THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK· (B 1480-1905 BY KATHARINE FRANCES DOUGHTY ~ W ~ W ~ WITH XXV ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD NEW YORK JOHN LANE COMP ANY MCMXII 711nibull c!r' Sp,ars, Prinlws, EdiH!n,rglt THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK : : 1480-1905 TO MY FATHER AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS BOOK WAS BEGUN AND WITH WHOSE HELP IT HAS BEEN FINISHED ACKNOWLEDGMENTS WISH to express my gratitude to Mr J. H. J eayes of the MSS. Department British Museum, and to Mr V. B. Redstone, Hon. Secretary of the Norfolk I and Suffolk Archac:ological Society, for help in deciphering the most ancient of the Betts' charters. The late Rev. Canon J. J. Raven, D.D., author of" The Church Bells of Suffolk," etc., also gave me most kind and valuable assistance in this respect. Mr Harold Warnes of Eye kindly allowed me to examine the rolls of the manor of Wortham Hall, and other documents under his care. To the Rev. Edmund Farrer, author of "Portraits in Suffolk Houses," I am greatly indebted for expert and friendly help. Mr G. Milner-Gibson Cullum, F.S.A., has kindly allowed me to consult his as yet unpublished Genealogical Notes. The Rev. C. W. Moule, Fellow and Librarian of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, was so good as to assist me with information respecting the" Red Book of Eye." The Rev. Sir William Hyde Parker has favoured me with some interesting suggestions. My thanks for their courtesy in permitting me to consult their parish registers, are due to the Rector of Wortham, the Rev. J. E. F. Faning; to the Rev. C. U. Manning, Rector of Diss; to the Rev. C. B. Nash, Rector of Y axley ; and to the Rev. W. C. Badger, late Rector of Bressingham. The incumbents of many other parishes, as well as numerous long-suffering correspondents and friends, assisted me with helpful answers to troublesome enquiries. vii viii THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK And I take this opportunity of especially thanking Mr J. Sancroft Holmes for his generosity in giving me permission to use his MS. copies of the correspondence of Archbishop Sancroft, the originals of which were formerly at Wortham. K. F. D. THEBERTON HALL, December 1911. CONTENTS l'AG:S lNTltODUCTORY 3 CHAPTER I 1462-1487 ANCIENT WILLS-A DEED OF A.D. 1272-JOHN BETTYS' HOME ilW=rn- 6 CHAPTER II 1487-1524 COPY-BOOK OF THE BETTYS CHILDREN-A MEMORABLE PAGEANT -A POET LAUREATE RECTOR OF DISS 16 CHAPTER III 1518-1547 SUBSIDY RETURNS FOR WORTHAM-" MEDICINS FOR ALL MANNER. OF WOUNDES "-DOCTOR JOHN BETTYS 25 CHAPTER IV 1521-1549 PAPISTS AND PROTESTANTS-RESULTS OF THE DISSOLUTION OF MONASTERIES, AND THE SPOLIATION OF PARISH GILDS 34 CHAPTER V 1555-1559 " RYCHARDE BETTES DE WORTHAM " • CHAPTER VI 1559-1589 THOMAS BETTES LICENll!ED TO "Usil: THE ARTE AND SCIENCE OF CHIRURGERY "LAN ELIZABETHAN LADY DOCTOR-A MANOR COURT 56 CHAPTER VII 1559-1602 " THE QUEENE'S MAJESTIE " IN SUFFOLK -THE ARMADA SCARE 155 ix x THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK CHAPTER VIII I599-I609 PAGE ELIZABETHAN FARMING-" RESAITS FOR HORS DRlNCKS "- " MEASURES OF BLOWING" 73 CHAPTER IX 16o9-I636 THE REV. ELNATHAN PARR, B.D.