The Ghost of Edmund Dudley

By Fred Pachter

I’ll tell a tale of such a night as this,
When gentle sweethearts chanc’d to steal a kiss,
While on the hearth at Hampton Court they stay
In conversation till the break of day.
 

“Give us a story, Robin,” saith the one
Call’d Gloriana, bright as noon-day sun.
 

Lord Lei’ster pondered long and then began,
“My tale of woe concerns a certain man.
“Of acient days my subject lived,” said he,
“One well renowned, of noble family.
“Through firm resolve, by force of iron will,
“With cunning writ, deceit, and law did fill
“With gold the coffers of the reigning king,
“And thus his Lord’s prosperity did bring.”
 

“And then betimes this servant’s Lord did die;
“His soul unto eternity did fly.
“And in his stead a younger King did reign —
“No, not the firstborn—but one young and vain,
“A reckless youth, and barely sixteen years
“Of age—a handsome rake, devoid of cares.
“’Twas he whose spendthrift tendencies and ways
“Depeleted copious wealth in few short days
“For ostentatious robes and armories,
“Great residences, and fair vanities.
“That servant, by whose efforts all the gold
“Had been amassed, went to the heir with bold
“And straight-wise import, urgent stress, and speech
“Some moderation of his ways beseech
“For Commonwealth and prudence. But his lord,
“The red-haird youth, was not to be implored.”
 

 

“These fateful faults well know I,” quoth the Queen,
And true she spoke. “In many such are seen.”
 

 

“Quite so,” said Robin, “but one dastard deed
“Went far beyond propriety or need,
“For soon on trumped-up charges he did build
“A case against that servant, whom he kill’d
“By accusation foul. And forced his wife
“And child to lead a poor and wretched life.
“A boy of nine the stripling was betimes
“His father’s execution for false crimes
“Took place. And so he wept upon the grave,
“His father there inter’d, and pledge he gave, “‘ Revenge!’”
 

 

“In other’s house a refuge found
“While growing up, the old and fester’d wound
“Was mollified somewhat and near forgot.
“And then one fateful night, in summer hot
“And humid, late, toward midnight, came to him
“An apparition pale with visage grim.
“‘My son,’ the ghost addressed him balefully,
“‘For heinous crimes I would avengéd be.
“‘Take heart, my son, I’ll come to thee anon;
“‘With my advice our battle shall be won.’”
 

 

“Fresh festering erupted from the sore,
“Though once near heal’d, so now the more
“And newly op’ed, would penetrate, till soul
“And mortal body were consuméd whole
“With vengeful thought and patient, cunning plan
“To wreak some retrubution on the man
“Responsible. And thus with age he rose
“By military prowess over those
“Of rank and file, through expeditions grand,
“Ascending as he worked and thought and planned.
“Insinuating self within the sphere
“Of those his Master trusted, all by sheer
“Manipulation, and ascendancy
“He gained. He served with valor and efficiency
“In combat, skirmish, battle and sortie
“Upon the foreign field and on the sea.”
 

 

“As death’s cold fingers grasped his Master’s hand,
“With whispered apprehension through the land
“And new heir’s soon accession came again
“The apparition fearful, whose refrain
“Was once again revenge and devious plot,
“In case this father’s son had since forgot
“His purpose. But resolve had been his bread
“And milk since first his visit from the dead.
 

 

“‘Two brothers stand together,’ spake the ghost,
“‘Between us and our purpose and our post.
“‘Go forth, and by insinuation sly
“‘Cause each to give the other evil eye
“‘Until at last each one suspects the other.
“‘So shall the elder sibling slay his brother.”
 

“Within the hour his Master was no more.
“Thus opportunity had ope’d the door.
“Among the lord’s executors was he
“Enrolled and named with all solemnity,
“Though stript of former post, which then was giv’n
“The younger brother, rashest man ’neath Heav’n.
“’Twas easy then to bend his willing ear,
“Malign his brother, sow the seeds of fear
“And envy green.
 

 

‘Were not, in times
“‘Gone by, two uncles to a minor heir
“‘Protectorship and governance to share?
“‘Thine elder brother doth propose himself
“‘Administrator and chief governor
“‘Of our young heir to be, and thus ignore
“‘Tradition and propriety. Are you
“‘Unworthy of such sacred trust? And do
“‘You think that he, or mayhap hope to dare
“‘Implead him his authority to share?’”
 

 

"'By barbs and pricks he shows his love,’ said he,
“‘And ever doth forget propriety.
“‘While on the Scottish heath he draws his sword,
“‘My friend shall be the new heir, the new lord.
“‘And then one day I’ll cause the boy to write
“‘Such letters as will put my wrongs to right.’
“And thus he did. The elder brother found,
“Upon return from foreign, bloody ground,
“The late lord’s wife unto his brother wed
“So lately since their lord-that-was was dead.”
 

