When his plans were eventually found out he was called
before Queen Elizabeth to explain himself. There he was ordered to remain while
the matter was debated among the Queen and Council. The courtiers glowered at
him and shunned him in order to assure their monarch that they were perfectly loyal.
Norfolk was eventually released to return to his estates
in the Catholic north of England. Reports from the Earl of Sussex, then
president of the Council of York, of rumored plots to rise up and return
England to Catholicism, as well as more damning evidence against the Duke, saw
him recalled to court. He obeyed without complaint or resistance and was
arrested.
Upon news of the arrest, the rumors of rebellion grew
more strident. The Earl of Sussex called the Earls of Northumberland and
Westmorland before his council of York to be questioned. They assured him that
they had no intention of taking any action against the government. Ordered next to present
themselves before the Queen they refused to obey and entered the town of Durham
under arms.
After the rebel Earl’s took Durham, Jane Howard, the Countess
of Westmorland, wrote to Sussex enclosing a letter pleading with her husband
to surrender himself to the mercy of the Queen.
Earl of Sussex and Sir Ralph Sadler to Sir John Forster.
Lady Westmoreland has made great suits to us for licence to
send a letter to her husband, which we have perused, and find nothing in it but
advice to submit to Her Majesty's mercy; although we think little fruit will come
thereof, yet as we may use it to get some intelligence where the Earl remains,
we have agreed to send it, and enclose it to you, praying you to choose such a
messenger for carrying it as may bring us intelligence where he and the rest of
the rebels remain, and what practices they have in hand; if the Earl shall
write any answer, send it to us, that we may consider whether it be fit to be delivered
or detained. Durham, 11 Jan. 1570.[1]
Surely she sent the letters to them as intermediaries so
as not to appear to have been part of the plot — to ensure a public statement
existed in the official records to the effect. Presumably the letter was
delivered.
Countess of Westmoreland to her husband.
I thought I could not discharge my duty towards you till I sued for leave to send you these few lines, to put you in remembrance of what you were always inclined to, had not the greatness of your offence to Her Majesty been such as abashed you to come to her presence, and made you despair ever to obtain her pardon. I wish you most earnestly, as I am fully persuaded you will, to submit yourself, and to do it with speed, and crave her gracious pardon,
lest your necessity be such as you shall be forced, being in a foreign land, to
stand in need of their succour of whom perhaps you shall receive no benefit
without incurring further danger: I mean in entering some practices that may
aggravate her displeasure and cut off hope of recovering her favour. Therefore,
my Lord, in good time perform your bounden duty to Her Majesty, and forget not
the care that you ought to have of me and your poor children, now desolate and
void of help without the merciful clemency of the Queen, to which, as I have
often heard you say, she was naturally disposed. Do not fear, though your fault
be very great, that her inclination can be so suddenly transformed but that,
upon your submission and repentance, you shall find her accustomed mercy to
remain, trusting she will consider that, as you have passed a few weeks in
offending her, you have, I hope, many years to pass in her service, wherein I
think you would willingly venture your life. As soon as I receive answer from
you, I will not omit the duty of a true wife in being an humble suitor to Her Majesty
for your life, lands, and liberty, that I may see your joyful return, and that
she may once, by employing your service, find the true faith in you towards her
which, for your late offence, I fear she will yet hardly believe. God preserve
you in health, and bring you shortly to a more safe and quiet estate.
The Countess attempts to save the standing of herself and
her children. Their future chances in life depend wholly on the Queen’s mercy. There
must be a witness that the family played no part except to try to dissuade their
lord from treason. Her husband’s rebellion could come at a terrible price not
only for himself but for them all.
From Durham they took some smaller towns on a route toward
Tutbury Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was under guard. She was removed to
Coventry. Reaction was otherwise delayed while Sussex could assemble a force of
sufficient size to meet the threat.
The expected uprisings in the countryside did not
materialize. Mary was no longer within reach. Once Sussex had made the
necessary preparations he marched against the Earls with a large force. They
fled into Scotland.
From Scotland, Westmorland made his way to the Catholic Netherlands where he lived out the rest of his life. As his wife expected, his titles and lands were revoked to the crown. Northumberland was betrayed by his Scottish allies in time, returned to England and summarily beheaded. He refused to the last to recant his religion.
[1] Calendar
of State Papers, Domestic Series, Elizabeth, Addenda, 1566-1579. 190-1.
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