Read Online The Manner of Amy's Death by Carol Mackrodt - Free Book Online Page A

this.  He said that he thought she might wish to try them on and that she may wish a crown to be made for Guildford.”
          At this my mouth drops open.  “Aha.  I smell a rat!  He’s trying to cause trouble for Jane.”
         “Yes; but why would he do that?”
          We’ll have to ponder that one.  It would seem that some of Jane’s so called allies on the Council are not quite as loyal as we first thought.
          “And there’s something else,” continues Amy.  “There are rumours flying round that Northumberland is trying to make a secret deal with the French to ensure their support .  Renard, the Imperial Ambassador, has said so.”
          “Your father-in-law wouldn’t do that, would he?”
           “He might.  I wouldn’t put it past him.”
          “Or i t may just be Renard and the Hapsburgs trying to cause trouble.”
          “That’s true.”
          As we return home that evening all kinds of weaponry are being taken into the Tower, large carts holding guns, spears, bows, arrows, armour, followed by men willing to fight (or willing to be paid to fight) for Jane’s cause.
          “Who will lead the Queen’s army?” Amy asks a young lieutenant.
          “The Queen’s father, the Duke of Suffolk, of course,” he replies.
          We fight our way through crowds of sullen onlookers to get down to the wharf.
          When we reach the Tower the following day the situation is very different.  Queen Jane is obviously feeling the strain and the news from Norfolk is not good.  The Lady Mary is at Framlingham Castle which is strongly fortified and has hundreds of men forming a huge crowd of supporters outside the walls.  The gentry who have rallied to her side are organising them into an army.
         The most shocking news is that Jane’s father, Suffolk, who was to have led her army against Mary, is now ill and suffering from fainting fits.  Jane has asked the Privy Council to choose another person and they have voted unanimously for Northumberland.  The Duke must realise that this smacks of a plot to get him out of the way but he can hardly refuse to lead the army that will support the Queen and his own son, her husband.
          Guildford is to remain in the Tower with Jane while his brothers, John, Ambrose and even the sixteen year old Henry, will ride with their father and Jane’s army to meet Mary’s army in Norfolk.  For Amy there is some good news.  Having been diverted from his task of capturing Mary, Robert has been touring the towns in the north of Norfolk, around King’s Lynn, to gain support for Jane and has initially gained some success.  At least he’s still alive.
          Meanwhile at Durham Place the Duke is taking his leave of the Privy Council and reminding them of their allegiance to Queen Jane, and, by association, to himself.  We learn later that each and every one of them has pledged their loyalty.  He returns briefly to the Tower to take his leave of the Queen; the Earl of Arundel wishes him well and says how sorry he is that he will not be able to fight with him.  There’s an air of excitement now around the court as we all chatter about the events of the day and pray for a hasty conclusion to the fighting.
          “It’s Thursday,” says Amy as we make our way home, “Do you feel like going to Southwark to watch the bear baiting?”  She’s obviously feeling in a lighter mood now that she knows that Robert’s alive and well.
          “I’ve had enough of crowds for one day,” I say.  It’s true but there’s another reason.  While bear baiting is a universally popular sport supported by royalty, academics and common people alike, I can’t bring myself to enjoy it.  I was brought up in the country where we had dogs and hawks for hunting and I can’t understand this obsession of Londoners with sports that cause one animal to rip another apart with no