CORRESPONDENCE

Why did the 5th Earl of Derby die?

SirWilliam Jeffcoate (June 9, p 1876)1 discusses the death of the 5th Earl of Derby by poison in a way that leaves the impression that poison is a new hypothesis. However, several early accounts he does not cite show that poison is not a new suspicion, and implicate a more likely perpetrator than those mentioned. In Camdens Historie of Elizabeth (London: Fisher, 1630, Booke 4, p 65) it is stated: Ferdinand Stanley Earle of Darby . . . expired in the flowre of his youth, not without suspition of poyson, being tormented with cruell paynes by frequent vomitings of a darke colour like rusty yron. There was found in his chamber an Image of waxe, the belly pierced thorow with haires of the same colour that his were, put there, (as the wiser sort have judged, to remove the suspition of poyson). The matter vomited up stayned the silver Basons in such sort, that by no art they could possibly be brought againe to their former brightnesse . . . [It seems possible that this statement may have been included to suggest that the poison was arsenic.] No small suspicion lighted upon the Gentleman of his horse, who; as soone as the Earle tooke his bed, tooke his best horse, and fled. When Hesketh made his treasonable proposal to the Earl of Derby, the Earl was threatened with death by Hesketh if the design was divulged, and the Earl died suspiciously shortly after Hesketh was executed. In Camden, the finger is pointed at Heskeths handlers. Behind Hesketh was principally William Stanley. Hesketh admitted their acquaintance at the gallows, as recorded in the state papers and letters of Sir Ralph Sadler. William Stanley and his fellow conspirators were believed at the time to be involved. William Stanley was deeply involved in anti-Elizabethan plots and with the contemplated Spanish invasion of England. William Stanley and Ferdinando Stanley, the 5th Earl of Derby, were both members of the House of Stanley, but of different lineages. In his youth, William serviced under Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, and grandfather of Ferdinando Stanley. William was the eldest son of Sir Rowland Stanley, head of the senior branch of the Stanley family. A sense of being

responsible for the family leadership could have encouraged William Stanley to send Hesketh to the new 5th Earl of Derby and to anticipate a positive response, an expectation that is otherwise hard to understand. Ferdinando Stanleys rejection of Heskeths mission, and Heskeths death, was a rejection of William Stanley as well. Although Ferdinando Stanley revealed Heskeths mission to Elizabeth, it is hard to account for Ferdinandos death as direct revenge for this action, unless there existed an intense personal motive. William Stanley might have had the stature within the House of Stanley to convince a Gentleman of the horse, or some other associate, of the propriety of poisoning Ferdinando Stanley.
Garret M Ihler
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Genetics, Reynolds Medical Building, Texas A and M College of Medicine, College Station, TX 77843, USA (e-mail: gmihler@unix.tamu.edu) 1 Jeffcoate W. Why did the 5th Earl of Derby die? Lancet 2001; 357: 187679.

cannot be excluded easily as cause of death in Ferdinandos case.

Rik Houppermans
Herbenusstraat 23, 6211 RA Maastricht, Netherlands (e-mail: r.houppermans@hetnet.nl) 1 2 3 Jeffcoate W. Why did the 5th Earl of Derby die? Lancet 2001; 357: 187679. Carluccio A. A passion for mushrooms. London: Pavilion Books, 1989. US Food and Drug Administration. Foodborne pathogenic micro-organisms and natural toxins handbook. www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/badbug.zip.

SirFerdinando Stanley died after 4 days of hunting. When he died, his physicians concluded that witchcraft caused his death. Today, death by poisoning seems more likely. William Jeffcoate1 makes reference to the possibility of poisoning with toxic fungi. Yet, since Ferdinando died in April, poisoning by ingestion of fresh wild mushrooms is excluded as cause of death. The true morel (Morchella esculenta) is an edible wild mushroom. True morels are found in spring and thought to be a delicacy.2 They are easily confused with the false morel (Gyromitra esculenta). Certain species of the false morel contain the protoplasmic poison gyromitrin (N-methyl-N-formyl-N-acetyl-hydrazone). Poisoning by this toxin superficially resembles Amanita poisoning, but is less severe. There is generally a latent period of 610 h after ingestion, during which no symptoms are evident. This period is followed by sudden onset of abdominal discomfort (a feeling of fullness), severe headache, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhoea. The toxin mainly affects the liver, but there are additional disturbances to blood cells and the central nervous system. The mortality rate is fairly low (24%).3 Did Ferdinando die on purpose or by accident? Contrary to Jeffcoates opinion, accidental poisoning by ingestion of fresh wild mushrooms

SirIn addition to William Jeffcoates description of the death of the 5th Earl of Derby1 we suggest that his death might have related to his potential rivalry to the throne of Elizabeth I, rather than only to his succeeding her. Ferdinandos potential claim to the throne was strengthened in 1591 by the death of Katheryn Tudor of Berain. Katheryn was the illegitimate greatgranddaughter of Henry VII,2 and of the same generation as the 4th Earl of Derby. She was also of the same degree of royal lineage as Lady Jane Grey. Katheryn was related to Ferdinando Stanley through their shared ancestor, the 1st Earl of Derby and the marriage of her second son, John Salusbury, to Ursula, the illegitimate daughter of the 4th Earl. Katheryns death, therefore, left Ferdinando and his brother William with only the son of Mary Queen of Scots (James I) to oppose their claim to the throne. Sudden violent death was no stranger to Katheryns family. Her second husband, Sir Richard Clough, died in Hamburg at age 40 years. He was probably poisoned because of his work as a spy for Elizabeth I (rather than his having established the London Stock Exchange with his partner, Sir Thomas Gresham). Katheryns first son, Sir Thomas Salusbury, was executed for his part in the Babington Plot. Also involved in this plot to remove Elizabeth I from the throne were the same two Catholics, William Stanley and Cardinal Allen,3 who were part of Richard Heskeths approach to Ferdinando Stanley.
*J M Davies, D C Davies
*Department of Anesthesia, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta T2N 2T9, Canada; and 663 Duchess Avenue, West Vancouver (e-mail: jdavies@ucalgary.ca) 1 2 Jeffcoate W. Why did the 5th Earl of Derby die? Lancet 2001; 357: 187679. Ballinger J. Katheryn of Berain: a study in North Wales family history. Y Cymmrodor 1929; 11: 142. Haynes A. The Elizabethan secret services. Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing, 2000.

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