-THE WORTHAM HOUSE- HOLD-BOOK-SALE OF A SWAN-MARK 84 CHAPTER X I627-I652 }oHN BETTS OF WORTHAM, ROYALIST-ROSE BETTS MARRIES AN " INTRUDED MINISTER " - PULPIT FULMINATIONS AGAINST p ARLIAMENT 94 CHAPTER XI I648-I665 THE BETTS FARMING ACCOUNTS-WAGES AND RENTS- A BARTHOLOMEW CONFESSOR ON THE GREAT PLAGUE IOI CHAPTER XII I665-I672 CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF A CONTESTED ELECTION 108 CHAPTER XIII 1674-I685 THE FAMILY BIBLE-" SUSAN GASKIN HAR BooK "-ASTRO- LOGICAL GARDENING-THE NEWMARKET PLOT I I7 CHAPTER XIV 1642-I691 A FAMOUS HOSTELRY-PERSECUTION OF WITCHES-ACCOUNTS OF A CAMBRIDGE UNDERGRADUATE 129 CHAPTER XV I691-I693 THE " FLOWER-POT PLOT "-CORRESPONDENCE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT 139 CHAPTER XVI 1696 GEORGE BETTS HUNTS " YE FFOXE "-BAITS FOR COARSE fuH IW CONTENTS xi CHAPTER XVII 1682-1714, PAGE A 'MINISTER'S DIFFICULTIES-HIS DENUNCIATION OF " YE TYRANT OF FRANCE "-HEALING OF THE KING'S EVIL 162 CHAPTER XVIII 1715-1727 THE FIRST JACOBITE RISING-CHILDREN'S HOROSCOPES- WEARING OF CALICO FORBIDDEN 169 CHAPTER XIX 1717-1734 INTRODUCTION OF PHEASANT REARING-A GRIM WAGER-A SPINSTER'S CALCULATION . 175 CHAPTER XX r737-I745 THE GAY YOUNG SQUIRE OF WORTHAM-DR SHUCKFORD, ROYAL CHAPLAIN-HIS ACCOUNT BOOKS 192 CHAPTER XXI 1746-1764 A DRIVING TOUR THROUGH NORFOLK-RELIGIOUS STATISTICS OF A COUNTRY PARISH-VALES AT A CHRISTENING 204 CHAPTER XXII 1751-1766 THE LOST ELEVEN DAYS-GEORGE BETTS' MAGISTRATE'S BOOK-REFORM OF A BRIDEWELL-" YE LABYRINTH OF CHANCERY" ZI0 CHAPTER XXIII 1756-1774 THE MONTHLY DINNER CLUB-Coz EDWARD THURLOW, ATTORNEY-GENERAL-A WINDOW-TAX CASE 219 CHAPTER XXIV 1775-1783 DETAILS SOCIAL AND DOMESTIC-PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF A LIGHTHOUSE-ARCHBISHOP CORNWALLIS 230 CHAPTER XXV 1782-1786 FARMING THE POOR OF WORTHAM-AN AIR BALLOON-HIRING FAIRS # 239 xn THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK CHAPTER XXVI I788-I793 PAGB THREE GREAT RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-MARTHA BETTS, ON A SERMON OF JOHN WESLEY-ENGLISH FRIENDS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 245 CHAPTER XXVII 1795-1801 THE LOYAL Ass0ClATI0N-HUMANE JUSTICES-BREAD AT FAMINE PRICES 25S CHAPTER XXVIII 1801-1805 THE HARTISMERE VOLUNTEERS-" MR DEVIL" AT THE TURN- PIKE-NEWS OF TRAFALGAR z69 CHAPTER XXIX 1806-1813 COKE OF NORFOLK, AND HIS "WHIGGISH SHEEP "-OBSOLETE COTTAGE INDUSTRIES-A CONVICT DESCRIBES SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES 277 CHAPTER XXX 1813-I815 THE BETTS FAMILY IN LONDON-REJOICINGS AT THE PEACE- THE FIRST NATIONAL SCHOOLS Z9I CHAPTER XXXI 1816~1822 THOMAS BETTS' WALKING-TOUR THROUGH WALES-AVALENTINE PARTY-THOMAS BETTS, RECTOR OF C0LNEY, 1821-Snt THOMAS BETTYS PRIEST THERE, 1455 297 CHAPTER XXXII 1822-1832 SKITS ON SOCIETY-MARRIAGE OF THOMAS D'EYE BETTS AND HARRIET DOUGHTY 305 CHAPTER XXXIII 1830-1905 BEATING THE BOUNDS AT WORTHAM-CAPTAIN GEORGE BETTS IN THE MUTINY-CATHERINE HARRIET, THE LAST OF THE BETTS OF WORTHAM JI0 PEDIGREE facing p. 318 LIST OF AUTHORITIES 319 lNDRX ILLUSTRATIONS PHILIP CHUTE, STANDARD BEARER TO HENRY VI I I. Frontispt'ece FACING PAGE. WORTHAM MANOR 14 BROME HALL IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY so WORTHAM CHURCH 72 FOWLING. 