John Blackaller (around 1494–January 1563) of Exeter, Devon, was an English politician, who served as bothMayor of Exeter andMember (MP) forExeter.
Blackaller was born inTotnes[1] in 1494,[2] and was a Catholic.[3]
Blackaller married Joan Hockemore in 1529 or earlier.[4]
He had at least one daughter, who was married to William Peryam,[5] who was mayor in 1532, and part of a family dynasty of Mayors of Exeter.
Blackaller was aMember (MP) of theParliament of England forExeter in 1529. He wasMayor of Exeter in 1530–31, 1536–37 and 1548–49.[2] He died in January 1563 and was buried on 21 January 1563.
As analderman, Blackaller had law enforcement responsibilities, occasioning active measures, and he was involved in the putting down of an open riot against thedissolution ofSt Nicholas' Priory in 1536, where he was driven from the church.[5]
In 1536–37, Blackaller was amongst those accused byRichard Lamprey of failure to punishtreason, of which he was acquitted.[3]
In 1537, Blackaller expropriated land atShillingford which had been granted to the Dean and Chapter ofExeter Cathedral, refusing to pass rents on to the clerics.[3][6]
In the 1560s, Blackaller was once again accused of withholding clerical dues from lands at Heavitree and Polsloe.[3]
During Blackaller's final term as Mayor of Exeter in 1549, thePrayer Book Rebellion took place following the release of thefirst Book of Common Prayer and related religious changes underEdward VI, suppressing the practice of Catholicism. Uprisings atSampford Courtenay andClyst St Mary escalated, with rebels building defensive works and blocking highways.[7]
DevonKnight andPrivy CouncillorPeter Carew was tasked with quelling the uprising, but was unsuccessful, but did alert Blackaller to the danger, allowing Exeter to be brought to a state of defensive readiness. Themidsummer eve celebrations were cancelled, which would normally have involved a ceremonial inspection of the city's defences, followed by a feast.[7]
The rebel leaders did attempt to persuade the Catholic Blackaller to surrender the city, through numerous messages, but this approach was firmly rejected.[3][8] Whilst Blackaller had sympathy with the cause, his dedication to the King and his duty were stronger than his religious conviction,[9] for which later commentators have characterised him as heroic and courageous.[10][11]
An initial force of around 2,000 rebel men gathered outside Exeter's city gates, initiating a five-week long siege.[12]