439:
22:
113:, Warwickshire, and Elizabeth Baynham. She was Thomas Giffard's second wife: Dorothy had died by 1529, leaving Thomas with a daughter, but no surviving sons. He married Ursula in 1529. She was part of a wealthy landowning family, generally of a similar religious conservative outlook to the Giffards. Her brother,
101:
family in
Staffordshire. Sir John was still alive when his grandson John was born, so Thomas Giffard was living at Caverswall, which he had acquired through his first wife, the heiress Dorothy Montgomery. Both Sir John and Sir Thomas were MPs of religiously conservative disposition, although both had
260:
to John. In fact, Humphrey outlived John, and it was to Walter, his heir, that Black Ladies returned. With the family generally well-provided for, and the advantage still of youth, John's fortunes appeared assured, apart from the religious issue, which was to dog the
Giffards for generations.
178:
who escaped from custody to recognise Mary as Queen during the succession crisis of summer 1553. He ensured that
Lichfield returned MPs he could rely on. Giffard's senior colleague was Sir Philip Draycott, a friend of Paget who had shared his political fortunes. Giffard himself was an obvious
165:
reign, opened on 5 October 1553, four days after her coronation. Lichfield had been a parliamentary constituency in the Middle Ages, but had lost the right to elect MPs, only regaining it in 1547, after a gap of almost two hundred years. The main influence on the selection of MPs was
307:. In trusting him with public office, the regime was clearly signalling its wish to co-opt John Giffard into the county's ruling elite. His behaviour on that occasion probably gave rise to suspicion, but it was only two years later that matters took a serious turn for the worse.
318:
In 1575 the Queen visited
Staffordshire and, on her progress through the county, stayed at Chillington early in August. Giffard promised to attend worship at the parish church, but Elizabeth herself noticed that he was not present, as he should have been according to the
417:
in 1590. It is not certain what
Gilbert's motives were. The authorities considered him "the most notable double, treble villain that ever lived." Nevertheless, attitudes to his family softened and the restrictions on John Giffard were relaxed in his later years.
339:, a particularly zealous heresy-hunter. However, Chillington needed work after the royal stay, so Giffard was soon granted leave to return there to reorder his home. Soon after, he was formally released from custody on condition that he attend church and use the
425:
of John and his successors. He did what he could to dispose of his estates before his death, and made his will on 27 August 1613, paying off debts and leaving small bequests to servants. He died the following day and was buried in
401:, and agreed to act as a double agent for Walsingham, taking the alias No. 4. His information and activities proved vital, allowing Walsingham to penetrate Mary's correspondence with the French ambassador. He subsequently went
295:, swearing to accept the monarch as "the only supreme governor of this realm, and of all other her Highness's dominions and countries, as well in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things or causes, as temporal." Imposed by the
186:. Mary's first parliament legislated for a return to Catholic practice in the churches, reversing the reforms of Edward VI's reign to return the situation to that at the end of Henry VIII's. It did not restore links with the
148:
site, with fishponds. At about the age of 16, John
Giffard married Joyce Leveson, and their first child, Walter, was born about a year into the marriage. By the age of 21, he was considered ready for parliament.
252:, did not inherit the family estates until 1556. He died only four years later, leaving John with very large holdings across the southern half of Staffordshire and in Derbyshire, although the focus remained
767:
311:
762:
194:
dissolved. The
Giffards accepted these measures, which were fully in line with their own beliefs. The parliament lasted just two months and the members were home for Christmas.
256:
parish, where the
Giffards had their seat at Chillington. John's brother Humphrey was provided for by Sir Thomas, having Black Ladies for the rest of his life, with the
209:, husband of his aunt Cassandra Giffard, as his colleague. Swynnerton was an intensely pious Catholic, who spent much of his limited wealth on rebuilding the church at
129:, with which he was thought to sympathise. He made a rambling and confused confession of his part in the Catholic opposition, narrowly escaping with his life.
