However Mary felt that she could no longer risk anyone rallying to Lady Jane’s cause – hence her execution – especially as her father, the Duke of Suffolk, had been involved in this plot and had been executed for treason. Both had been in prison since the failed attempt to put Lady Jane on the throne and had nothing to do with Wyatt’s rebellion. Two other casualties were Lady Jane Grey and her husband Guildford Dudley. In total about 90 rebels were executed but many of the common people who had joined Wyatt and survived were spared. Other minor nobles were also executed but some – guilty of treason – were spared. Only two of the leaders were executed for their treason – Wyatt and the Duke of Suffolk. She was told that this would raise her status still further in the eyes of the people. Mary listened to those advisors who suggested that leniency for the rebels would be the best way forward and would demonstrate her true Christian nature. However, not all of her advisors shared this view. Mary ordered that the offenders should be harshly dealt with. In fact, so many were caught that the authorities had nowhere to put them (in terms of prison space) and had to use local churches. Those rebels who were not killed were arrested.
Wyatt was sent to the Tower of London, as were the other noblemen who were caught. At a trial held after the rebellion had failed, one rebel is recorded t have stated that the rebellion was “to prevent us from over-running with strangers”. There can be little doubt that there were those outside of noble circles who were gravely concerned by the thought of Mary marrying Philip and it was these people who joined Wyatt. Norfolk and what was left of his force retreated to London. A force led by the Duke of Norfolk was sent to deal with Wyatt but this collapsed when Wyatt was helped when 500 government troops deserted to his cause. Wyatt succeeded in raising an army in Kent of about 4,000 men and his proximity to London greatly worried the government there. Those in the Midlands did not want to commit treason (Suffolk raised a force of just 140 men) while many in the West were Catholic. It seems that though there was concern about Mary marrying a foreigner, loyalty to the Queen took precedence. The ‘uprisings’ in the Midlands and the West Country were a failure as few of the people there gave Carew and the Duke of Suffolk the support they needed for success.
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