Thread by @TheGozfather

As we gear up for #TreasonSeason @UkNatArchives, let's take a closer look at the Queen's Bench #LegalRecords for the 1553 trial of some of those that supported Lady Jane Grey [TNA KB 8/21] (1/10) discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C330…

This is the commission appointing Thomas Duke of Norfolk, Lord High Steward of England, as judge in the case. It's a royal commission, so was sealed with the great seal of Mary I [TNA KB 8/21, m 27] #TreasonSeason (2/10)

This is the Suffolk indictment for the case, finding that John Duke of Northumberland, William Marquis of Northampton, Francis Earl of Huntingdon, and John Earl of Warwick, had levied war against Mary I and declared Lady Jane Grey as queen, treasonous acts [KB 8/21, m 19] (3/10)

This is the caption of the Suffolk indictment, signed by nine of the justices [KB 8/21, m 20] #LegalRecords (4/10)

Other investigations were undertaken in other counties. Here's the return of the writ of venire facias, naming the jurors in the Cambridge grand jury [KB 8/21, m 15] #LegalRecords (5/10)

You like lists of names? Well, you'll love these trial records because they also contain this list of peers - starting with William Marquis of Winchester, treasurer of England - summoned as judges in the main Westminster trial [KB 8/21, m 11] #TreasonSeason (6/10)

And of course the pleas of the main Westminster case are also collected here in KB 8/21, mm 1-7. #LegalRecords #TreasonSeason (7/10)

The pleas conclude with this verdict (content warning for those of you that read Latin): all those tried were found guilty, to be executed as is customary in cases of high treason (hanging, drawing, and quartering) [KB 8/21, m 7] #TreasonSeason #LegalRecords (8/10)

With the defendants tried and executed, all that was left was to store the records safely. Like many other treason trials, these records were placed in a leather bag - the "bag of secrets" - now kept with the records they once held, in KB 8/21. #LegalRecords (9/10)

If this has whetted your appetite for treason (poor choice of words, admittedly), then you may be interested in the new exhibition @UkNatArchives, all about treason, opening 5 November. #TreasonSeason (10/10) nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/our…