The Manner of Amy's Death (8 page)

      Inside the chamber
s of the royal court people say that Jane is sick.  She’s complaining that the skin is peeling from her back and blames the evil air in the Tower.  But she’s still working furiously, writing and signing letters to sheriffs and justices of the peace to demand that they deal with any subversion.  And now it seems that there’s disloyalty within the Tower as well as outside as some members of the Privy Council begin to murmur that all is lost and that Jane’s cause should be abandoned. 

      Now Jane trusts no one.  She orders a strong guard to be mounted around the Tower.  When Amy and I try to leave that evening
we find the gates locked.

      “Open the gates this instance and let us through,” demands Amy imperiously.  The guard can see from our clothes that we are high ranking gentlewomen but it makes no difference.

      “I’m sorry, my lady, but the gates are now closed until tomorrow by order of the Queen.”

      “Do you know who I am?”
says Amy heatedly.  “I am the daughter-in-law of the Duke.  Bring the key immediately.”

      But the guard can’t do this.  Jane has the key and has taken it to bed with her!

      We stand on the green discussing our next move and two young men approach us.

  
   “Do you need a chamber for the night, ladies?  We have fine chambers and you are very welcome to share them with us.”

      “Go to the devil,” says Amy.  “I’d rather sleep here on the green with my head on the block.”

     “You may yet do that,” say the impudent pair laughing.  “Good night ladies.”  They bow and walk away.  Another figure is walking towards us.  It’s Mary Sidney and she’s crying.

      “Oh Mary.  What’s the matter?” I ask.

      “It’s father,” she says.  “There are some scandalous rumours going round court to blacken his name.  Some are saying that he’s been plotting with the French to put Mary, Queen of Scots, on the throne.  Others say that he plans to give away English towns in France to gain French support and there’s worse still.  People are whispering that he’s made Jane ill by poisoning her just as he did with Edward.”

      We’re speechless.  How can they say that?  Moreover
who
is saying that?

      “And Henry,” says Mary referring to her husband, “Says that the situation is turning nasty and I’m to return home at once but now I can’t go beca
use the doors are locked.  He’ll think me disloyal and disobedient.”

      “I’m sure he won’t think that, Mary
,” I say.  “Don’t worry, we’ll vouch for you.  We’re in the same position and can’t return home either.”

     
“I have a chamber here,” says Mary.  “You’re both welcome to share it with me.”

      So that’s what we do.  The three o
f us retire to Mary’s small bed chamber, strip down to our shifts and share the very small bed where our proximity to each other, though hot, is most comforting - even though the smell of the Tower is pungent and even though, despite Amy’s efforts to squash as many bugs as possible before we get into bed, we spend a night being eaten alive!

Saving our Skins

The next day we’re up early, dressed and waiting for the Tower gates to be unlocked, which means waiting for Jane
to arise since she has the key.  Once outside we part company with Mary and thank her for her kindness.  She’s returning to her husband, Henry Sidney, and we’re to await his instructions at Somerset House.

      “Please take Henry’s advice,” says Mary.  “On no account return to the Tower.”  She lowers her voice and whispers.  “Henry believes Jane’s cause is lost and cannot be revived.  Mary has too much support now around the country and in th
e city itself.  The situation’s been handled badly and won’t improve.”

      “What about Robert and his brothers?” asks Amy fearfully.

      “Henry will do what he can when the time arrives,” says Mary.  “He’s tried to distance himself from the plot for this reason, not out of disloyalty to us but because he can do little good if he’s executed too.”

      ‘Executed too’ – the words run round my brain.  Clearly we h
ave all to take care of ourselves.  Who knows how Mary Tudor may decide to take revenge on the Dudley family.

      “I’
ll keep you informed of any developments,” says Mary, “And meanwhile stay inside and don’t venture out.”

      Back in Somerset House we discuss what to do next.  The servants bring us food but – is it my imagination? – they appear to be less willing to please and less ta
lkative.  Do they understand already that we members of the Dudley family will be on the losing side or are they simply mistrustful of everyone at the moment?  Only Mrs Picto, who looks after Amy’s gowns, behaves as she has always done.  She and Amy spend the time packing two wooden chests with our clothing and rich cloths, taking care to pack only what is ours and to leave everything that was in the house when we arrived.

      We didn’
t have to while away too much time.  On Wednesday 19
th
in the afternoon we hear the sound of trumpets and a great cheering in the city followed by the sound of church bells ringing everywhere.  The servants rush out of the house to join the crowds in the streets and the smoke of many bonfires lit in celebration rises above the houses.  As darkness falls the bonfires glow red in the night sky and still people are celebrating.

      We can guess what has happened.  There
’s been no war and the Privy Council has betrayed the Duke and declared for the Princess Mary.  That evening Amy and I go down to the kitchen and prepare our own supper.  It’s something we’ll have to get used to if we’re lucky and escape imprisonment.

      The following day we get our own breakfast.  The servants have returned but are still sleeping off the ale from the p
revious night’s celebrations and even Mrs Picto’s disappeared!  Half way through the afternoon Mary Sidney arrives.  We exchange hugs and kisses.  Mary apologises for not coming earlier.

      “Events moved so fast yesterday and took us all by surprise,” she says.
She then explains how Jane’s father, the Duke of Suffolk, foolishly allowed the Lord Mayor and members of the Privy Council to leave the Tower for a supposed meeting with the French Ambassador to plan for reinforcements to be sent to the Duke of Northumberland.  But Suffolk had been tricked. 

