mr. Bloxam's Damaging Criticisms . . 17

Other Saxon Earls — Reynbron — Wegeatus — Ufa — Wolgeatus — ■ Wygotus- — The Legend of Lady Godiva in Prose and Verse — Some very Good Reasons for not believing a Word of it . . .38

V

Contents of Vol. I <*"

Thurkill, the Traitor Earl — Why he was not at Hastings— How the Conqueror favoured him — How he changed his Name, and was the Ancestor of William Shakespeare ....

The Rebuilding of the Castle by William the Conqueror— Architectural Particulars — Henry de Newburgh, the First Norman Earl — His Offices — His Benefactions to Religious Houses — His Services to Henry I. — His Death and Burial . . 52

CHAPTER VII

The House of Newburgh continued — Roger de Newburgh — William de Newburgh — Waleran de Newburgh — Henry de Newburgh — Thomas de Newburgh — Ela, Countess of Warwick — Her Second Husband — Her Benefaction to the University of Oxford . . . 5S

CHAPTER VIII

Margaret de Newburgh, Countess in her own Right — Her Two Husbands, John Marshall and John du Plessis — John Mauduit — The Last of the Norman Earls . . 67

Book II

The House of Beauchamp— William de Beauchamp — His Wars in Wales— Guy de Beauchamp — His Enmity to Piers Gaveston — The Execution of Piers Gaveston on Blacklow Hill , 75

Thomas de R'eaucliamp, the Earl of Warwick of Edward III.'s French Wars— His Exploits at Cre9y, at Poictiers, and at Calais — His Death — His Arms and Crest — His Monument in St. Mary's Church, Warwick . . . , . .

Thomas de Beauchamp — His Hostility to Richard II. — His Arrest and Imprisonment — His Confession of Treachery — His Subsequent Repudiation of it — His Death — Richard de Beauchamp — His Feats of Chivalry — His Tailor's Bill . lOo

Richard de Beauchamp in the French War — The Towns he took — His Advice to Poet Lydgate — Guardian of Henry VI. — The Ousting of the English from France — Richard de Beauchamp's Part in the Resistance — His Death in Normandy . 117

Book III The House Of Neville And The House Of Plantagenet

The House of Neville — Its Wealthy Marriages^Its Alliance with the House of Beauchamp — Richard Neville becomes Earl of Warwick — The Condition of England during his Minority — Jack Cade's Rebellion— The Rebellion of the Duke of York— The First Battle of St. Albans — The Redistribution of Offices — Warwick's Exploits as Captain of Calais and Captain to guard the Sea . . 139

Queen Margaret's Counter-revolution — The Rout of Ludford — Warwick at Calais — His Raid on Sandwich — The Battle of Northampton — The Battle of Wakefield— The Second Battle of St. Albans— The Battle of Towton — Flight of King Henry and Queen Margaret . 155

vii

PAG

Honours for the Earl of Warwick — His Subjugation of the Northern Lancastrian Fortresses — Coolness between King and King-maker — The Three Causes of Difference — The Indignation of Warwick and his Surly Message to the King . . .it

The Vengeance of the King-maker — His Landing in Kent— His Compromise with Edward IV. — His Flight — His Accommodation with Queen Margaret — His Landing at Dartmouth — The Treachery of the Duke of Clarence — The Death of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet — An Estimate of his Character . . 179

The King-maker's Widow, his Daughters, and his Sons-in-law — Anne Neville's Petition to Parliament — The Sad End of the Duke of Clarence — The Still Sadder Fate of Edward, Earl of Warwick — The Fate of Edward's Sister Margaret in the Reign of Henry VIII. 190

Architectural Particulars — The Norman Castle — Giffard's Siege — The Edwardian Castle, built by the Beauchamps — The General Principles of Edwardian Castles — The Warwick Gatehouse — Guy's Tower — Csesar's Tower — The Prison — The Inscriptions — The Curtain Walls between the Towers — The River Gate . , . 203

Book IV The House Of Dudley

The Policy of Heniy VII. — The Assistance given him by Edmund Dudley — The Pedigree of Edmund Dudley — His Descent from the House of Sutton — Dudley and Empson — Bacon's Scathing Account of their Proceedings — The Arrest of Dudley — His Conviction of High Treason — His Book in Favour of Absolute Monarchy— His E.xecution — An Estimate of his Character ....

viii

PAGE

Edmund Dudley's Family — Andrew Dudley — John Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland — The List of his Honours and Offices under Henry VIII. and under Edward VI. — His Military Achievements at Boulogne, at Pinkie, and at Dussindale — His Rivalry with Lord Protector Somerset — His Acquisition of Dudley Castle — John Knox's Candid Opinion of him . . . 234

John Dudley's Children — The Family Conspiracy in Favour of Lady Jane Dudley — The Death of King Edward and the Failure of the Plot — The Treatment of the Conspirators — " The Saying of John, Duke of Northumberlande, uppon the Scaffold " — His Character — His Son, John Dudley, who succeeded him, but died soon after his Release from the Tower . . ... 245

