A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



elsewhere. Occasionally, when it seemed as if the collection of these fines 

 would reduce many to beggary whose enforced contributions were so profit- 

 able to the state, milder measures were taken. Thus on 23 April, 1586, 

 a letter was forwarded from Ipswich by the justices of Suffolk to Walsing- 

 ham, saying that they 



had called before them all the Recusants whose names in a schedule we received inclosed 

 in your lordship's letters to whom we imparted the contents thereof, advising them to con- 

 sider of her Majesty's gracious favour extended towards them and measuring the benefit 

 which thereby they are to receive to make offer by writing severally under their hands what 

 rensonable portion they can be contented yearly of their own disposition to pay unto her 

 Majesty, receipt to be eased of the Common danger of Law for their recusancy, whose 

 several offers under their own hands, which herewith we send unto your lordship, may 

 particularly appear. 



Then follow the offers : — 



William Yaxlee estimates his income at £220 per annum, and offers 

 £40 per annum ; £280 has already been levied on his lands, and he has 

 contributed £50 to setting out of horses for Her Majesty's service. Walter 

 Norton of Chedeston, gent., having lands to the value of _£ 100, offers £20 

 yearly. Henry Everard, £100 a year, offers £10. Richard Martyn of 

 Welford, gent., offers £6 a year. Edward Sulyarde, with yearly revenue of 

 £440, has already paid a year's income for recusancy, and has furnished a 

 horse £25, offers £40 per annum. John Bedingfeld, £40 per annum, offers 

 jTio. Margaret Danyell of Acton, a widow, offers £20. Edward Rook- 

 wood offers £30. These are followed by nine other smaller offers. 1 



The Recusant Rolls for Suffolk at the Public Record Office begin in 

 1593. The first of these supplies lists of amounts owing from farmers of the 

 two-thirds of estates of recusants, farmed out to grooms of the chamber, 

 gentlemen of the chapel, and other of the minor court officials, and not 

 infrequently to the tenants of the owner. 



Among the Roman Catholic gentry of the county in this roll the 

 Rookwoods of Stanningfield and of Euston are very prominent ; they are 

 entered as indebted for sums from £260 to £280. 



About ninety recusants altogether, mostly yeomen and spinsters, or 

 engaged in humble occupations such as tailors, are entered as owing jT8o to 

 £120 of the £20 a month penalty. 2 



The condition of the church fabrics of the county in Elizabeth's reign, 

 when all religion seemed to be at a very low ebb, went from bad to worse. 

 ' Certificates of all the ruines and decayes of all the Ruinated churches and 

 chauncells of the dioc. Norwich ' were returned to Bishop Redman in 1602. 

 The return for the archdeaconry of Suffolk schedules the ruinous state of the 

 chancels of Ashfield, Bramfield, Brandeston, Culpho, Eyke, Fakenham, Flixton, 

 Freston, Gunton, Higham, Ipswich St. Stephen, Ipswich St. Margaret, 

 Kessingland, Lowestoft, Offton, Pakefield, Shipmeadow, Shottisham, Snape, 

 Thorpe (Ashfield), Wherstead, Wilby, Wingfield, and Wissett. In most cases 

 the ruinous condition had prevailed for several years. In all instances, save 

 three, chancels were in the hands of lay proprietors, whose names are set 

 forth. 3 



1 S.P. Dom. Eliz. clxxxviii, 38. 



' Recusant R. Suff. i, 34, Eliz. The receipts from recusant fines throughout the country from 1593 to 

 1602 brought over £120,000 to the crown. 

 3 East Anglian N. and Q. i, 340-1. 



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