The order under the Tudors, 1485–1526

During the fifteenth century the order of St Lazarus successfully reorganised itself by adding to its charitable provision a new sense of purpose based on spiritual aspects of its work, such as its confraternity and intercessionary function. But all of this was to be put in the balance and eventually swept away by the circumstances of Henry VIII’s Reformation, which regarded with grave suspicion both masses for the dead and charity ineffectively distributed by suspect religious orders. Yet, even before these traumatic events, the order was not in as strong a position as it might have been to weather the storm because of the political alignment of its leaders and the attitude of the Tudor kings.

Sir William Sutton, master for over thirty years, was a formative influence on these late-medieval developments and also a stalwart supporter of the house of York, reflecting in this the views of his Mowbray and Howard patrons. During his long period in office he broke with many well-established traditions, having been married and being the father of at least two sons. Under Sutton’s leadership the order became something akin to a family business, a trend possibly reflected in France with the ascendency of the Mareuil family at about the same time. When his eldest son, John, died in 1473, the master procured a licence from the Pope to enable a Robert Sutton, possibly a younger son and then aged twenty-six, to govern any Lazarite house. This never came about, possibly through Robert’s premature death, and Sir William eventually resigned in about 1483 in favour of another relative, George Sutton. Sir William lived on in retirement until 1491, long enough to witness the collapse of the Yorkist monarchy and the death of Richard III at Bosworth in 1485.

Sir George Sutton came to be trusted enough by Henry VII to serve on the commission of the peace for Leicestershire in 1500 and 1501, but the wider affinities of the Sutton clan were still ambivalent to say the least.