      Instead the councillors met the
Earl of Pembroke and the Earl of Arundel at Baynard’s Castle, Pembroke’s home in London.  From there they proceeded to Cheapside in the city where they made the proclamation that Mary was now Queen.  By the time they reached St Paul’s the crowds of cheering people were so thick they could hardly pass through.  Back in the Tower Jane’s father was forced to sign the proclamation for Mary and announce it on Tower Hill.  He then broke the news to his daughter who sadly left the throne room and the panoply of state and retired to the royal chambers.

      The news this morning is that
Jane’s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk, have left the Tower for Pembroke’s home to make an appeal for clemency for their family.  Mary Sidney is fearful that they will claim, as will the other members of the Privy Council, they were all coerced into the plot by her father and that Northumberland will pay the price.

      “So where i
s Jane now?” asks Amy.

      “She’
s been removed from the royal apartments and is under arrest in a small house within the Tower,” says Mary.

      “And
Guildford?”

      “He’
s imprisoned in the Beauchamp Tower.  The Duchess, our mother, is also under arrest.  I’m afraid our kin will pay the price for all of this.”

      “Is there any news of Robert or the Duke?”

      “The Earl of Arundel has set off with a large force to arrest the Duke, Ambrose, John and Henry.  We have no news of Robert.”

      “Maybe he’s escaped to
France,” says Amy hopefully.

     
“Maybe.”

       “What a scoundrel Arundel is,” I say.  “
He pretended to support your father – he even said he was sorry he couldn’t join him in the pursuit of Mary - and all the time he was scheming against him.”

      “Yes and so was Pembroke.  And to make matters even worse
Katherine Grey, Jane’s sister, is married to the son of that treacherous old hypocrite.  How must Katherine now feel?  Her husband’s father has betrayed her mother, father and sister!”

      The three of us are silent as we reflect on the nasty business of politics.

      Finally Mary says, “Henry has sent me to advise you to leave London at the earliest opportunity.  We cannot offer you shelter as we have to appear to be unbiased for now and disconnect ourselves from my kin.  Very soon Queen Mary will be back in the city and there will be an attempt to arrest all those implicated in the plot in any way, whether directly involved or not.  Equally, when the servants realise the way the wind is blowing, they may well decide to betray you to Mary’s men.  You must leave quickly.  Is there anyone you can trust?”

  
   “There’s James, Robert’s groom.”

      “Pack up your things and ask
James to take them to  ….”

      “My mother’s cousin has a small house in the city,” says Amy.

      “Well it’s a start.  Will she shelter you?”

      “I expect so.  I’ll send James to ask her first.”

      “Do that this evening. Leave as soon as you can and tell no one where you’re going.”  With this Mary wishes us ‘God Speed’ and takes her leave.

      Amy goes
in search of James but returns in despair.  He’s vanished into thin air.

      “Go and find Picto, Kat
e,” says Amy.  “We’ll just have to go and hope our cousins will take us in.”

      “But what about the clothes you packed?  There’s a cart in the stable.”

      “No that belongs to Elizabeth.  We don’t want to be accused of theft as well!”

      Amy rummages in a small wooden box that she keeps locked and takes out some coins.

      “I’ll go down to the street to see if I can hire a cart and a driver,” she says.

      We go our separate ways but, while I come back with Mrs Picto, Amy returns still clutching her coins.

      “They’re either too drunk or too scared to help.  No one’s able to take us.”

      I can understand why.  They could be accused of helping traitors to escape.

      “We’ll just have to leave without the chests.  Maybe Elizabeth will have them sent on to us when she returns to Somerset House,” says Amy.

      Ha!  From what I know of
Elizabeth, Amy is dreaming!  The princess has a reputation for acquisitiveness second to none and the dresses will go straight into her own collection, even if Amy were her best friend – which she clearly is not.

      The three of us put some things into small bags that we can fasten to the saddles of our horses
, clean shifts, fine woollen and linen stockings, combs and hoods decorated with pearls.  Amy fastens a silk bag to her waist containing her jewellery and money.

      In the stables are our two horses
, two mules and another horse, a lovely mare, belonging to Robert.  Valiant has gone with him into Norfolk.  We can’t take all of them and Mrs Picto will struggle to ride any of the horses.

      “We’ll saddle our two and a mule,” decides Amy, “And we’ll take the other mule to carry the bags.”

      “What about the mare?  We can’t leave her on her own.”

      But we have to.  We can’t lead Mrs Picto’s mule and the baggage mule and manage the mare as well.  Had Amy and I been better horse women it might be different.

      The two of us set about saddling the horses and mule.  When this is done we find a man’s saddle for the second mule and fasten the bags securely onto this.  But, as Amy goes to find some hay for the little mare we’re leaving behind, she uncovers a heap of rags on the ground.  Imagine her surprise when the rags give a loud snore!

      “James, you lazy
dog,” she says kicking the rags with her toe, “Get up straight away.  It’s nearly evening.”

      James struggles uncertainly to his feet.  He’s obviously been sleeping off the effects of last night’s ale.  Amy grabs him by his collar and pushes his head into the horse trough outside.

      “Waken up!”

      Unsteadily James begins to saddle Robert’s mare.  Amy holds her while he hoists himself i
nto the saddle.  He’s staggering on the ground but, once on the horse, he can ride as well as anyone.  I then help Amy onto her horse and she takes the lead reins of the two mules, one on each side, while I help Mrs Picto into the saddle of one of them.  Then I climb the mounting block and attempt to get on my horse unaided.  James, who’s now coming to his senses a little, rides alongside and steadies her.

     
Once I’m safely in the saddle, James takes the lead rope for Mrs Picto’s mule and we set off for Amy’s cousin’s house.  Outside the gate we stop and take a last look back at Somerset House.  We’ve lived in this palace for six months and we won’t see it again, ever.  Our lives have changed irretrievably, we have no home and no idea what lies ahead.