A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



Norfolk.' At Norwich he met Edward Yelverton, son of William Yelverton 

 of Rougham, and Edward Yelverton took him home with him to Grimston, 

 a neighbourhood where the squires were all recusant. The Townsends of 

 Rainham, the Cobbs of Sandringham, the Bastards of Dunham, the Bozouns 

 of Whissonsett, the Kerviles of Wiggenhall, all figure in the recusant lists. 

 Father Gerard writes : — 



Thus it happened that I remained for six or eight months with some profit to souls 

 in the family of my friend and host, during which time he took me with him to nearly 

 every gentleman's house in the county. ... I reconciled to the church, during the period 

 of my appearance in public, more than twenty fathers and mothers of families ... as 

 to poor persons and servants I received a great many, the exact number I do not 

 remember. . . . Many, too, at that time received the inspiration to a more perfect 

 life, among whom I may mention Father Edward Walpole, his cousin Michael Walpole, 

 and others.' 



Of all the recusant victims, Father Henry Walpole, cousin of Edward, 

 stands out from the rest for his ability and devotion and literary talents ; and 

 his youngest brother, Michael, was Gerard's most devoted adherent. The 

 history of this family, which furnished so many staunch supporters to the 

 cause, has been written by Dr. Jessopp.' Henry Walpole had been enrolled 

 at Gray's Inn, a favourite resort with Catholics, and entered the Society of 

 Jesus at Rome 2 February, 1584 ; his second brother, Richard, followed him 

 in 1585 ; and in the same year his cousin, Edward Walpole of Houghton, 

 became openly recusant, and went to reside with his cousin William Walpole 

 of St. Cleres, in North Tuddenham, his own parents, who were Puritans, 

 having disinherited him; in 1589, Henry's third brother, Christopher, 

 joined the college at Rome ; another brother, Thomas, was also a recusant. 

 Henry joined the missionary staff sent to minister to dying soldiers, and had 

 to hear confessions under fire in French, English, Spanish, and Italian at 

 Flushing in 1589. Here he was taken prisoner, and news of him sent home 

 brought his brother Michael out to him. Later Michael proceeded to Rome, 

 accompanied by another Norfolk gentleman, Thomas Goodrich. Edward 

 Walpole of Houghton, too, abjured the realm, taking with him his cousin 

 Bernard Gardiner, and they were received into the college 20 October, 1589.* 

 Next year Christopher and two Norfolk gentlemen, Thomas Lacy and 

 Anthony Rouse, entered the college (22 August, 1591).' Henry returned 

 to England on the mission in 1593 ; was arrested, tortured, and condemned 

 to death in 1595. Charles Yelverton, after much imprisonment, escaped to 

 Rome, and was admitted to the Society of Jesus, 1601 ; his brother Edward 

 was also a Roman Catholic. Henry Cornwallis of Brome and his son Richard 

 were among those converted by Gerard ; Richard joined the college at 

 Rome, I 598. 



A list of Norfolk recusants in the State Papers Domestic* gives, at Cossy 

 the Lady Jerningham ; Mr. Charles Waldegrave and his wife ; Mr. Pratte, a 

 priest; Mr. Robert Downes and his wife, who doth dwell but a mile off from 

 Cossy, the Lady Jerningham her house ; Mr. Nicholas Waldegrave, and 

 Sir Thomas Cornwallis. 



' Autobiography of Father John Gerard, S.J. 8. ' Ibid. 22--1J. 



'One Generation of a Norfolk House. * Walpole Letters, 15. 'Ibid. 18. 



« S. P. Dom. Eliz. clvii, No. 88. 



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