The Exeter Conspiracy

Events moved fast!

June 1536 – Publication of De Unitate by Reginald Pole

Spring/early Summer 1538 – Tyndall, an informer of Cromwell's, hears gossip about the Poles in the neighbourhood of Lady Salisbury's home

June 1538 – Arrest of Henry Holland, a servant of Geoffrey Pole

Late June 1538 – Geoffrey Pole and Montague arrange for letters to be burnt

July 1538 – Exeter was asked to be "frank and plain" – an invitation to tell the King about the Poles' activities. He said nothing.

14^th July 1538 – Treaty of Nice between Francois I of France and Emperor Charles V

29^th August 1536 – Arrest of Geoffrey Pole

26^th October 1538 – First interrogation of Geoffrey Pole

28^th October 1538 – Interrogation of Jerome Ragland, a servant of Montague

Late October 1538 – Geoffrey Pole attempts suicide

2^nd November 1538 – Second interrogation of Geoffrey Pole

3^rd November 1538 – Third interrogation of Geoffrey Pole

4^th November 1538 – Arrest of Henry Pole, Lord Montague and Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter, and, probably, Gertrude, Marchioness of Exeter.

5^th November 1538 – Arrest of Sir Edward Nevill, son of Lord Bergavenny.

5^th – 12^th November 1538 – Further interrogations of Geoffrey Pole.

12^th November 1538 – Sir William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton, and Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely, question Lady Salisbury at Warblington Castle

15^th November 1538 – Lady Salisbury taken to Southampton's home at Cowdray Castle and confined.

20^th November 1538 – Examination of John Collins

2^nd December 1538 – Montague tried and convicted of treason

3^rd December 1538 – Exeter tried and convicted of treason

4^th December 1538 – Sir Edward Nevill, Geoffrey Pole, George Croftes, John Collins and Henry Hollan tried and convicted of treason

9^th December 1538 – Montague, Exeter and Nevill executed on Tower Hill

9^th December 1538 – Croftes, Collins and Holland hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn

2^nd January 1539 – Geoffrey Pole pardoned

January 1539 – Sir Nicholas Carew arrested

14^th February 1539 – Carew tried

3^rd March 1539 – Execution of Carew

May 1539 – Lady Salisbury attainted and stripped of her lands

Late November 1539 – Lady Salisbury sent to the Tower

21^st December 1539 – Lady Exeter released from the Tower and given a pension

27^th May 1541 – Lady Salisbury was executed within the Tower

August 1553 – Edward Courtenay, son of Exeter, released from the Tower.