Richard Gerard of Hilderstone
Encyclopedia
Richard Gerard of Hilderstone, Staffordshire (born about 1635; died 11 March 1680 (O.S.)) was a figure of the Popish Plot
of the reign of Charles II of England
. He was a Roman Catholic landowner in Staffordshire
, and came forward as a witness in the defence of the accused Catholic aristocrat, William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford
.
He attended a gathering on the feast of the Assumption, 1678, when Father John Gavan
made his profession, at the house of the Penderels at Boscobel
. This was the family who had sheltered Charles II after the battle of Worcester
; and after dinner the party visited the Royal Oak
, the tree in which Charles had hidden.
This circumstance came to the knowledge of Stephen Dugdale
, and became the occasion of Richard's imprisonment and death. Dugdale accused him of having contributed to the funds of the alleged plotters (perhaps with some reference to the pensions paid for his boys at St-Omer) and of having conspired to murder the king. Dugdale's principal target was not Gerard himself but Lord Stafford , who was executed for treason in December 1680, largely on Dugdale's evidence. Gerarrd would have been a crucial alibi witness and his death seriously undermined Stafford's defence.
Examined by the Lords' committee (19 May 1679) he confessed to the meeting at Boscobel, and was thrown into Newgate Jail. There he was kept ten months without trial, before falling ill of gaol fever and dying. He was attended during his last hours by Father Edward Petre
, who, in a letter written 29 March 1680, speaks of his dying wish to be buried by the side of his friend, Thomas Whitbread
, then recently executed.
The Gerards Bromley branch of the Gerard family, which divided off from the original stock of Bryn, Lancashire in the fourteenth century, grew to power and affluence through his grandfather Sir Gilbert Gerard, who was Attorney General
to Elizabeth I of England
1559-1581. He is said to have obtained the estate of Gerard's Bromley, through a court intrigue, from the Catholic Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn (father of the Jesuit John Gerard), as the price for which the knight bought off the prosecution against him for adhering to Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1603 Gilbert's son Thomas Gerard
, uncle of Richard, was made Baron Gerard
of Gerard's Bromley, County Stafford.
Richard's his third son, Philip Gerard (born 1 December 1665), having entered the Society of Jesus 7 September 1684, unexpectedly became seventh and last Baron Gerard of Gerard's Bromley (12 April 1707, O.S.), following the deaths of various cousins and older brothers. Philip never claimed the title, and gave up all rights to the estates for a small yearly pension of £60, being obliged to leave the country by the action of a near connection, the Duke of Hamilton
, who advertised the reward of £1,000 for his arrest as a priest. (The four lords who have been among the English Jesuits all lived at the same time. Philip Gerard (d. 1733) was the contemporary of Father Gilbert Talbot (d. 1743), who became Earl of Shrewsbury
in 1717; also of Father William Molyneux (d. 1754), who was Viscount Sefton in 1745; also of Father Charles Dormer (d. 1761), who was Baron Dormer
in 1728.)
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
of the reign of Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. He was a Roman Catholic landowner in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, and came forward as a witness in the defence of the accused Catholic aristocrat, William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford
William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford
Blessed William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford was the youngest son of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, and his wife, the former Alethea Talbot. He was a supporter of the Royalist cause before being implicated in the Popish Plot and executed for treason...
.
Life
Gerard was friendly with Jesuit missioners in England, and had three sons at their college of St-Omer. He was trustee for them for some small properties.He attended a gathering on the feast of the Assumption, 1678, when Father John Gavan
John Gavan
Blessed John Gavan was an English Jesuit and victim of the Popish Plot, wrongfully executed for conspiracy to murder Charles II. He was beatified in 1929.- Life :...
made his profession, at the house of the Penderels at Boscobel
Boscobel
Boscobel is a very small civil parish in the east of Shropshire, England, on the border with Staffordshire. To the north is the Staffordshire village of Bishops Wood....
