Exeter Conspiracy

The Exeter Conspiracy, 1538, was a supposed attempt to overthrow the Henry VIII, who had taken control of the Church of England away from the Pope. and replace him with a devout Catholic and Yorkist, Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter, KG who was 1st cousin to the King. An Act of Attainder was brought against the Marquess of Exeter and he was found guilty of treason by his peers in Westminster Hall, along with other supposed conspirators. Some sources suggest the 'conspiracy' was largely exaggerated by Thomas Cromwell, at this point Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich. Victorian historian J. A. Froude, however, writes that the Courtenays were 'petty sovereigns in Devonshire and Cornwall', which may go some way to explaining the true nature of the conspiracy. Yet there is no evidence to suggest that Courtenay ever had the means to or intended to muster any kind of rebellion against the King, the charges brought against Lord Exeter were based on the correspondence he had with Reginald Pole, who was a Catholic Church official, and the testimony of Geoffrey Pole.

The incensed king, with Pole himself out of his reach, took a terrible revenge on Pole's family for engaging in treason by word against the king. The leading family members and even Pole's mother were executed, and all their properties seized. The action destroyed the Pole family.Sir Geoffrey Pole was arrested in August 1538; he had been corresponding with Reginald, and the investigation of Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter (Henry VIII's first cousin and the Countess of Salisbury's second cousin) had turned up his name; he had appealed to Thomas Cromwell, who had him arrested and interrogated. Under interrogation, Sir Geoffrey said that Henry Pole, his eldest brother, Lord Montagu, and Exeter had all been parties to his correspondence with Reginald. Montagu, Exeter, and Lady Salisbury were arrested in November 1538, together with Henry Pole and other family members, on charges of treason, although Cromwell had previously written that they had "little offended save that he [Reginald Pole] is of their kin". They were committed to the Tower of London, and in January, with the exception of Geoffrey Pole (who was in Europe), they were executed.

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