The Winters of Huddington are a family of old standing in
Worcestershire; and Anne Winter, sister of the great grandfather of
these brothers, was the mother of Edward Underhill, the "Hot Gospeller."
His grandson, George Winter of Huddington and Droitwich, was a
"recusant," yet was High Sheriff of his county in 1589. He married,
first, Jane, daughter of Sir William Ingleby of Ripley, in Yorkshire,
and secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Bourne. By the first
marriage he had issue two sons--Robert and Thomas; by the second, John,
Dorothy, and Elizabeth.
Robert, the eldest son, was born in or soon after 1565. Gerard
describes him as "a gentleman of good estate in Worcestershire, about a
thousand marks a year (666 pounds, 13 shillings 4 pence)--an earnest
Catholic, though not as yet generally known to be so. He was a wise
man, and of grave and sober carriage, and very stout (i.e., courageous),
as all of that name have been esteemed." He joined the conspirators,
March 31st, 1605; but he, like others, objected at first to the "scandal
to the Catholic cause," and was a half-hearted accomplice to the end.
He is said to have been terrified by a horrible dream on the night of
November 4th, which made him more willing to desert the cause. He
married Gertrude, daughter of Sir John Talbot (of the Shrewsbury line)
and of Katherine Petre, by whom he had four children,--John, who died in
1622, leaving issue; Helen, of Cooksey, died 5th May 1670; Mary, a nun;
and Catherine, died before 1670. All the daughters were unmarried.
Thomas Winter, one of the chief actors in the plot, was probably born
about 1570, and seems to have died a bachelor. He may have been the
"Thomas or William Wynter," apparently of Bradgate Hall, Oxford, who
took his B.A. degree on 29th January 1589. He had served in the Dutch
army against Spain, and quitted it on account of religious scruples, but
so long afterwards as 1605, he is spoken of as Captain Winter
(Additional Manuscript 6178, folio 62). After this he was secretary to
Lord Monteagle. He was, says Greenway, "an accomplished and able man,
familiarly conversant with several languages, the intimate friend and
companion of Catesby, and of great account with the Catholic party
generally, in consequence of his talents for intrigue, and his personal
acquaintance with ministers of influence in foreign Courts." Gerard
adds that his "elder brother, and another younger, were also brought
into the action by his means. He was a reasonable good scholar, and
able to talk in many matters of learning, but especially in philosophy
or histories, very well and judicially. He could speak both Latin,
Italian, Spanish, and French. He had been a soldier, both in Flanders,
France, and I think against the Turk, and could discourse exceeding well
of those matters; and was of such a wit, and so fine carriage, that he
was of so pleasing conversation, desired much of the better sort, but an
inseparable friend to Mr Robert Catesby. He was of mean stature, but
strong and comely, and very valiant, about thirty-three years or more.
His means were not great, but he lived in good sort, and with the best.
He was very devout and zealous in his faith, and careful to come often
to the Sacraments, and of very grave and discreet carriage, offensive to
no man, and fit for any employment." His "living was eight score pound
by the year, by report of his man," (_Gunpowder Plot Book_, article 41);
namely, his annual income was about 160 pounds. Several letters of his
are still extant; three have been published in Notes and Queries (3rd
Series, one; 341), and are all addressed to Grant. One written to
Catesby has not seen the light hitherto, and as it is characteristic, I
append it. (Cott. Manuscript Titus, B. two; folio 292.)
"To my loving friend, Mr Robert Catesby.
"Though all you malefactors flock to London, as birds in winter to a
dunghill, yet do I, Honest man, freely possess the sweet country air:
and to say truth, would fain be amongst you, but cannot as yet get money
to come up. I was at Asbye to have met you, but you were newly gone; my
business and your uncertain stay made me hunt no further. I pray you
commend me to other friends. And when occasion shall require, send down
to my brother's or Mr Talbott's; within this month I will be with you
at London. So God keep you this 12th of October. Your loving friend,
Thomas Wintour."
John Winter, the youngest brother, seems to have had very little share
in the plot, and most fervently denied any knowledge of it whatever.
Gerard (see _ante_) asserts that he was engaged in it, and Gertrude
Winter bore witness that he came to Huddington with the other
conspirators on November 7th. His own amusing narrative is to the
effect that Grant asked him on the 4th of November, if he would go to a
horse-race, and he answered that he would if he were well; that on the
5th, he went to "a little town called Rugby," where he and others supped
and played cards; that a messenger came to them and said, "The gentlemen
were at Dunchurch, and desired their company to be merry;" that at
Holbeach he "demanded of Mr Percy and the rest, being most of them
asleep, what they meant to do," and they answered that they would go on
now; and shortly afterwards he left them. (_Gunpowder Plot Book_,
article 110). John Winter was imprisoned, but released. There is no
evidence to show that he was married.