No. IX.
THE CATHOLIC REGISTERS OF COSTESSEY OR COSSEY HALL, NORFOLK, THE SEAT OF THE JERNINGHAM FAMILY, BARONETS . 1785-1821 . CONTRIBUTED BY JOHN PETER SMITH . HISTORICAL NOTES BY CANON E. H. BURTON AND J. S. HANSOM.
In 1553 , on the death of the youthful King Edward VI, John Dudley, who had been created Duke of Northumberland, and other conspirators attempted to place his daughter-in -law, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne. Sir Henry Jernegan or Jerningham was prominent amongst those who proclaimed Queen Mary in Norfolk and Suffolk, and raised forces to secure her rights. For his loyal services the Queen granted him the manor of Costessey, Wingfield Castle in Suffolk, and estates in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, and appointed him to high offices of State. He remained one of her trusted advisers during the short reign. His religion debarred him State appointments during the following one, but Queen Elizabeth could not but know that her own accession would have been impossible but for such loyalty, whatever her own right may have been. Costessey remained in the family till 1913 . It was subsequent to the date of these registers that the family succeeded to the Barony of Stafford and to the Costessey estate , assuming the name of Stafford, as Stafford- Jerningham. The title and estate passed to Colonel Francis Edward Fitzherbert , now FitzherbertStafford, in 1913; whilst the Baronetcy devolved to Sir (William ) Henry Stafford Jerningham. On a previous page members of the Jerningham family appear as recusants in 1577, and even if there be some defections ( as will be quoted) at times under the remorseless persecutions , we know that compositions for recusancy were allowed , and this may be the case where Elena (? Eleanor Dacre) wife of Henry Jernegan of Cossey alone appears in 1593 (C.R.S. xviii, 229 ; see also below John Dereham , the priest) . Absence or imprisonment account for omissions . Besides we know (ut supra ) that the recusants owning estates in four counties have to be searched even a fifth, for a true bill was found 31 Dec. 1601 against Henry Jerningham, junior, of St. Clement Danes , gentleman , as a Middlesex recusant . Also on 6 March 1607 Henry Jerningham, of St. Martin's in the Fields. The town residence of the family was in the last parish, a burglary being committed there in the dwelling-house of Sir Henry Jernegan , first baronet, on 1 April 1629 (Midx. Rec . i , ii , iii ). Costessey was much damaged by the parliamentary forces for his loyalty to Charles I. It is difficult to account for a statement (Foley ii , 571 ) , vouched for by Fr. Francis Sankey , S.J. , who went to Norwich in 1647, of an anonymous Jesuit reconciling to the Faith, a month before his death, a Mr. Jerningham, a few lines later called this knight, who for many years had laid in schism and frequented Protestant Churches . Costessey is not mentioned only Norfolk; the time is about 1643 or 1644 , but
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