Ambrose Dudley — His Imprisonment and Release — His Exploits at Saint Quentin and Exemption from the Act of Attainder — His Appointments — His Command against the French at Havre — His Appointment as Commissioner for the Trial of Mary Queen of Scots — Her Special Appeal to his Sense of Justice . . 257

The Visit of Queen Elizabeth to Warwick — Extracts from the Account of the Ceremonies in the Borough and the Festivities at the Castle given in " The Black Book of Warwick " . . 267

Ambrose Dudley and Local Affairs — His Concern for Good Government — His Interference with Parliamentary and Municipal Elections — Other Events of his Later Years — The Amputation of his Leg — His Death — His Character . . , 295

ix

(tf-

CHAPTER VII

PAGE

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester — The Reasons why he is Interesting — • His Marriage with Amy Robsart — The Robsart Pedigree — The Story of Lady Amy's Death — The Suggestion that Dudley murdered her — A Review of the Evidence — The Grounds on which Dudley must be acquitted of the Crime . . . 312

CHAPTER VIII

The Burial of Amy Dudley at Oxford — The Queen's Friendship for Robert Dudley — The Grant of Kenilworth Castle — The History of the Castle — Dudley's Restorations and Improvements — James I.'s Survey of Kenilworth ... .... 333

CHAPTER IX

The Kenilworth Festivities — Addresses in Prose and Verse — The Tumbler — The Morris Dance — The Mock Wedding — Tilting at the Quintain — The Masque that was suppressed, and the Probable Reason for its Suppression . . ..... 342

CHAPTER X

Leicester's Marriage to Douglas, Lady Sheffield — Did he poison her ? — Leicester in the Low Countries — His Failure as a General — His Relations with the Borough of Warwick — He Visits the Borough in State — His Benefactions — His Good Advice to Mr. Thomas Fisher — An Attempt to estimate his Character .... 354

CHAPTER XI

Robert Dudley, Son of the Earl of Leicester — The Difficult Question of his Legitimacy— His Early Life— His Remarkable Adventures as a Navigator— His Marriage to the Daughter of Sir Thomas Leigh — His Elopement with Elizabeth Southwell 373

CHAPTER XII

Robert Dudley at Florence— His Various Achievements there HisSkill

as an Engineer— As an Inventor— As a Ship-builder— His Remarkable Patent Medicine— His Book on Great Circle Sailing

CHAPTER xni

PAGE

Dudley at Florence — His Attempts to restore Friendly Relations with the English Court — His Memorandum to Prince Henry on the Importance of Sea Power — His Advice to King James as to the Bridling of his Parliament and the Augmentation of his Revenue — Dudley's Endeavours to obtain the Restitution of his Property by a Tlireat of Reprisals on English Shipping . . . 401

CHAPTER XIV

Duchess Dudley — Her Charitable Works — Her Daughters and their Husbands — Robert Dudley's Large Italian Family — The Proceedings of Carlo the Scapegrace — The Great Marriages of the Daughters — General Remarks about the House of Dudley and its Prominent Representatives . . .... 412

V

List of Illustrations in Vol. I

• pictures in this book n^t oth^rivise acknowledged are front photographs by J/r. L. C. Keighley Peach, Alderminster, Stratford-on-Avofi.

PAGE

Warwick Castle in 1746 • • • 3

Caesar's Tower, Warwick Castle . . . . 5

A Crusader's Helmet . . . 7

Etheltleda's Tower and Keep, in the Grounds of Warwick Castle . 9

Caesar's Tower, Warwick Castle . 15

Guy of Warwick . . 19

A Crusader's Armour . 25 Guy of Warwick, from a Basso Relievo formerly in Warwick Lane,

London . . 29

Guy's Porridge-pot . . 33

Guy's Sword and Meat-fork . . 35

Lady Godiva . . . ■ • • 39

Battlement Steps, Warwick Castle . . . 43

Thurkill, Earl of Warwick . 49

An Arch of the Clock Tower, Warwick Castle 55 Roger de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick . . . -59

The Seal of Thomas de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick . 65 The Charter of Henry de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick, granting the

Advowson of Compton 'Verney to St. Mary's, Warwick . 66

John du Plessis, Earl of Warwick . . . . . 69

William de Mauduit, Earl of Warwick . . ... 71

Guy's Tower, Warwick Castle, from the Drive . . J^ A Deed confirming Compton 'Verney . . -74

The Beauchamp Chapel, Warwick. View from the South-east . 77

The Breastplate of Guy de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick . 81

The Shield of Guy de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick . . . 83

The Entrance to Piers Gaveston's Dungeon, Warwick Castle ... 85

xiii

List of Illustrations in Vol. I <*"

PAGE

The Seal of Thomas de Beauchamp, nth Earl of Warwick (1369-1401) 88 Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick . . . 89

