John Lascelles
Encyclopedia
John Lassells was a sixteenth century courtier and Protestant martyr
. His report to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
initiated the investigation which led to the execution of Queen Katherine Howard.
, Nottinghamshire
(d. 1520), gentleman, and his wife Dorothy, the daughter of Sir Brian Sandford. He entered the household of Sir Francis Bryan in the 1530s after studying law at Furnival's Inn
, but was dismissed in 1538 because of his advocacy of religious reform. He was in the service of Henry VIII's
chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, an advocate of religious reform, as a messenger in 1538-9. In late 1539 Lassells was appointed as a sewer in the King's Privy Chamber
. After Cromwell's execution on 28 July 1540, Lassells is recorded as having advised his fellow reformers in September of that year that although Bishop Stephen Gardiner
and Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
, the principal members of the conservative faction at court, were obstacles to further religious reform, they would eventually overthrow themselves if left alone.
Despite this advice to his co-religionists to let matters take their own course, Lassells was personally involved in the following year in the downfall of Norfolk's niece, Queen Katherine Howard. Before her marriage to John Hall, Lassells' sister Mary
had been in the household of Norfolk's stepmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk
at Lambeth while Katherine was a young girl under the lax guardianship of the Duchess, her step-grandmother. When Katherine became Queen, Lassells had suggested to his sister that she should seek a place in Katherine's household, but Mary refused, giving as her reason that she knew Katherine to be ‘light both in living and in condytions’, and describing the Queen's sexual indiscretions before her marriage with her music master, Henry Manox, and a Howard kinsman, Francis Dereham
, in the Dowager Duchess's household. Lassells immediately reported Mary's words to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
, setting in motion a process which ended with the Queen's execution. According to Ryrie, Lassells 'maintained that he revealed the information to avert a charge of misprision of treason, which may well be true, but he can hardly have regretted the destruction of so prominent a Howard'.
By 1546 Lassells was dissatisfied with the pace of religious reform, and about 11 May of that year he was arrested and sent to the Tower
. He was denounced as a patron of Richard Laynam, 'a London prophet who predicted the imminent overthrow of the King', is described by John Bale
as the 'instuctour' of his friend, the sacramentarian Anne Askew
, and is considered by a modern historian, A.G. Dickens, to have been the ‘leading spirit’ of the radical group at court.
Lascells was arraigned for heresy
on 12 July, refused to recant, and on 16 July 1546 was burned at Smithfield
with Anne Askew and two others. While in prison he wrote a Protestation which was printed after his death. His story is recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs
.
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. His report to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
initiated the investigation which led to the execution of Queen Katherine Howard.
Life
Lassells was the son of Richard, or George, Lassells of GatefordGateford
Gateford is a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 1 mile north-west of Worksop. Since 1995 radical changes have developed in Gateford, such as the Celtic Point shopping centre and the Ashes Park Avenue estate. Gateford also has a primary school called Gateford Park Primary School....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
(d. 1520), gentleman, and his wife Dorothy, the daughter of Sir Brian Sandford. He entered the household of Sir Francis Bryan in the 1530s after studying law at Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn
Furnival's Inn was an Inn of Chancery which formerly stood on the site of the present Holborn Bars building in Holborn, London, England.-History:...
, but was dismissed in 1538 because of his advocacy of religious reform. He was in the service of Henry VIII's
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, an advocate of religious reform, as a messenger in 1538-9. In late 1539 Lassells was appointed as a sewer in the King's Privy Chamber
Privy chamber
A Privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The gentlemen of the Privy chamber were servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King and Queen at court during their various activities, functions and entertainments....
. After Cromwell's execution on 28 July 1540, Lassells is recorded as having advised his fellow reformers in September of that year that although Bishop Stephen Gardiner
Stephen Gardiner
Stephen Gardiner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.-Early life:...
and Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, the principal members of the conservative faction at court, were obstacles to further religious reform, they would eventually overthrow themselves if left alone.
Despite this advice to his co-religionists to let matters take their own course, Lassells was personally involved in the following year in the downfall of Norfolk's niece, Queen Katherine Howard. Before her marriage to John Hall, Lassells' sister Mary
Mary Lascelles
Mary Hall was an English gentlewoman whose report of the 'light' behaviour in her youth of Henry VIII's fifth Queen, Katherine Howard initiated the process which ended with Queen Katherine's execution.-Life:...
had been in the household of Norfolk's stepmother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk
Agnes Howard, Duchess of Norfolk
Agnes Howard was the second wife of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. Two of King Henry VIII's Queens were her step-granddaughters, Anne Boleyn, and Katherine Howard...
at Lambeth while Katherine was a young girl under the lax guardianship of the Duchess, her step-grandmother. When Katherine became Queen, Lassells had suggested to his sister that she should seek a place in Katherine's household, but Mary refused, giving as her reason that she knew Katherine to be ‘light both in living and in condytions’, and describing the Queen's sexual indiscretions before her marriage with her music master, Henry Manox, and a Howard kinsman, Francis Dereham
Francis Dereham
Francis Dereham was a Tudor courtier whose involvement with Henry VIII's fifth Queen, Catherine Howard, in her youth was a principal cause of the Queen's execution.-Life:...
, in the Dowager Duchess's household. Lassells immediately reported Mary's words to Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
, setting in motion a process which ended with the Queen's execution. According to Ryrie, Lassells 'maintained that he revealed the information to avert a charge of misprision of treason, which may well be true, but he can hardly have regretted the destruction of so prominent a Howard'.
By 1546 Lassells was dissatisfied with the pace of religious reform, and about 11 May of that year he was arrested and sent to the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. He was denounced as a patron of Richard Laynam, 'a London prophet who predicted the imminent overthrow of the King', is described by John Bale
John Bale
John Bale was an English churchman, historian and controversialist, and Bishop of Ossory. He wrote the oldest known historical verse drama in English , and developed and published a very extensive list of the works of British authors down to his own time, just as the monastic libraries were being...
as the 'instuctour' of his friend, the sacramentarian Anne Askew
Anne Askew
Anne Askew was an English poet and Protestant who was condemned as a heretic...
, and is considered by a modern historian, A.G. Dickens, to have been the ‘leading spirit’ of the radical group at court.
Lascells was arraigned for heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
on 12 July, refused to recant, and on 16 July 1546 was burned at Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
with Anne Askew and two others. While in prison he wrote a Protestation which was printed after his death. His story is recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
The Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe, more accurately Acts and Monuments, is an account from a Protestant point of view of Christian church history and martyrology...
.