HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [257 



other enemies. Lord I/Isle was also nominated by the King as one 

 of his sixteen executors, and received a legacy of o500. bequeathed 

 to him by his Majesty. 



On the demise of King Henry the Eighth, which happened Ja- 

 nuary 28, 1547, his son, then in his minority, was proclaimed by 

 the title of Edward the Sixth, and a regency appointed to manage 

 the affairs of the state. But the Earl of Hereford, uncle to the 

 King, incited by ambition, exerted his influence so successfully in 

 the cabinet, that he was declared Protector of the kingdom, and 

 exercised little less than regal authority. Jealous of the abilities 

 of Lord Viscount L'Isle he deprived him of the office of Lord 

 High Admiral, and appointed his own brother Sir Thomas Sey- 

 mour to that place of high trust and responsibility. As a com- 

 pensation to Lord L'Isle, he was created Earl of Warwick, and 

 Great Chamberlain of England, but this did not abate his aversion 

 to the Protector. 



Insurrections soon afterwards broke out in several parts of the 

 kingdom, the most remarkable of which was the rebellion in Nor- 

 folk, where Robert Ket, a tanner, appeared at the head of ten 

 thousand rebels. The Earl of Warwick marched with the Royal 

 army against the insurgents, and in a general engagement de- 

 feated them, and killed about one thousand men. But the rebels 

 resolutely rallied their scattered forces, and offered him battle a 

 second time. The Earl willing to spare the lives of his country- 

 men, sent a flag of truce, with a message " that he was sorry to 

 see so much courage exerted in so bad a cause, but notwithstand- 

 ing what had passed, they might depend upon the King's pardon, 

 if they delivered up their leaders, and dispersed quietly to their 

 homes." To this they answered, that " he was a nobleman of so 

 much worth and generosity, that if they might have the assurance 

 from his own mouth, they were willing to submit." On receiving 

 this answer, the Earl gallantly rode forward, and exhorted the in- 

 surgents to lay down their arms, which they immediately did, and 

 having delivered up their leader, Robert Ket, and his brother 

 William, they were immediately dispersed, and their chiefs tried 

 by a court-martial and executed. 



The disgrace and public execution of Sir Thomas Seymour for 

 treasonable practices in 1549, opened the way for the preferment 

 of the Earl of Warwick, who was reinstated in the office of Lord 

 High Admiral, with very extensive powers. He was now the 

 favourite of his Prince, and in such friendship and estimation with 



