The Tudor Society

The Deadly Oxford Black Assizes of 1577

In July 1577, a courtroom in the city of Oxford turned deadly.

Within days of the trial of a Catholic recusant and bookseller, hundreds, including Nicholas Barham, Queen Elizabeth I’s top lawyer, were dead.

No violence. No uprising. Just a hidden killer...gaol fever!

Leave a Reply

The Deadly Oxford Black Assizes of 1577