POLITICAL HISTORY 



Though the rebellion had been stamped out the country was still in a 

 state of subdued excitement, and the castles at Durham and Hartlepool were 

 garrisoned, whilst preparations were made for a series of executions throughout 

 the country that should strike terror into the hearts of the inhabitants. Over 

 300 people were distributed for execution throughout the county,'"* and well 

 might the bishop write, ' the cuntre is in grete mysere. The number off 

 offenders is so grete, that few innocent are left to trie the giltie.' '" 



As a large number of the principal landowners had been involved, the 

 question of forfeitures soon became a matter of interest to Queen Elizabeth. 

 As early as 25 December Lord Sussex wrote to Cecil that the forfeitures 

 belonged to the bishop, but were too great for a subject to receive, 

 and suggested that before proceedings were taken against the offenders 

 the queen should either compound with the bishop therefor, or translate 

 him to another bishopric, ' whereby, sede vacante, all might growe to her 

 Majestic.' ^"^ 



The suggestion bore fruit. When Bishop Pilkington refused to 

 resign his claims and brought an action which decided that ' he that hath 

 jura regalia shall have forfeiture of high treason,' °" the queen rushed an 

 Act of Attainder through Parliament, whereby the queen should have for 

 that time the lands and goods of the fifty-eight persons attainted as some 

 compensation for the expense she had been put to in suppressing the 

 rebellion.^"^ 



It was many years ere Durham recovered from the effects of the re- 

 bellion of 1569, and in 1571 Hunsdon writes to Burghley : — 



The Bishopric is very weak, as there is none to whom they may resort for succour, for the 

 bishop they make small account of; and whereas Westmoreland, Swinburne, and others 

 kept houses, which are now empty, that part of the country is clean waste.^"^ 



Few places were more affected than Durham by the union of the English 

 and Scotch crowns ; for, though the Palatinate had not suffered from invasion 

 for many years, the harassing demands on the inhabitants to serve on the 

 borders were not infrequent, and isolated raids by parties of freebooters, 

 especially in the western districts, rendered an irksome system of watch and 

 ward necessary.""* 



Warm was the welcome with which the citizens of Durham greeted 

 James I in April, 1603, just 100 years after Fox had so sumptuously enter- 

 tained Princess Margaret in the castle on her progress to Scotland to marry 

 James IV. 



In this reign we first hear of a question which later was to cause much 

 trouble in the Palatinate — the representation of the county in Parliament. 



"° Sharp, op. cit. 133. 



™ Ibid. 135. In dealing with this episode the writer has had the advantage of reading Dr. Gie's 

 unpublished paper on the subject. For bibliography see Trans, of Royal Hist. Soc. (New Ser.), xx, 172. 



'^ Ibid. 119. '»' Coke, Inst, iv, 219. 



"" Stat. 13 Eliz. cap. 16 ; printed Surtees, Hist. Dur. i, cxxxv ; see Lapsley, op. cit. 48 ; Hutchinson, 

 op. cit. i, 557. The value of the forfeited estates was very great ; see Humberstonc's Survey (P.R.O.). 

 In order that the queen might obtain the value of the life- interest in entailed estates, the lives of most rebels 

 who were tenants for life of such estates were spared ; Surtees, Hist, Dur. i, Ixxvi. 



'"' Cal. S.P. Foreign, 1569-71, p. 2114. 



"* Allan MSS. vii. Dean and Chapter Library, Durham. By custom of Weardale there was night and 

 day watching at the fords from Lammas to St. Andrew's Day, and special watch on the fells as occasions 

 required, but specially from Lammas to Michaelm.is, and oft-times till St. Andrew's Day. 



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