Could matters get any worse for Frances? The answer is ‘Yes.’ It starts with Frances being summoned to attend Lichfield Consistory Court, on 29th March 1558 – as the legality of her marriage to William Bradbourne is under question.
Edward Langham filed a suit, claiming that he and Frances had become engaged months before this marriage took place in December 1557. [1]
What happens next is almost unbelievable – it begins as a normal court session then transforms into a Court of Star Chamber Case – where Frances becomes the Star Prize. To complete the picture, the others in court together with the lawyers, were Richard Blackwall, Sir Humphrey Bradbourne and his wife and the Langham family.
Each party had travelled with their ‘servants’ for protection – all armed with swords.
(Note both Richard Blackwall and Sir Humphrey Bradbourne were JPs – ‘Justices of the Peace’)
The case started and was played like a tennis match with both sides claiming they were telling the truth about events that did or didn’t happen.
Edward Langham argued that he and Frances had agreed to a spoken word contract months before she wed William Bradbourne, so she was his wife and he wanted her back.
Frances told the court that she had never been contracted to Edward Langham. She had only been legally contracted, married and bedded by her husband William Bradbourne.
The tennis game continued …but it was becoming serious, more intense. The atmosphere was electric – impatience raged as the Langhams and their followers attempted to abduct Frances, shouting they would have her; she was Langham’s wife.
The Bradbourne party became surrounded and swords were drawn. A ‘hurly-burly’ ensued in the cathedral – this was later referred to as a ‘Riot in Lichfield Cathedral’.
Frances was grabbed roughly by her arm by Ralph Pillesworth, one of Langham’s men, and passed to Edward Langham but she managed to break free and run to her husband William.
The Bradbourne party, now outnumbered and fearing for their lives, ran for cover in the Chancellor’s House, with the Langhams in hot pursuit.
Still determined to abduct Frances, the Langhams attempted to enter the house but failed. This resulted in Sir Humphrey, his wife, William, Frances and Richard Blackwall being held siege for two days at Lichfield Cathedral.
These actions resulted in the Court of Star Chamber Case – TNA Ref. STAC 4/8/4 –
“Riot in Lichfield Cathedral and town arising out of a dispute between Edward Langham and William Bradbourne as to the marriage of Frances Preest”
On the more serious charge of drawing swords in the cathedral, Langham’s counsel tried to blame Richard Blackwall and Sir Humphrey Bradbourne for drawing swords inside the cathedral thus threatening the Langhams, so they were required to draw swords to protect themselves.
They also put forward evidence that while Richard Blackwall was taking Frances around the country before the marriage in December 1557 –they stayed at the Swan Inn in Newport.
Here Frances requested the Mistress of the Swan, for a servant of the inn, Joan Bury to lay with her all night. Joan Bury stated that at about 3 in the morning, Blackwall came to the room and laid down by Frances.
Frances and Joan both got out of bed but Blackwall, still in bed, commanded Frances to return to him or he’d fetch her.
She refused his order, whereupon Blackwall, defeated, disappointed and deflated, surrendered the bed back to Frances and Joan and returned to his room.
Although this had no link with the case concerned, did the Langham counsel believe this would undermine Blackwall’s position in the eyes of the court?
It also raised the question – did Richard Blackwall abuse Frances at Calke Manor, as his ‘right’ as her step-father?
The Langham’s counsel put forward the same arguments about the legality of the marriage but to no avail as it appears the marriage between Frances and William was legal. Although the Court’s final papers are missing, we know that Frances and William remained married. [2]
One thing that the Langhams overlooked was the fact that there’s an alliance between lawyers. With Attorney-General Edward Gryffen pressing charges, and Richard Blackwall and Sir Humphrey Bradbourne both being JPs, the case was loaded against the Langhams, and the result went against them. We are unsure of the punishment as these papers are missing.
Edward Langham lost his case but it makes one wonder – if swords were not drawn in Lichfield Cathedral, would the result have been in his favour at the original hearing?
Richard Blackwall returned to Calke Manor in triumph, and then in 1559 proudly listed Calke Manor as his Family Seat in the Queen Elizabeth I Pardon Rolls. [3]
Frances, although married, remained under Richard Blackwall’s control.
Next article – Frances’ story continues as her mother Alice dies in 1561
Will Richard accept Alice’s final wishes, to acknowledge John Preste’s will and be a good father to her daughter Frances?
We acknowledge both Philip Riden and Joseph Block for their transcripts covering the court case.
References
[1] TNA STAC4/8/4 – The National Archives, Kew.
[2] For a full account of events, please refer to –‘The Darker Side of Love’ – Chapter 5 ‘High Noon’ – by Joseph Block.
[3] Elizabeth’s HATHI TRUST – Ref. 189.
