DUDLEY, LETTICE, Countess of Leicester (d. 1634). [See under Dudley, Robert, Earl of Leicester.]
DUDLEY, ROBERT, Earl of Leicester (1532?–1588), Queen Elizabeth's favourite, was fifth son of John Dudley, duke of Northumberland [q. v.], by Jane, sister of Sir Henry Guildford, K.G. Edmund Dudley [q. v.] was his grandfather. He was born 24 June 1532 or 1533 (Adlard, Amye Robsart, p. 16), was carefully educated, and acquired a good knowledge of Latin and Italian in youth (Wilson, Discourse of Usury, 1572). Roger Ascham at a later date expressed regret that he had preferred mathematics to classics, and praised 'the ability of inditing that is in you naturally' (Ascham, Works, ed. Giles, ii. 104). When about sixteen Dudley was brought by his father into the society of the young king, Edward VI, and of his sister, Princess (afterwards Queen) Elizabeth. The latter was of his own age, and was attracted from their first acquaintance by his 'very goodly person.' Dudley was soon knighted. On 4 June 1550 he was married at the royal palace of Sheen, Surrey, to Amy, daughter of Sir John Robsart. The king attended the wedding and made a note of it in his diary.
Amy Robsart was the only legitimate child of Sir John Robsart, lord of the manor of Siderstern, Norfolk, by Elizabeth, daughter of John Scott of Camberwell, Surrey, and widow of Roger Appleyard (d. 1530), lord of the manor of Stanfield, Norfolk. By her first husband Lady Robsart had four children, John, Philip, Anne, and Frances, and to her the manor of Stanfield was bequeathed, with remainder to her son John. She died in 1549. Amy was, like her husband, about eighteen at the date of the marriage. Her father settled some property on her just before (May 1550), and at the same time a second deed of settlement was signed by both Sir John Robsart and Dudley's father making provision for Dudley. On 4 Feb. 1562-3 Dudley's father granted Hemsby Manor, near Yarmouth, to 'Robert Dudley, lord Dudley, my son, and the Ladie Amie, his wife.' The early days of their married life were apparently spent in Norfolk, where Dudley was prominent in local affairs. He became joint-steward of the manor of Rising and constable of the castle (7 Dec. 1551); joint-commissioner of lieutenancy for Norfolk (16 May 1552), and M.P. for the county in 1553. But Dudley's father often took him to court, whither Lady Amy did not accompany him. In April 1551 he seems to have visited the court of Henry II of France at Amboise in company with his adventurous friend, Thomas Stukeley. He was appointed a gentleman of the king's privy chamber on 15 Aug. 1551; attended Mary of Guise, the queen-dowager of Scotland, on her visit to London in October 1551; became master of the buckhounds (29 Sept. 1552); and during the king's last illness (27 June 1553) received gifts of lands at Rockingham, Northamptonshire, and Eston, Leicestershire (Cal. State Papers, 1547-80, p. 62). In January 1551-2 he took part in two royal tournaments.
On Edward VI's death (6 July 1553) Dudley aided his father and brothers in their attempt to place his sister-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Early in July he proclaimed Lady Jane Grey queen of England at King's Lynn, Norfolk (Chronicle of Queen Jane, Camd. Soc. 111). He was committed to the Tower (26 July), and was arraigned, attainted, and sentenced to death 22 Jan. 1553-4. During his confinement in the Tower Lady Amy was allowed to visit him—a proof that they were on good terms. He was released and pardoned 18 Oct. 1554. In 1557 he accompanied his brothers, Ambrose and Henry, to Picardy [see Dudley, Ambrose], and acted as master of ordnance to the English army engaged in the battle of St. Quentin, where his brother Henry was killed. For his military services he and his only surviving brother, Ambrose, together with their sisters, Lady Mary Sidney and Lady Catherine Hastings, were restored in blood by act of parliament 7 March 1557-8 (4 and 5 Phil. & Mary, c. 12). King Philip is said to have shown him some favour and to have employed him in carrying messages between himself and Queen Mary.
Elizabeth's accession gave Dudley his opportunity. He was named master of the horse on 11 Jan. 1568-9, K.G. on 23 April, and was sworn of the privy council. On 3 Nov. he and Lord Hunsdon held the lists against all comers in a tournament at Greenwich, which the queen attended. Immediately afterwards Dudley was granted a messuage at Kew, the sites of the monasteries of Watton and Meux, both in Yorkshire, together with a profitable license to export woollen cloths free of duty and the lieutenancy of the forest and castle of Windsor. The royal liberality was plainly due to the queen's affection for Dudley. There can be no doubt at all that on her accession she contemplated marrying him. She made no secret of her infatuation. As early as April 1559 De Feria, the Spanish ambassador, declared that it was useless to discuss (as Philip II wished) the queen's union with the Archduke Charles, seeing that Elizabeth and Dudley were acknowledged lovers. Dudley at first seemed willing to