276:. However, there was no inquisition into Catholic's beliefs, only practice, and the authorities were long tolerant of offences of omission. Many who began as
462:
in
Wolverhampton: in 1550, James's cousin John and Robert Brooke took on most of the college property at fixed low rents on perpetual leases – a ruse by the
233:
362:. Despite this treatment at the hands of the State, Giffard remained, in his own way, entirely loyal. In 1588, when the country was threatened by
702:
Letter of Sir Edward
Stafford to Walsingham, 15 December 1587 in Calendar of State Papers Foreign, Elizabeth, Volume 21, Part 1: 1586–1588
458:
who had the monopoly of wool exports from England. Leveson had made a fortune not only from trade but also from leasing the property of
183:
567:
118:
713:
Letter of Sir Edward Stafford to Walsingham, January 1588, Calendar of State Papers Foreign, Elizabeth, Volume 21, Part 1: 1586–1588
802:
757:
752:
634:
354:, confined to his own homes in London or at Chillington. The only exception to this regime was for licensed visits to the spa at
668:
158:
782:
198:
171:
612:
197:
Giffard was also elected to the next parliament, which assembled in April 1554. This time he represented the borough of
792:
410:
182:
Giffard was able to travel up to London with his father, Thomas, who was elected to the same parliament as member for
657:
623:
690:
324:
459:
304:
167:
122:
397:, head of the queen's intelligence operation. On his return to England, late in 1585, Giffard was arrested at
340:
125:, elected in 1529. His sympathies were strongly Catholic and he was arrested in 1537, in the aftermath of the
288:
229:, at that time Thomas Giffard himself, completing the indenture in Latin for his own son and brother-in-law.
226:
236:
and the constitutionally important Act concerning Regal Power. The latter gave parliamentary authority to a
812:
378:
240:
in England for the first time. Once again, there was no prospect of a Giffard opposing the queen's wishes.
386:
179:
supporter of the Catholic Queen, with excellent connections in Staffordshire and neighbouring counties.
249:
140:
nunnery near Brewood. Shortly after, the family moved into the house, which Thomas had rebuilt as fine
78:
409:
in a Paris brothel, together with an English prostitute and a man who claimed to be a retainer of the
797:
427:
592:
406:
94:
807:
533:
455:
369:
However, the main factor in mitigating Giffard's later treatment by the authorities was his son
679:
578:
556:
320:
265:
62:
33:
669:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – SWYNNERTON, Humphrey (Author: A. D.K. Hawkyard)
568:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – THROCKMORTON, Sir George (Author: S. M. Thorpe)
446:
John Giffard married Joyce Leveson on 10 April 1550. she was the daughter of James Leveson of
414:
296:
734:
723:
712:
701:
777:
772:
635:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – DRAYCOTT, Sir Philip (Author: Alan Davidson)
402:
382:
281:
381:. He became involved in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth I and install her Catholic cousin
232:
This parliament was even shorter, lasting just a month. Its main business was to pass the
8:
359:
347:
336:
331:
to explain himself. He was interviewed by four bishops and then placed in the custody of
206:
202:
133:
126:
114:
103:
787:
613:
The History of Parliament: Members 1509–1558 – GIFFARD, John (Author: A. D.K. Hawkyard)
394:
285:
141:
66:
51:
624:
The History of Parliament: Constituencies 1509–1558 – Lichfield (Author: N. M. Fuidge)
28:
and his wife, Joyce Leveson. The son of Sir Thomas, John was fined and imprisoned for
691:
The History of Parliament: Constituencies 1509–1558 – Stafford (Author: N. M. Fuidge)
653:
438:
355:
292:
273:
222:
162:
82:
467:
466:
to profit doubly from the dissolution of the institution. James Leveson had bought
398:
268:
in 1558 did not affect the Giffards greatly. The queen rapidly moved to reassert a
86:
346:
However, Giffard continued to avoid parish worship. As a result, his estates were
109:
John Giffard's mother was Ursula Throckmorton, daughter of Robert Throckmorton of
497:
370:
257:
214:
478:
in 1539, and thereafter it became the seat of his branch of the Leveson family.
374:
363:
110:
55:
97:, had considerably expanded the family estates until they were the wealthiest
746:
451:
328:
310:
237:
175:
98:
44:
471:
390:
351:
332:
299:, failure to meet this requirement more than once had been turned into a
137:
132:
In 1539, when John was still a child, Thomas Giffard bought the site of
475:
463:
447:
269:
210:
442:
Tomb of John Gifard and Joyce Leveson, showing some of their children.
