Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester

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Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (1532/3–1588) was a courtier of Queen Elizabeth I, and one of her most trusted friends. He was unpopular at the Court, and many were jealous about his rise to power.

Sourced quotes

  • "O Mightie Lord to whom
all vengeance doth belong."[1]
What it means: Oh great Lord to whom."
all revenge belongs to.
About the quote: A memorial, carved on the wall of the Beauchamp Tower in the Tower of London, to his brothers, who were in prison there during the reign of Mary I for plotting against her.
  • "There is no man I knowe in this realme...that hath shewed a better minde to the furthering of true religion then I have done, even from the first day of her Majestie's reigne to this...I take Almighty God to my record, I never altered my mind or thought from my youth touching my religion, and yow know I was ever from my cradle brought up in it."[1]
Translation: There is no man I know in this realm that has shown a better mind to the furthering of true religion than I have done, even from the first day of her Majesty's reign to this...I take Almighty God to my record, I never altered my mind or thought from my youth touching my religion, and you know I was ever from my cradle brought up in it.
Simple: There is no man I know in this country that has shown a better mind to the advance of true religion than I have, even from the first day of Her Majesty's reign to this...I take Almighty God as my witness, I never changed my mind or religious thought, from my youth, about my religion, and you know I was brought up with it from my birth.
  • "I protest I loved as derely as ever I loved man not born in England and not many in England better."[1]
Translation: I protest I loved as dearly as ever I loved man not born in England and not many in England better.
Simple: I assure you that I loved [Thomas Maitland] as dearly as I loved a man who was not born in England, and I loved few in England more.
About the quote: Dudley, speaking of his political friend Thomas Maitland.
  • "It seems that he [Henri, Duke of [Anjou means earnestly to stand upon his demands for his religion, which will never be granted unto him, and so will the matter break off I suppose."[1]
Simple: It seems that he [Henri, Duke of Anjou] means to seriously stand upon his demands for his religion, which will never be given to him, and so the matter will collapse I suppose.
About the quote: Dudley, writing about Elizabeth's proposed marriage with the Duke of Anjou, later Henry III of France. His Catholic religion meant that the idea collapsed.
  • "These my lord be good warnings to all those that be professors of the trew religion to take heed in tyme...we cannot but stand in no small danger except there be a full concurrence together of all such as mean faithfully to continue such as they profess."[1]
Translation: These my lord be the good warnings to all those that be professors of the true religion to take heed in time...we cannot but stand in no small danger except there be a full concurrence together of all such as mean faithfully to continue as they profess.
Simple: These my lord are good warnings to all those who are professors of the true religion [referring to Protestantism] to take care in time...we cannot stand in no small danger except there be a full unity together of all who faithfully continue as they profess.
About the quote: Warning the Protestant religion after the Massacre of Saint Bartholomew's Eve, in which 3000 Protestants were murdered, in 1572.
  • "I doe assure your lordship since Queen Mary's time the papists were never in that jollity they be at present in this country."[1]
Translation: I do assure your Lordship since Queen Mary's time the papists were never in that jollity they be at present in this country.
Simple: I assure your Lordship that, since Queen Mary's time, the Catholics were never so joyful as they are now in this country.
About the quote: Letter to Lord Burghley about the Catholic threat.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Adams, Simon, ‘Dudley, Robert, earl of Leicester (1532/3–1588)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2008 accessed 23 Nov 2008

References

  • Adams, Simon, ‘Dudley, Robert, earl of Leicester (1532/3–1588)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2008 accessed 23 Nov 2008

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