Humphrey Littleton (plotter)

:"For the jazzman and broadcaster see Humphrey Lyttleton."

Infobox Person
name = Humphrey Littleton


image_size =
caption =
birth_name =
birth_date = < 1576 [Humphrey had a son who could be a page to Catesby to he is probably over 30.]
birth_place = Frankley
death_date = 7 April1606
death_place = Red Hill, Worcester
death_cause = Executed
resting_place =
resting_place_coordinates =
residence =
nationality = English
ethnicity =
parents = Sir John Lyttelton
spouse = no
children = one son (at least)

Humphrey Littleton died on 7 April 1606 at Red Hill outside Worcester. He was executed for his involvement in the Gunpowder plot. Robert Wintour and Stephen Littleton who had escaped from the fight at Holbeche House were captured at Hagley Park on the 9 January 1606 despite Littleton's protests that he was not harbouring anyone. It was Littleton who told the authorities that Edward Oldcorne was hiding at Hindlip Hall after he had given him mass. Wintour, Oldcome, and both Littletons were all executed.

Biography

Littleton was one of the eight sons of Sir John Lyttelton.. He was also the brother or cousin of another John Littleton who had been a member of parliament and had died in gaol for his part in the Essex rebellion. John had lost his estates at Hagley, Frankley, Upper Arley and Halesowen. Humphrey came from Frankley. This John left a widow called Muriel or Meriel who lived at Hagley Park, [Pedigree from "Burkes Peerage" (1939 edition), "s.v." Cobham, Viscount, ] her husband's estates having been restored to her by James I in 1603. ['Parishes: Hagley', "Victoria County History, Worcestershire": volume 3 (1913), pp. 130-136. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43099&strquery=Hagley manor] . Date accessed: 09 July 2008. ]

Before the gunpowder plot was revealed Littleton had little knowledge of the true nature of the plot to kill the King and Parliament. He understood that Robert Catesby (the leader of the plot) was just raising a regiment to fight in Flanders. Catesby had offered to take one of Littletons illegitimate sons as his page. [http://www.gunpowder-plot.org/people/humphrey.htm Humphrey Littleton] , gunpowder-plot.org, accessed 7 July 2008] Humphrey had been summoned to Dunchurch by Robert Catesby, but following the plot's failure he did not go to his nephew Stephen's Holbeche House with the rest of the main plotters and Stephen Littleton. (Stephen was the son of his elder brother George). Later, Stephen who came to him when he was on the run following the attempted Gunpowder plot. [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4NsYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=%22Stephen+Littleton%22&source=web&ots=NRW1zZjHbL&sig=Bx3Im1Df2XfKSU2v0CdeqiSCeok&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result The Patrician] , John Burke, Bernard Burke, p. 207, 1847] Robert Wintour and Stephen Littleton who had escaped from the fight at Holbeche house, Littleton arranged for one of a tenant farmer to harbour the two fugitives, but also swore his own servants to secrecy.

They were captured at Hagley Park on the 9 January 1606 because the authorities had been informed of their presence by Littleton's cook - John Fynwood. [http://www.britannia.com/history/t-wintour.html Robert Wintour] at Britannia.com, accessed 8 June 2008] Despite Littleton's protests that he was not harbouring anyone, a search was made and another servant, David Bate, showed where the two plotters were escaping from a courtyard into the countryside. The two had been on the run for two months and they had Littleton to thank for evading the law for that long. All three of them were to be tried and executed.

Littleton had visited and taken mass with Father Oldcorne and he let it be known that Edward Oldcorne was at Hindlip Hall. This information was to lead to four people being caught there in priest holes. Ironically one of those found was Nicholas Owen who constructed the hideaways. Moreover it was Murial Littleton's brother who conducted the search of Hindlip Hall.

At Oldcorne's trial Littleton publicly asked for forgiveness and believed that he deserved to die for betraying his friends. Littleton died on 7 April 1606; he was hanged, drawn and quartered together with Father Edward Oldcorne, John Wintour, Ralph Ashley and the tenant farmer (called Perkes) at Red Hill, just outside the city of Worcester.

References