. This was the family who had sheltered Charles II after the battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
; and after dinner the party visited the Royal Oak
Royal Oak
The Royal Oak is the English oak tree within which King Charles II of England hid to escape the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The tree was located in Boscobel Wood, which was part of the park of Boscobel House. Charles confirmed to Samuel Pepys in 1680 that while he was...
, the tree in which Charles had hidden.
This circumstance came to the knowledge of Stephen Dugdale
Stephen Dugdale
Stephen Dugdale was an informer, and self-proclaimed discoverer of parts of the Popish Plot . He perjured himself on numerous occasions, giving false testimony.-Life:...
, and became the occasion of Richard's imprisonment and death. Dugdale accused him of having contributed to the funds of the alleged plotters (perhaps with some reference to the pensions paid for his boys at St-Omer) and of having conspired to murder the king. Dugdale's principal target was not Gerard himself but Lord Stafford , who was executed for treason in December 1680, largely on Dugdale's evidence. Gerarrd would have been a crucial alibi witness and his death seriously undermined Stafford's defence.
Examined by the Lords' committee (19 May 1679) he confessed to the meeting at Boscobel, and was thrown into Newgate Jail. There he was kept ten months without trial, before falling ill of gaol fever and dying. He was attended during his last hours by Father Edward Petre
Edward Petre
Sir Edward Petre, 3rd baronet SJ was an English Jesuit who became a close adviser to King James II and was appointed a privy councillor.-Early life:...
, who, in a letter written 29 March 1680, speaks of his dying wish to be buried by the side of his friend, Thomas Whitbread
Thomas Whitbread
Blessed Thomas Whitbread was an English Jesuit missionary, wrongly convicted of conspiracy to murder Charles II of England. He was beatified in 1929.-Life:...
, then recently executed.
Family
He was the son of John Gerard of Hilderstne, Staffordshire and grandson of Sir Gilbert Gerard.The Gerards Bromley branch of the Gerard family, which divided off from the original stock of Bryn, Lancashire in the fourteenth century, grew to power and affluence through his grandfather Sir Gilbert Gerard, who was Attorney General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
to Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
1559-1581. He is said to have obtained the estate of Gerard's Bromley, through a court intrigue, from the Catholic Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn (father of the Jesuit John Gerard), as the price for which the knight bought off the prosecution against him for adhering to Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1603 Gilbert's son Thomas Gerard
Thomas Gerard
Thomas Gerard may refer to:*Thomas Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard , English politician and peer*Tom Gerard, police officer*Thomas Gerard , English Protestant...
, uncle of Richard, was made Baron Gerard
Baron Gerard
There have been three baronies created for descendants of the Gerard family who resided at Bryn, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire in the 13th century....
of Gerard's Bromley, County Stafford.
Richard's his third son, Philip Gerard (born 1 December 1665), having entered the Society of Jesus 7 September 1684, unexpectedly became seventh and last Baron Gerard of Gerard's Bromley (12 April 1707, O.S.), following the deaths of various cousins and older brothers. Philip never claimed the title, and gave up all rights to the estates for a small yearly pension of £60, being obliged to leave the country by the action of a near connection, the Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton
Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that Peerage , and as such its holder is the Premier Peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas...
, who advertised the reward of £1,000 for his arrest as a priest. (The four lords who have been among the English Jesuits all lived at the same time. Philip Gerard (d. 1733) was the contemporary of Father Gilbert Talbot (d. 1743), who became Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
in 1717; also of Father William Molyneux (d. 1754), who was Viscount Sefton in 1745; also of Father Charles Dormer (d. 1761), who was Baron Dormer
Baron Dormer
Baron Dormer, of Wyng or Wenge in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 30 June 1615 for Sir Robert Dormer, 1st Baronet. He had only twenty days earlier, on 10 June 1615, been created a Baronet, of Wenge in the County of Buckingham, in the Baronetage of...
in 1728.)