A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



could not possibly out of his own patrimony and his wife's fortune alone 

 have built the enormous pile at Houghton, made his priceless collection 

 of pictures, and kept up the state which he did. His weekly expendi- 

 ture when at Houghton was calculated to be no less than ^(^ 1,500.^ From 

 1708 to 1742 he took a great part in public affairs, being for the greater 

 part of that time in office and almost indispensable to the country. In 

 1742 he was created earl of Orford and died in 1745 ; neither his public 

 nor private life can be described as irreproachable, but both were very charac- 

 teristic of his time. 



The election of 17 14 was stubbornly fought, the winners being Sir Jacob 

 Astley and Thomas de Grey, who polled 3,059 and 3,183 against Sir Ralph 

 Hare and Erasmus Earle, who had 2,840 and 2,635 votes. In October, 

 1 7 14, the letters patent constituting the duke of Ormonde lord-lieutenant of 

 Norfolk and Norwich were cancelled, and Charles Viscount Townshend 

 was again appointed to that position. At this time, with a Norfolk member 

 for prime minister, and Townshend, a Norfolk peer, the next chief minister, 

 the representatives of the county enjoyed many advantageous and lucrative 

 appointments in the royal and public service.* 



The rising in 171 5 does not appear to have affected the county, but in 

 1722 there is some slight evidence that there was a stir among the Jacobites in 

 Norfolk. A letter is printed by Mason ^ in enigmatic language to the effect that 

 the ' Tanners ' (Tories) of Norfolk would stand by the party and offer to bear 

 expenses. Whigs were called ' Waggs,' the duke of Norfolk ' Mrs. Jones,' 

 and letters are said to have been sent by the aid of Mrs. George Jerningham. 

 The only man in Norfolk who had the courage of his opinions and suffered 

 for the Jacobite cause was Christopher Layer, a man of good family at 

 Aylsham, though he was a Londoner by birth. In a manuscript in Mr. Rye's 

 possession called ' Acta Norvicensia,' and compiled by W. Massey, it is said 

 that he was brought up by his uncle and was ' in his temper splenetic 

 malicious and vengeful.' 



It seems he was drawn into y« conspiracy for which he suffered, by his going into Italy 

 in 1 72 1 about some affairs in his way of Business and his Curiosity leading him to Rome he 

 became acquainted with and had several interviews with ye Pretender. On 24 August 

 being returned again into England at a meeting at Leyton House in Essex, Mr. Layer with 

 other of his accomplices enlisted several persons for the service of the Pretender, and a few 

 days after was apprehended and committed to the Tower. 



He was tried on 31 October* and found guilty, but not executed until 

 17 May, 1723, dying very courageously, and avowing that he was 'certain 

 the nation can never be happy nor easy until the lawful king is placed upon 

 the throne.' There is no doubt a good deal of cautious treason had been going 

 on for some time, for the same MS. says under the date 10 June, 1720, 'this 

 being the anniversary of the Pretender's Birthday it was observed here by the 

 Jacobites as openly as they durst by wearing the White Rose and clean White 

 Gloves.' The Whigs on the other hand showed their sentiments by burning 

 effigies of the pope and the Pretender in Norwich market-place on 5 November, 

 1725, 1726, and 1728. 



' M.ison, op. cit. 447. ' Ibid. 440 gives a list of them. 



• Ibid. 441. 



* Howell, Stale Trials, xvi. No. 463. 



520 



