Edward Walpole (Jesuit)
Encyclopedia
Edward Walpole alias Rich, was an English Roman Catholic convert, who became known as a Jesuit missioner and preacher. He passed up substantial estates that subsequently became part of the fortune of the Walpole political family.
, Norfolk
, by Catherine Calibut of Coxford in the same county, and was born on 28 January 1560. He matriculated as a fellow commoner at St Peter's College, Cambridge, in May 1576, the year after his cousin Henry Walpole
had entered at the same college as a pensioner.
He showed sympathy for Catholicism, and incurred the displeasure of his parents: in 1585 he was turned out of his home at Houghton, and adopted the name of Poor to indicate his want of means. Another cousin, William Walpole, offered him an asylum at North Tuddenham
in Norfolk. He reconciled William to his wife, from whom he had been for estranged, and when in October 1587 William died, he left most of his large property to Edward, subject to the life interest of his widow. John Gerard was then active in Norfolk among the recusant gentry, and one of his first converts was Edward Walpole. At the same time Gerard induced him to sell the reversion of the manor of Tuddenham for a thousand marks.
In April 1588 Walpole's father died, leaving as much as possible to his second son, Calibut, and not even naming his elder son Edward in his will. Five months later Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
, died. The earl had a life interest in the estates of Amy Robsart
, contiguous to those of the Walpoles, and these now descended to Edward Walpole as heir-at-law to Sir John Robsart, Amy's father. Edward Walpole, however, surrendered by deed all claim and title on the Robsart and the Houghton estates to his brother Calibut. He made his way to the continent, to become a Jesuit. He was in Flanders
in 1590, and was admitted to the English College, Rome on 23 October 1590, where he remained two years studying theology. He was ordained priest on Ascension Day 1592, and shortly afterwards was admitted into the Society of Jesus. He was summoned to Tournai
to go through his period of probation. The news of his receiving priest's orders at Rome reached England, and in 1597 he was outlawed ‘for a supposed treason done at Rome.’
In 1598 Walpole returned to England, and began to exercise his functions as a Roman priest and Jesuit missioner, though hunted about from place to place. After his return to England he passed under the name of Rich as an alias. In 1605 he was granted a pardon, which would have put him in possession of the family estates on the death of his mother. She survived till 1612; but he renewed his deed of surrender to his brother, and the estates accordingly descended through him to Sir Robert Walpole and the Earls of Orford. He died in London on 3 November 1637, in his seventy-eighth year.
Life
He was son and heir of John Walpole of HoughtonHoughton
-Buildings:* Houghton Hall, a country house in Norfolk, England * Houghton Hall, East Riding of Yorkshire, a stately home in Yorkshire, England* Houghton House, a ruined house in Bedfordshire, England-Australia:...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, by Catherine Calibut of Coxford in the same county, and was born on 28 January 1560. He matriculated as a fellow commoner at St Peter's College, Cambridge, in May 1576, the year after his cousin Henry Walpole
Henry Walpole
-Early life:He was born at Docking, Norfolk, in 1558, the eldest son of Christopher Walpole, by Margery, heiress of Richard Beckham of Narford, and was educated at Norwich School, Peterhouse, Cambridge, and Gray's Inn. Converted to Roman Catholicism by the death of Saint Edmund Campion, he went by...
had entered at the same college as a pensioner.
He showed sympathy for Catholicism, and incurred the displeasure of his parents: in 1585 he was turned out of his home at Houghton, and adopted the name of Poor to indicate his want of means. Another cousin, William Walpole, offered him an asylum at North Tuddenham
North Tuddenham
North Tuddenham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, it has a parish church, that is named St Mary's.It covers an area of and had a population of 305 in 121 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland.North...
in Norfolk. He reconciled William to his wife, from whom he had been for estranged, and when in October 1587 William died, he left most of his large property to Edward, subject to the life interest of his widow. John Gerard was then active in Norfolk among the recusant gentry, and one of his first converts was Edward Walpole. At the same time Gerard induced him to sell the reversion of the manor of Tuddenham for a thousand marks.
In April 1588 Walpole's father died, leaving as much as possible to his second son, Calibut, and not even naming his elder son Edward in his will. Five months later Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
, died. The earl had a life interest in the estates of Amy Robsart
Amy Robsart
Amy Dudley was the first wife of Lord Robert Dudley, favourite of Elizabeth I of England. She is primarily known for her death by falling down a flight of stairs, the circumstances of which have often been regarded as suspicious...
, contiguous to those of the Walpoles, and these now descended to Edward Walpole as heir-at-law to Sir John Robsart, Amy's father. Edward Walpole, however, surrendered by deed all claim and title on the Robsart and the Houghton estates to his brother Calibut. He made his way to the continent, to become a Jesuit. He was in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1590, and was admitted to the English College, Rome on 23 October 1590, where he remained two years studying theology. He was ordained priest on Ascension Day 1592, and shortly afterwards was admitted into the Society of Jesus. He was summoned to Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
to go through his period of probation. The news of his receiving priest's orders at Rome reached England, and in 1597 he was outlawed ‘for a supposed treason done at Rome.’
In 1598 Walpole returned to England, and began to exercise his functions as a Roman priest and Jesuit missioner, though hunted about from place to place. After his return to England he passed under the name of Rich as an alias. In 1605 he was granted a pardon, which would have put him in possession of the family estates on the death of his mother. She survived till 1612; but he renewed his deed of surrender to his brother, and the estates accordingly descended through him to Sir Robert Walpole and the Earls of Orford. He died in London on 3 November 1637, in his seventy-eighth year.