78 DR CHESTER, WHO REMAINED IN LONDON DURING THE PLAGUE 107 WILLIAM CULLUM OF THORNDON 1I8 Painted by H. Verelst SCOLE INN 132 Drawn by J, Kirby in 1740 FISHING . 161 REBECCA, WIFE OF JAMES BETTS THE ELDER 165 Painted by Thomas Spink GARDINER COLBY 169 EDMUND BETTS OF WORTHAM 186 Painted by W. Keable ABIGAIL, WIFE OF EDMUND BETTS . 186 Painted by W. Keable MARY, DAUGHTER OF EDMUND BETTS 192 Painted by W. Keable PASSENGERS GOING TO BURY FAIR . 200 xiii xiv THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK FACING PAGE THE REV. GEORGE BETTS OF WORTHAM 208 MARY, WIFE OF DR SHUCKFORD 214 From a pastel drawing EDMUND BETTS OF OAKLEY 222 Painted by Henry Walton MARY, WIFE OF THE REV. GEORGE BETTS OF WORTHAM 230 Painted by Henry Walton BALLOON ASCENT FROM BURY ST EDMUNDS, 1785 MARTHA, WIFE OF EDMUND BETTS OF OAKLEY . Painted by Henry Walton A WORTHAM PORTRAIT, "NON SINE QUARE," DATED 1606 270 THE REV. GEORGE BETTS, AND MARY, HIS WIFE . 294 From a double silhouette THE REV. THOMAS D'EYE BETTS OF WORTHAM . From a silhouette GEORGE BETTS AS ENSIGN IN THE 81ST REGIMENT From a miniature THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK : : 1480-1905 THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK : : 1480-1905 INTRODUCTORY N the remote parish of Wortham in Suffolk stands an ancient house, which up to December 1905 had been for over four hundred years the home I of a family whose history, revealed in papers preserved by them, will be unfolded in these pages. Like most old houses, Wortham Hall or Wortham Manor, for it has gone by both names, stands close to a road, the back of the house, once the front and by far the oldest part, literally abutting upon it. The road is known as Fen Street. This most ancient portion of the present building was in all likelihood the actual tenement in " Fenn Strete Waye," to which, in the year 1480 or thereabouts, John Bettys brought his bride Elizabeth Wryght, daughter of an even then old Wortham family. Through this marriage the Wryght estates came to the Betts, who were destined to be known as the ·Betts of Wortham from that nineteenth year of the fourth Edward to the third year of our late King Edward the Seventh. The opposite side, the front of the present house looks south over the park, where still stand oaks so aged that 3 4 THE BETTS OF WORTHAM IN SUFFOLK they must have witnessed the founding of the family which,they have now outlasted. The house was evidently altered and added to as time went on; the front, pleasing and eminently homelike, with its gabled wings and old chimney stacks, dates only from Tudor times. But, before the house was dismantled after the death of the last of the family, it was the interior which excited most particular interest :-the sunny home-like rooms, crowded with beautiful antique furniture worn by faith­ ful service to many generations ; low ceilings crossed by massive oak beams ; panelled walls hung close with family portraits; ancient prints interspersed and thrown into relief by blue and white delft plates; suits of armour of the Stuart period in hall and passages ; and in the drawing-room, upon magnificently carved and inlaid cabinets, and adorning the walls from floor to ceiling, china of many hues and varieties, which later, when it had to be sold, fetched fabulous prices at Christie's.