John Talbot of Grafton

[3] It was when passing through Smithfield, London, in July 1580, with Talbot and his wife Katherine Petre, that Robert Johnson, the Catholic martyr, was recognized by Sledd, the informer.

Talbot was committed to the custody of the Dean of Westminster, 24 August 1580, and afterwards removed to the house of his brother-in-law, Sir John Petre, in Aldersgate Street.

On 27 August 1592, the recusants formerly imprisoned at Ely, Banbury, and Broughton were ordered back to their respective prisons; but an exception was made (17 September 1592) in favour of John Talbot.

Afterwards he was imprisoned in Banbury Castle, whence he was released on bail for two months, 27 February 1596–7, his leave being subsequently extended on 29 April 1597, and 6 November, 1597.

In 1601 he was living in Worcestershire and pressure was brought to bear on him to secure his influence to promote the candidature of Sir Thomas Leighton as one of the parliamentary representatives of the shire.

In 1604 he was paying £20 a month in fines for his recusancy, the benefit of which was on 26 August granted to Sir William Anstruther, who on 13 October in the same year obtained his pardon.

In 1605 he was suspected of complicity with the conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot, one of whom, Robert Wintour, of Huddington near Droitwich, had married his daughter Gertrude.