A Piece of Edward the Black Prince's Armour ... 91

Edward, the Black Prince 93

Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and his Countess. From their

Tomb at Warwick . . . .... 95

The Tomb of Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, in the Choir of

St. Mary's Church, Warwick ... .... 99

The Obverse of the Seal of the Famous Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th

Earl of Warwick ........ 102

The Reverse of the Seal of the Famous Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th

Earl of Warwick 103

Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and his Countess, the Lady

The Birth of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick . . . .109

The Baptism of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, by the Archbishop of York, in the Presence of Richard H Ill

Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick . . . . • 113

Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick 115

The Second Seal of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick 118

Richard de Beauchamp, K.G., Earl of Warwick, Regent of France,

Governor of Normandy, and Captain of Calais ... 119

Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, crossing the Channel with his

Lady and his Son .... ..... 122

King Henry V. . . . . . . 125

The Death of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick 127

The Interior of the Beauchamp Chapel, Warwick . . .129

The Effigy of Richard de Beauchamp 131

The Monument of Richard de Beauchamp in the Beauchamp Chapel,

The Tomb of Isabella, Second Wife of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of

136 137 138 141

147 151

Henry Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick .... The Seal of Johanna de Beauchamp, Lady Bergevenny . King Henry VI. . .

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the King-maker . The Servants' Hall, Warwick Castle

The Signature of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the King-maker An Effigy in Armour of the King-maker riding on an Armoured Steed 153

xiv

List of Illustrations in Vol. I

Margaret of Anjou, Queen-Consort of Henry VI., who commanded her

Husband's Forces against the King-maker in many a Battle 157

Caesar's Tower, Warwick Castle ... . 163

Figure of the King-maker on the Tomb of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl

of Warwick, in the Beauchamp Chapel 167

Warwick Castle in 1746 .... .... 171

A Letter signed by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, asking the Dean

of Warwick to obtain the Advowson of the Church, held by

Master Arundel, for his Servant . . . . 178

King Edward IV., whom the King-maker first placed upon the Throne

and then deposed . . . ... 181

The King-maker's Mace . ... . . 187

A Letter with the Autographs of iRalf, Lord Sudeley, William de

la Pole, p;arl of Suffolk, and Richard, Earl of Salisbury, asking the

Dean of Warwick to send the Register of Knights' Fees to London . 189 Anne Neville, Daughter of the King-maker and Queen-Consort of

George, Duke of Clarence, Son-in-law of the King-maker by Marriage

with his Elder Daughter, Isabel, and Jure icxoris Earl of Warwick . 193 King Richard III., Son-in-law of the King-maker by Marriage with his

Younger Daughter, Anne . . . . . 197

The Gate Tower, Warwick Castle, 1823. From tlie Inner Court . 205

Guy's Tower, Bridge, and Old Gateway, Warwick Castle 211

The Main Gateway and Portcullis, Warwick Castle . 225

The River Front, Warwick Castle .... . . 229

John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland and Earl of Warwick . 237

The Water-tower, Warwick Castle ... . 241

The Lady Mary Dudley, afterwards the Wife of Sir Henry Sidney, and

the Mother of Sir Philip Sidney ... . 243

The Lady Jane Grey, who was wedded to Lord Guilford Dudley . 247 An Inscription by John Dudley (Eldest Son of John Dudley, Duke of

Northumberland), in the Beauchamp Tower, Tower of London 251

Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick ... . 259

Mary Queen of Scots . . 261

The Gate-house, Warwick Castle . . . 265

Queen Elizabeth .... ... 269

Anne Dudley, Countess of Warwick, the Third Wife of Ambrose

List of Illustrations in Vol. I

PAGE

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, in the Grounds of Warwick Castle . 285

Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick . . , . 297

The Chantry Chapel, adjoining the Beauchatnp Chapel, Warwick . 301 The Tomb of Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, in the Lady Chapel,

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester . . . 313

The Death of Amy Robsart . 323

Kenilworth Castle . .... 335

The Festivities at Kenilworth in Honour of Queen Elizabeth . . 343

Queen Elizabeth's Saddle . . . 348

Queen Elizabeth's Viol . . ... 353

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester 355

The Leicester Hospital, Warwick . . . . 361 The Tomb of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, in the Beauchamp

Chapel, Warwick . . . . . . 369

Sir Robert Dudley, " The Noble Impe," son of Robert Dudley, Earl of

Leicester and the Lady Douglas Sheffield . ... 375

The Armour of Sir Robert Dudley, " The Noble Impe " . . . 379

The Interior of St. Mary's Church, Warwick . . . 391

Henry, Prince of Wales . . . 403 The Tomb of Sir Robert Dudley, " The Noble Impe," in the Beauchamp

Chapel, Warwick ...... ... 409

Interior of the Beauchamp Chapel, Warwick . . 419

Warwick Castle and its Karls