A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



under strong escort to London. Sir Henry Tirrell ' had the unenviable task 

 of forcing the recalcitrant to church and imprisoning those who refused. 

 He was thanked for his 'travail' in August, 1554. Papist members were 

 returned for that year's Parliament. 



The Marian persecution began; 2 in February, 1555, Dr. Rowland 

 Taylor was burned at Hadleigh, and in June seven men were delivered 

 out of Newgate to suffer in Essex and Suffolk. 3 In July Francis Clopton 

 of Denston was apprehended with his servant and committed to the Fleet. 

 Many rled abroad to France and Geneva, and waited their chance of over- 

 throwing the scarlet woman on the throne. In June, 1556, these exiles- 

 made an attempt in Suffolk. The traitorous correspondence of Andrew 

 Revett and William Bigott had been taken by the sheriff, Sir John Sulyard. 4, 

 In consequence their persons were secured and their houses searched, with 

 small result. This summary dealing did not deter the exiles, and they sent 

 a bold man and ' one condemned ' called Clayberd, 6 who gave himself out 

 as the earl of Devon, then in exile at Padua, and used the name of the 

 Princess Elizabeth to further his cause. He fell immediately into the hands- 

 of Sir John and was executed at Bury, while his few supporters were arraigned 

 and condemned. Andrew Revett cleared his name by proving that the 

 charge against him rested on a letter forged by a retainer of Sir Nicholas 

 Hare. Most of the county stood aloof ready to follow a recognized leader 

 against a persecution which was so abhorred that it was almost impossible to 

 get the burnings carried into effect, 6 and that with a papist sheriff and two 

 zealous assistants, Sir William Drury and Sir Clement Heigham. Lady 

 Wentworth, the wife of the unfortunate defender of Calais, was first charged 

 with harbouring Protestants, then she was apprehended and committed 

 to the Fleet, and not released till she recanted. Edmund Withipoll, 

 William Brampton, and William Gresham were ordered to come up before 

 the council also. 



Mary died opportunely 17 November, 1558. The county could not 

 have been held in much longer, and the accession of Elizabeth was hailed by 

 the majority with acclamation, for Suffolk hoped she would reign by the 

 light of the Gospel, as expounded by its favourite preachers. They were 

 soon to find out that her mind was in the main that of her father. In her 

 progress through Suffolk in 1561 she was scandalized at Ipswich by the 

 impudent behaviour of many of the ministers and readers, for little order was 

 observed in the public service, and few wore the surplice, while all had wives 

 and children. The bishop winked at the schismatics. Not so the queen/ 

 She issued an order to the archbishop of Canterbury and all church digni- 

 taries, dated Ipswich, August 9, forbidding the resort of women to collegiate 

 churches or cathedral lodgings. Having spread dismay through the town 

 which had assessed itself heavily for her entertainment she departed to 

 Shelley Hall and thence to the Waldegraves at Smallbridge and the 

 Tollemaches at Helmingham. 



1 Acts of Privy Council (New Ser.), I 554-6, p. 63. ' Machyn's Diary (Camden Soc), p. 82 et seq. 



3 Acts of Privy Council (New Ser.), 1554-6, pp. 165, 1 7 1 . 



4 Ibid. 235 and 360. * Strype, Mem. Eccl. iii (i), 546. 

 6 Acts of Privy Council (New Ser.), 1556-8, p. 135. 



' Nicholl, Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, pp. 96-7. 



184 