280:
gradually drifted into conformity. John did not succeed his father as
422:
190:, and it set landowners minds at rest by leaving the monasteries and
58:
47:
29:
523:
Cassandra – who married Thomas Cassey, of Whitfield, Gloucestershire
366:, he took the oath of allegiance and sent men to serve in the army.
277:
300:
253:
218:
191:
102:
generally acquiesced in the legislation that carried through the
90:
187:
145:
21:
377:. Gilbert had gone to France in 1577, hoping to train for the
157:
John Giffard was first elected to as Member of Parliament for
724:
Victoria County History – Staffordshire: Vol. 3, chapter. 44:
529:
Frances – who married Edmund Powell, of Sandford, Oxfordshire
768:
Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Stafford
314:
Prayer book of 1559, which John Giffard was expected to use.
735:
Victoria County History – Shropshire: Volume 2, chapter 10:
481:
John Giffard and Joyce had at least 14 surviving children.
421:
However, the Giffard fortunes were damaged severely by the
213:. Elections at Stafford took place among a small circle of
93:, from the late 12th century. Sir Thomas, like his father,
539:
Dorothy – who married Sir Walter Leveson, of Wolverhampton
763:
People associated with the Dissolution of the Monasteries
520:
Mary – who married Robert Brooke of Lapley, Staffordshire
526:
Ursula – who married John Wakeman, of Beckford, Gloucs.
170:, who had been a close supporter of the regime of the
234:
Act for the Marriage of Queen Mary to Philip of Spain
680:
Victoria County History, volume 5, chapter 22, s.7.
174:. Humiliated at Somerset's fall, he was one of the
579:Victoria County History, volume 5, chapter 8, s.4.
557:Victoria County History, volume 5, chapter 8, s.3.
744:
327:. Just three days later he was summoned by the
413:. Imprisoned for 20 years, he died during the
389:, the son of Baron Paget, who was already a
72:
588:
586:
291:. Both these offices required taking the
243:
684:
593:Giffard of Chillington at Ancestry.co.uk
550:
437:
309:
20:
608:
606:
604:
602:
600:
583:
152:
745:
644:
642:
617:
433:
405:and was arrested by the forces of the
385:on the throne. He thus linked up with
350:by the Crown and he was placed under
201:. This time he was returned first in
597:
639:
506:George – a priest, who died in 1585
16:Member of the Parliament of England
13:
500:– the spy, who died in Paris, 1590
488:Walter – John's heir and successor
14:
824:
650:Mary Tudor: England's First Queen
428:the Church of St Mary and St Chad
284:until 1573, the same year he was
85:. The Giffards had their seat at
325:Elizabethan Religious Settlement
803:17th-century English landowners
758:16th-century English landowners
728:
717:
706:
695:
673:
516:There were also six daughters:
323:, the other main pillar of the
305:Supremacy of the Crown Act 1562
753:High sheriffs of Staffordshire
662:
628:
572:
561:
168:William Paget, 1st Baron Paget
123:English Reformation Parliament
1:
543:
289:High Sheriff of Staffordshire
227:High Sheriff of Staffordshire
783:16th-century Roman Catholics
460:St Peter's Collegiate Church
343:even in his private chapel.
