George More (recusant) facts for kids
George More was born in 1542. He was an English supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was a queen of Scotland. George More was also involved in something called the Throckmorton Plot, which was a secret plan. He was a Catholic and had to live outside England, in a place called the Spanish Netherlands. In 1598, he visited the royal court in Scotland.
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George More's Family and Home
George More was the son of Francis More and Agnes Bozon. His family lived at a place called More Hall, which was near Sheffield in England. They also owned land in Orston. The More family had a close connection to the Earls of Shrewsbury, who were powerful nobles. An old song, called the Dragon of Wantley, even mentions More Hall.
Helping Mary, Queen of Scots
George More and his father, Francis More, both helped Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was held prisoner in England by her cousin, Elizabeth I.
Francis More's Role
In 1569, Francis More carried a secret letter from Mary to the Earl of Northumberland. He also brought a gift for the Countess of Northumberland. After this, Francis More and his son George had to leave England and went to Milan.
George More's Secret Missions
After his father passed away, George More continued to carry letters for Mary, Queen of Scots. His uncle, Edward More, lived near Sheffield, which was close to where Mary was being held.
In March 1584, Edward More was held in the Tower of London. Mary hoped the French ambassador in London could send him some money.
The Throckmorton Plot
In December 1583, George More was arrested and questioned in the Tower of London. The authorities wanted to know about his travels and his dealings with Mary. They also asked if he knew Charles Paget and Thomas Morgan. These men were later known for their parts in the Throckmorton Plot. This plot was a secret plan to overthrow Elizabeth I.
George More was released after he spoke with Francis Walsingham, a powerful government official. More wrote down his answers. He explained that his father had sent him to study in Douai. He knew Paget, but not Morgan. He also said he had helped Mary get money from the Earl of Shrewsbury by carrying her letters.
A servant of George More also confessed to carrying a letter from Mary to the Earl of Arundel. This confession was important evidence for Walsingham, showing Mary's involvement in plots against Queen Elizabeth.
Recently, in 2023, secret letters from Mary, Queen of Scots, were found. These letters were sent to the French ambassador and mentioned George More as someone who carried messages for her.
Living in Exile
In 1593, George More had to leave England again. He went to Flanders, a region in Europe. He lived for a while in Liège. In 1597, he wrote a long letter to William Cecil, a very important advisor to Queen Elizabeth. In his letter, More asked for religious freedom and for a noble named Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland to be allowed back into England.
Suspicions and Connections
In 1595, a man named Richard Topcliffe, who was a spy for the Queen, described More as a friend of Edmund Thurland. Topcliffe claimed that More and another man, Nicholas Williamson, had fled to England's enemies. He also said that More was being paid by Spain and that the three men were working together.
Thurland's house was in a good location for secret messages to and from Scotland. This was important because Mary, Queen of Scots, was held prisoner nearby.
Visit to Scotland in 1598
After William Cecil died, George More decided to try and return to England. In September 1598, he traveled to Scotland by ship. He brought his wife, his son, two daughters, and two servants with him.
Meeting with King James VI
An English diplomat in Edinburgh, George Nicholson, was suspicious of More. He asked the leader of Edinburgh to question More's family, but this was not allowed without the King's permission.
Nicholson warned King James VI of Scotland. He met with More on September 18. More told Nicholson his story and said he was friends with Nicholas Williamson. He also had introductions to important people at the Scottish court.
More went to Dalkeith Palace the next day to speak with William Schaw, a trusted person at the court. Schaw and William Hunter, a Scottish merchant, brought More to speak privately with King James VI.
Nicholson heard that King James thought George More was only looking for letters to help him return to England. Another official, Roger Aston, also wrote to Sir Robert Cecil about the meeting. More claimed he had refused offers from Spain to work against Queen Elizabeth. He said he was now very poor and had "not one penny to buy his dinner."
Nicholson thought More's approach to William Schaw, who was known to be Catholic, was suspicious. Schaw was in charge of the Queen's household at Dalkeith and prepared her rooms for the birth of Princess Margaret.
In January 1599, More wrote to Sir Robert Cecil from Scotland. He said he wanted to serve Queen Elizabeth and shared news about possible Spanish invasions. He also sent a letter to the Earl of Shrewsbury, an old friend. He told Shrewsbury that he had left Spanish lands in 1595 and wanted to serve Queen Elizabeth against Spain.
Elizabeth More Returns to Yorkshire
In May 1599, George More wrote to the Archbishop of York, asking for help to return to England. He said he had sent his wife, Elizabeth, to the Archbishop. He also wrote to Cecil about his time in Scotland, calling it a "devilish desert."
Elizabeth More and her children were arrested in York in November 1599 and remained there, while George More stayed in Scotland.
George More's wife was Elizabeth Mountford. They had seven children. In 1599, she wrote to Sir Robert Cecil, asking for her husband to be pardoned.
By 1601, More had returned to Liège. He was not happy with Scotland and criticized King James VI.
Images for kids
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More Hall bridge near Wharncliffe Side and Wharncliffe Crags
