a particularly fertile and well-cultivated district at that period, within an easy ride of London, and with the comfortable house of the Abbess's steward, with its fish-ponds and park, easily turned into an excellent country residence for the busy statesman. Here, at Ingatestone Hall, Sir William Petre established himself and his family, and many of his letters are dated from this place. However, there is some evidence of an institutionalised system of bribery and corruption. Those in public office were expected to charge for favours and salaries were accordingly set very low. Accounts show that by 1540, William was receiving £180 per year in annuities from religious houses he had visited (approximately £70,000 today). If it seems strange that abbeys should give annuities to an individual charged with abolishing them, they were probably bribes either to delay the procedure or to facilitate a pension for the retiring Abbot. William received money from about twenty monasteries. Secretary of State to Edward VI When Henry VIII died in 1547 William was appointed an assistant executor to his will. This gave him much hold over the Protestant and youthful sovereign, Edward VI, and his power, importance and activity rapidly increased. In August 1547, he was entrusted with the Great Seal for use in all ecclesiastical affairs. In 1547 he was first elected as knight of the shire (MP) for Essex. He was returned for Essex a further eight times in 1553 (twice), 1554 (twice), 1555, 1558, 1559 and 1563. He may have previously sat for Downton in 1536. In 1549, he served on commissions to visit the University of Oxford inquiring into heresies, to examine the charges against Lord Seymour of Sudeley, and to try the sometime Bishop of London Bonner. He did not take part in Bonner's trial after the first day, and it was rumoured that he 'was turning about to another party'. On 6 October 1549, he was sent by Somerset to the council to demand the reason of their coming together, though at first a supporter of the Protector Somerset. Finding them the stronger party he deserted Somerset just before his fall, remaining to sign the council's letter to the lord mayor denouncing the protector; four days later he also signed the proclamation against Somerset. By the 1550s, he was very prosperous. Not only was he Secretary of State but he also had many other sinecures such as warden