William Watson (priest)
Encyclopedia
William Watson English
Roman Catholic priest and conspirator, executed for treason.
, and during the concluding years of Elizabeth
's reign he paid several visits to England; he was imprisoned and tortured more than once. He became prominent in the Archpriest Controversy as a champion of the secular priests in their dispute with the Jesuits, and in 1601 some writings by him on this question appeared which were answered by Robert Parsons
. In September of that year he was resident at Fulham Palace
, under the protection of Richard Bancroft
.
When Elizabeth died, Watson hastened to Scotland
to assure James I
of the loyalty of his party, and to forestall the Jesuits, who were suspected of intriguing with Spain
. The new king did not, however, as was hoped, cease to exact the fines on recusants; and the general dissatisfaction felt by the Roman Catholics gave rise to the "Bye plot
," or "Watson's plot," in which connection this priest's name is best known, and to its sequel the Main Plot
; Watson discussed the grievances of his co-religionists with another priest, William Clark, with Sir Griffin Markham
and Anthony Copley
, and with a disappointed Protestant courtier, George Brooke
; they took another Protestant, Thomas Grey, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton
, into their confidence, and following Scottish precedents it was arranged that James should be surprised and seized, while they talked loudly about capturing the Tower of London
, converting the King to Catholicism, and making Watson Lord Keeper.
One or two of the conspirators drew back; but Watson and his remaining colleagues arranged to assemble at Greenwich
on 24 June 1603, and under the pretence of presenting a petition to carry out their object. The plot was a complete failure; Henry Garnet
and other Jesuits betrayed it to the authorities, and its principal authors were seized, Watson being captured in August at Hay-on-Wye
on the Welsh border. They were tried at Winchester and found guilty; Watson and Clark were executed on the 9th of December 1603, and Brooke suffered the same fate a week later. Grey and Markham were reprieved.
Before the executions took place, however, the failure of the Bye plot had led to the discovery of the Main plot. Brooke's share in the earlier scheme caused suspicion to fall upon his brother Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham
, the ally and brother-in-law of Sir Robert Cecil
. Cobham appears to have been in communication with Spain about the possibility of killing "the king and his cubs" and of placing Lady Arabella Stuart on the throne. He was seized, tried and condemned to death, but although led out to the scaffold he was not executed. It was on suspicion of being associated with Cobham in this matter that Sir Walter Raleigh was arrested and tried.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Roman Catholic priest and conspirator, executed for treason.
Life
In 1586 he became a Roman Catholic priest in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and during the concluding years of Elizabeth
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...
's reign he paid several visits to England; he was imprisoned and tortured more than once. He became prominent in the Archpriest Controversy as a champion of the secular priests in their dispute with the Jesuits, and in 1601 some writings by him on this question appeared which were answered by Robert Parsons
Robert Parsons (priest)
Robert Persons , later known as Robert Parsons, was an English Jesuit priest.-Early life:...
. In September of that year he was resident at Fulham Palace
Fulham Palace
Fulham Palace in Fulham, London , England, at one time the main residence of the Bishop of London, is of medieval origin. It was the country home of the Bishops of London from at least 11th century until 1975, when it was vacated...
, under the protection of Richard Bancroft
Richard Bancroft
Archbishop Richard Bancroft, DD, BD, MA, BA was an English churchman, who became Archbishop of Canterbury and the "chief overseer" of the production of the authorized version of the Bible.-Life:...
.
When Elizabeth died, Watson hastened to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to assure James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
of the loyalty of his party, and to forestall the Jesuits, who were suspected of intriguing with Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The new king did not, however, as was hoped, cease to exact the fines on recusants; and the general dissatisfaction felt by the Roman Catholics gave rise to the "Bye plot
Bye Plot
The Bye Plot was a conspiracy by a Roman Catholic priest, William Watson, to kidnap James I of England and to force him to repeal anti-Catholic legislation.-Background:...
," or "Watson's plot," in which connection this priest's name is best known, and to its sequel the Main Plot
Main Plot
The Main Plot was an alleged conspiracy of July 1603 by English courtiers, to remove King James I from the English throne, replacing him with his cousin Arabella Stuart. The plot was supposedly led by Henry Brooke, Lord Cobham, and funded by Spain...
; Watson discussed the grievances of his co-religionists with another priest, William Clark, with Sir Griffin Markham
Griffin Markham
Sir Griffin Markham was an English soldier, the son of Thomas Markham and Mary Griffin.On 29 May 1592, he married Anne Roos. He was knighted in 1594 after serving under the Earl of Essex at the siege of Rouen....
and Anthony Copley
Anthony Copley
Anthony Copley was an English Catholic poet and conspirator. He reproached the Jesuits and their meditations on martyrdom, and loyally praised Queen Elizabeth...
, and with a disappointed Protestant courtier, George Brooke
George Brooke (conspirator)
The Rev. Sir George Brooke was an English aristocrat, executed for his part in two plots against the government of King James I.-Origins and education:...
; they took another Protestant, Thomas Grey, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton
Thomas Grey, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton
Thomas Grey, 15th and last Baron Grey of Wilton was an English aristocrat, soldier and conspirator. He was convicted of involvement in the Bye Plot against James I of England.-Early life:...
, into their confidence, and following Scottish precedents it was arranged that James should be surprised and seized, while they talked loudly about capturing the Tower of London
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...
, converting the King to Catholicism, and making Watson Lord Keeper.
One or two of the conspirators drew back; but Watson and his remaining colleagues arranged to assemble at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
on 24 June 1603, and under the pretence of presenting a petition to carry out their object. The plot was a complete failure; Henry Garnet
Henry Garnet
Henry Garnet , sometimes Henry Garnett, was a Jesuit priest executed for his complicity in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Born in Derbyshire, he was educated in Nottingham and later at Winchester College, before moving to London in 1571 to work for a publisher...
and other Jesuits betrayed it to the authorities, and its principal authors were seized, Watson being captured in August at Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye , often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the Black Mountains...
on the Welsh border. They were tried at Winchester and found guilty; Watson and Clark were executed on the 9th of December 1603, and Brooke suffered the same fate a week later. Grey and Markham were reprieved.
Before the executions took place, however, the failure of the Bye plot had led to the discovery of the Main plot. Brooke's share in the earlier scheme caused suspicion to fall upon his brother Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham
Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham
Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham was an English peer who was implicated in the Main Plot against the rule of James I of England.- Life :...
, the ally and brother-in-law of Sir Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
. Cobham appears to have been in communication with Spain about the possibility of killing "the king and his cubs" and of placing Lady Arabella Stuart on the throne. He was seized, tried and condemned to death, but although led out to the scaffold he was not executed. It was on suspicion of being associated with Cobham in this matter that Sir Walter Raleigh was arrested and tried.