The ghost’s lone son took opportunity
“Again the younger brother, him that he
“Before had urged to seek redress of wrong,
“To urge again a plan: a troop of strong
“And valiant men for war equip’d to raise
“Against the heir’s protector. And the ways
“He did finance his cause were these: the gold
“For such an enterprise, as he made bold
“To undertake, came largely from the seas
“In form of booty shared with Thomessin,
“The privateer. And Sharrington within
“The minting house did clip the coinage, too—
“A practice so deceitful not one knew.
“Their gain was swiftly sent by messenger
“To younger brother’s home, there to prepare
“To mount attack.”
 

 

“This woeful tale doth have
“Familiar ring,” said she and withal gave
The entertainer look askance, the which
He brushed aside, and then went on.
 

 

“The rich, “Deep soil of envy bore its weighty fruit,
“As rumor after rumor he would bruit
“Both night and day to either or the other
“And spew foul lies about whichever brother
“As was not present to defend himself.”
 

 

“The younger sibling felt prepared, equipt
“His plan to implement. And thus he slipt
“So softly to the midnight chamber dark
“Of his young lord. Then suddenly the bark
“Of spaniel dog, the which his master loved,
“With loud alarm his loyalty he proved.
“‘Foul traitor!’ shouted loud the reckless one,
“And from within his cloak produced a gun.
“He shot the dog!”
“I know the story well,”
Said Gloriana, who in truth could tell
It better than the spinner of the tale,
For she had borne suspicion and the vale
Of close confinement on account of him
Who perpetrated acts so dire and grim.
“Praise God my brother’s life was spared,” said she,
“Though now he dwells in God’s eternity.
“Pray, Robin, skip ahead and tell us when
“The ghostly apparition came again.”
 

“’Twas in the dead of night, of course,” said he,
“Grandfather’s form again came forth. ‘O be
“‘Not slothful, Son, nor slack in purpose now.
“‘With those two brothers cleared away, I trow
“‘You’ll find a way to make yourself the friend
“‘Of thy young sov’reign, and, before the end,
“‘He’ll trust you with his kingdom and his life.’”
 

“‘I shall, my father, do as you have said,’
“Spake one now called Northumberland. ‘From bed
“‘I’ll rouse my royal Lord and with him speak
“‘Of matters great and small. Mayhap a weak
“‘And sickly pallor shall anon replace
“‘Such rosyness as lights upon his face.’”
 

 

“And night on night my father waking kept
“The King preoccupied, who should have slept.
“Then on to summer progress passing grand,
“He visited subjects through the land,
“His vigor and his constitution taxed,
“Until an ashen pallor fell and waxed
“Alarming dismal on his countenance.”
 

 

“One final time the apparition came
“To father’s sleepless dreaming with the same
“Old admonition. ‘List and have the King
“‘To write a new device, so by which thing
“‘The crown to little Lady Jane shall pass—
“‘A mouldable and unpresuming lass.
“‘Make protestation of religious zeal
“‘And true concern for England’s commonweal,
“‘Lest Mary take the throne and Popish ways
“‘Restoréd be, and, purged in few short days,
“‘No trace of New Religion should remain.
“‘And Son, you, as Jane’s Councilor, shalt gain
“‘Influence yet unequalled in the land.’
 

 

“‘One better I shall go thee, though I stand
“‘In awe of thy astuteness and thy sense
“‘Of politics. And so I say that hence
“‘Thy younger grandson to young Jane shall be
“‘A husband. Thus successive progeny,
“‘By lawful, wedded union of the two,
“‘With Dudley seed the the royal line imbue.’”
“‘A worthy son!’ excailmed the smiling ghost.
“‘And thoughtful, too, a son in whom the most
“‘A father thus could hope is twice fulfilled:
“‘Revenge for one whose guiltless blood was spilled.’”
 

“And so to Guildford Lady Jane was wed.
“And Edward’s few remaining days were sped
“Away, and Jane proclaiméd lawful Queen,”
Said Robin.
 

 

And Elizabeth her spleen
Did vent in royal fury, such that he
Who told the tale, much taken back, did see
The Queen’s dark countenance which bade
No good. “Thou bold and knavish blade!
“How dare you think to do the self-same thing
“Your brother and your father tried to bring
“About in Edward’s brief and troubled time!
“And for a moment did you think that I’m
“So stupid not to see straight through your plot?
“Nay, Robin, never think that I’ve forgot
“Your father’s machinations. Think you, man,
“That I’d become a party to your plan?
“Your protestations of a selfless love
“Show in thy soul another love doth move.
“Your sites are set upon a Consort’s throne!
“Do you deny it? No! Leave me alone!”
And so a wedge was driven twixt the loves,
Who were each to other mild as doves
Before the telling of that woeful tale.
The love that once glow’d warmly then did pale.
And from that time no never once was heal’d
Their rift, though Robin oft appealed
To his fair lady. But her will was steeled
Against him, nor to his protests yield.
 

 

Though none today can say if this be true,
I’ll wager, as intended, it shall due
Consideration cause in those who read
The histories concerning heinous deed,
Manipulation, and revenge of old.
These are herein embroidered and retold
For thee, my gentle reader. And unto
Thy ponderings I leave thee thus. Adieu.