Editing Amy Robsart (section)

===John Appleyard===
John Appleyard had profited in terms of offices and annuities from his brother-in-law's rise ever since 1559; he was nevertheless disappointed with what he had got from Robert Dudley, now Earl of Leicester. In 1567 he was approached, apparently on behalf of the [[Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk|Duke of Norfolk]] and the [[Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex|Earl of Sussex]], to accuse Leicester of the murder of his wife for a reward of £1,000 in cash.<ref name="Wilson p. 182">Wilson 1981 p. 182</ref> He refused to cooperate in the plot, although he had, he said, in the last few years come to believe that his half-sister was murdered. He had always been convinced of Dudley's innocence but thought it would be an easy matter to find out the real culprits. He said he had repeatedly asked for the Earl's help to this effect, claiming the jury had not yet come up with their verdict; Dudley had always answered that the matter should rest, since a jury had found that there was no murder, by due procedure of law.<ref>HMC 1883 p. 350; Skidmore 2010 p. 300, 301, 363</ref> Now, as Leicester became aware of a plot against him, he summoned Appleyard and sent him away after a furious confrontation.<ref name="Wilson p. 182" />

Some weeks later the [[Privy Council]] investigated the allegations about Norfolk, Sussex, and Leicester, and Appleyard found himself in the [[Fleet prison]] for about a month. Interrogated by Cecil and a panel of noblemen (among them the Earl of Arundel, but not Robert Dudley), he was commanded to answer in writing what had moved him to implicate "my Lord of Norfolk, the Earl of Sussex and others to stir up matter against my Lord of Leicester for the death of his wife", and what had moved him to say that "the death of the Earl of Leicester's wife" was "procured by any person".<ref>Skidmore 2010 pp. 303-304</ref> Appleyard, instead of giving answers, retracted all his statements; he had also requested to see the coroner's report and, after studying it in his cell, wrote that it fully satisfied him and had dispelled his concerns.<ref>Gristwood 2007 p. 115</ref>