264:Initially, the accession of
7:
484:These included eight sons:
161:in the first parliament of
10:
829:
144:brick residence, set on a
77:John Giffard's father was
793:English MPs 1553 (Mary I)
73:Background and early life
54:, notable as a leader of
648:Whitelock, Anna (2009):
536:, of Dorton, Oxfordshire
454:businessman, one of the
532:Jane – who married Sir
456:Merchants of the Staple
248:John Giffard's father,
652:, London: Bloomsbury,
443:
373:role in betraying the
321:Act of Uniformity 1558
315:
244:Landowner and recusant
37:
441:
313:
297:Act of Supremacy 1558
24:
403:absent without leave
383:Mary, Queen of Scots
282:justice of the peace
225:at Stafford was the
153:Parliamentary career
813:People from Brewood
434:Marriage and family
379:Catholic priesthood
360:Rugby, Warwickshire
337:Bishop of Rochester
207:Humphrey Swynnerton
203:order of precedence
134:Black Ladies Priory
127:Pilgrimage of Grace
115:George Throckmorton
104:English Reformation
444:
395:Francis Walsingham
316:
250:Sir Thomas Giffard
172:Protector Somerset
79:Sir Thomas Giffard
52:English Parliament
50:and Member of the
43:(1534–1613) was a
38:
293:Oath of Supremacy
274:Church of England
223:returning officer
217:, chaired by the
176:Privy Councillors
83:Caverswall Castle
61:in the reigns of
820:
798:English MPs 1554
737:
732:
726:
721:
715:
710:
704:
699:
693:
688:
682:
677:
671:
666:
660:
646:
637:
632:
626:
621:
615:
610:
595:
590:
581:
576:
570:
565:
559:
554:
468:Lilleshall Abbey
399:Rye, East Sussex
393:working for Sir
364:Spanish invasion
95:Sir John Giffard
87:Chillington Hall
828:
827:
823:
822:
821:
819:
818:
817:
743:
742:
741:
740:
733:
729:
722:
718:
711:
707:
700:
696:
689:
685:
678:
674:
667:
663:
647:
640:
633:
629:
622:
618:
611:
598:
591:
584:
577:
573:
566:
562:
555:
551:
546:
436:
407:Catholic League
303:offence by the
246:
155:
75:
17:
12:
11:
5:
826:
816:
815:
810:
808:Giffard family
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
770:
765:
760:
755:
739:
738:
727:
716:
705:
694:
683:
672:
661:
638:
627:
616:
596:
582:
571:
560:
548:
547:
545:
542:
541:
540:
537:
530:
527:
524:
521:
514:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
495:
492:
489:
470:, a dissolved
435:
432:
415:siege of Paris
375:Babington Plot
356:King's Newnham
245:
242:
163:Queen Mary I's
154:
151:
136:, a dissolved
111:Coughton Court
74:
71:
56:Roman Catholic
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
825:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
750:
748:
736:
731:
725:
720:
714:
709:
703:
698:
692:
687:
681:
676:
670:
665:
659:
658:9781408800782
655:
651:
645:
643:
636:
631:
625:
620:
614:
609:
607:
605:
603:
601:
594:
589:
587:
580:
575:
569:
564:
558:
553:
549:
538:
535:
531:
528:
525:
522:
519:
518:
517:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
486:
485:
482:
479:
477:
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
452:Wolverhampton
449:
440:
431:
429:
424:
419:
416:
412:
411:Earl of Essex
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
387:Charles Paget
384:
380:
376:
372:
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
344:
342:
338:
334:
330:
329:Privy Council
326:
322:
312:
308:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
287:
283:
279:
275:
272:monarchy and
271:
267:
262:
259:
255:
251:
241:
239:
238:queen regnant
235:
230:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
200:
195:
193:
189:
185:
184:Staffordshire
180:
177:
173:
169:
164:
160:
150:
147:
143:
139:
135:
130:
128:
124:
120:
117:, was MP for
116:
112:
107:
105:
100:
99:landed gentry
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
70:
68:
64:
60:
57:
53:
49:
46:
45:Staffordshire
42:
35:
31:
27:
23:
19:
730:
719:
708:
697:
686:
675:
664:
649:
630:
619:
574:
563:
552:
515:
483:
480:
464:prebendaries
450:, a wealthy
445:
430:in Brewood.
420:
391:double agent
368:
352:house arrest
345:
333:Edmund Freke
317:
263:
247:
231:
196:
181:
156:
131:
119:Warwickshire
108:
76:
41:John Giffard
40:
39:
26:John Giffard
25:
18:
778:1613 deaths
773:1534 births
534:John Dormer
472:Augustinian
348:sequestered
341:Prayer Book
301:treasonable
266:Elizabeth I
138:Benedictine
63:Elizabeth I
747:Categories
544:References
476:Shropshire
448:Lilleshall
270:Protestant
211:Shareshill
788:Recusants
474:house in
423:recusancy
371:Gilbert's
278:recusants
258:reversion
215:burgesses
192:chantries
159:Lichfield
59:Recusancy
48:landowner
34:Elizabeth
30:Recusancy
199:Stafford
498:Gilbert
491:Richard
358:, near
286:pricked
254:Brewood
219:bailiff
205:, with
121:in the
91:Brewood
89:, near
67:James I
656:
512:Edward
509:Gerard
494:Thomas
335:, the
221:. The
188:Papacy
146:moated
32:under
503:Giles
142:Tudor
654:ISBN
65:and
81:of
749::
641:^
599:^
585:^
106:.
69:.
36:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
