POLITICAL HISTORY 



On the 14th she was at Framlingham collecting an army to oppose the earl 

 of Oxford and Lord Rich, whom she commanded to retire towards Ipswich. 1 

 On that and the following days Suffolk men came to swear fealty to her : on 

 the 14th Francis Jenney of Knoddishall, Thomas Playter of Sotterley, Robert 

 Codan of Weston, George Harvey of Ickworth, Thomas Timperley of Hintles- 

 ham, Nicholas Bohun of Chelmondiston, John Reeve of Beccles, Robert Bacon 

 of Drinkstone, John Rinete (or Reignolde) of Shotley, Owen Hopton of West- 

 wood, Edward Ichingham, Robert Cheke of Blendhall, John Blennerhasset of 

 Barham ; on the 15th Henry Chettings of Wortham, Edward Glemham of 

 Glemham (2nd son), Sir Anthony Rowse of Dennington, Sir Thomas Corn- 

 wallis of Brome (sheriff), Sir Nicholas Hare of Bruisyard, John Tirrel of 

 Gipping, Thomas Petyt of Shipmeadow ; on the 1 6th and 17th, John 

 Smith of Cavendish, Richard Cooke of Langham, Robert Gosnolde of Otley, 

 Sir Richard Brooke of Nacton, John Brend of Beccles, Lord Wentworth of 

 Nettlestead, Edward Tasburgh of Ilketshall, Sir William Drury of Halstead, 

 Robert Drury of Halstead, Clement Heigham of Barrow.- The munitions 

 and ordnance of the ships which had been stationed at Harwich under 

 Sir Richard Brooke to prevent Mary's escape were safely brought away to 

 Framlingham on the 16th, as well as the artillery from St. Osyth's, before 

 Lord Darcy could come up. 3 In order to recruit her army all the gaols in the 

 county were discharged on the 18th by the advice of her council of Suffolk 

 gentlemen, and on the 21st proclamation was made to all captains to bring 

 their men to a muster 4 under Sir William Drury and Sir William Walde- 

 grave. Mary 5 was received by the people of Suffolk solely on her right as 

 heir to the crown. They realized the danger and difficulty which would 

 beset them under a Roman Catholic queen if she proved bigoted, for the 

 county favoured the Gospel. Mary was a woman of thirty-seven, whose life 

 had been one long persecution for her religion. She was embittered and 

 distrustful, but there can be little doubt that she was honest when she bought 

 the general allegiance of Suffolk by her promise to respect its conscience. 

 As she said a month later to the Mayor of London, ' she meant not to 

 compel or strain men's consciences otherwise than God should, as she trusted, 

 put into their hearts a persuasion of the truth that she is in, through 

 the opening of this Word unto them by godly and virtuous and learned 

 preachers.' A pacific restoration to the power of Rome was all she seemed 

 to have dreamed till her marriage in 1554. Mary was grateful to in- 

 dividuals. She did not forget those who had helped her at Framlingham, 

 and one of her first actions was to reward them with office and pension. Six 

 of her council were Suffolk men : Lord Wentworth, Sir Thomas Cornwallis, 

 Sir Edward Waldegrave, Sir Henry Jerningham (captain of the Guard), 

 Sir Wm. Cordell, Sir Clement Heigham, Sir Nicholas Hare. The 

 approaching marriage with Philip of Spain roused Protestant Suffolk. 

 Ipswich protested, and Edmund Withipoll of that town was no truckler, 

 whatever the bailiffs might be. In the county there was Thomas Pooley ' 

 of Icklingham to lead them. Sir William Drury was ordered to search his 

 house for incriminating papers, and either take £ 1,000 bail or send him 



1 Acts of Privy Council (New Ser.), 1552-4, p. 300. * Ibid. p. 294. 



5 Ibid. p. 298. * Ibid. p. 300. 



5 Strype, Mem. Eccl. iii, 76. 6 Acts of Privy Council (New Ser.), 1554-6, p. 106. 



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