Reactions against the Dissolution of the Monastries: the northern risings of 1536-37
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Nicholas Melton, who was a shoemaker, led a rising in Lincolnshire. He managed to persuade over 20 men to organise followers.
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The king's commissioners for the suppression of the monasteries reached Caistor, where they learned with alarm that a great multitude of locals from Louth, who had set out the day before, were within just a mile of the town, as well as crowds from Horncastle and Market Rasen that were joining them.
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Nicholas Melton, who was a shoemaker, led a rising in Lincolnshire. He managed to persuade over 20 men to organise followers. Around 3000 men marched from Louth to Caistor to seize the representative of the Bishop of Lincoln and the royal commissioners dissolving the monasteries in the area.
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Around 3000 men marched from Louth to Caistor to seize the representative of the Bishop of Lincoln and the royal commissioners dissolving the monasteries in the area.
Gathering support from Horncastle, 10,000 men marched to Lincoln, the county town (more significantly the religious centre of the region) -
On this date, the crowd attacked a leading official pf the Bishop of Lincoln and murdered him.
As a symbolic gesture, his money and clothes were divided amongst the crowd
Leadership of the rebellion drew up a line of demands, 'The Lincolnshire Articles', which would be presented to the representative of the King -
Rising spreads to Beverley, Yorkshire
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The king's army, led by the Duke of Suffolk, was dispatched to Lincoln with the King's response to the rebel's demands .By the time the royal army reached Stamford, the local gentry were hastening to claim that they had involved themselves only to control the rebels and hold them at Lincoln, rather than letting them overrun the country. They told the men that they would not lead them further. Also pressure from peers said that the Duke of Suffolk would not negotiate whilst they were in arms.
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By this time, the rebellion had collapsed as at least half the men fled, although they obtained promises from the gentry that they would lead them out again if the King's Pardon were not honoured
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Successful lawyer who was able to organise large companies of armed men. 10,000 supporters of the Pilgrimage led by Aske entered York 16th October . Following week, further assemblies in Cumberland and Durham. At Penrith, four captains were chosen to lead the pilgrims and took the names of Charity, Faith, Poverty and Pity. Despite the emphasis of peaceful intentions of those involved, the action taken challenged the established systems of Law and Order
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Held captive in Skipton Castle after a week long siege.
Barnard Castle yielded to the Pilgrims -
Thomas, Lord Darcy of Templehurst, surrenders Pontefract Castle to Robert Aske.
Also Lancaster Herald (Sir Thomas Miller) arrives at Pontefract with a Proclamation from the King. Aske refuses to let him read it.
Moreover, The Earl of Shrewsbury is ordered to march towards Doncaster. -
Pilgrim army of some 27,000 men confronts the Royal army of some 8,000 troops at Doncaster. The Duke of Norfolk meets the leaders and gives a safe-conduct to two delegates, Sir Ralph Ellerker and Robert Bowes, to take a petition to the King.
Henry accepts he has to give discretion to Norfolk, Suffolk and Shrewsbury -
The Pilgrims' delegates arrive at Windsor and receive short shrift from Henry. He points out that he knows more about religion than the Commons, and that the money previously diverted to the monasteries would be better used for defence of the realm. They will be pardoned if they hand over ten ringleaders and behave in future.
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He meets the rebel leaders and offers a Pardon, promises a Parliament will be held in York to address grievances and agrees that the re-established monasteries will remain untouched pending the Parliament.
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The rebels disband after Robert Aske informs the Pilgrims that the Pardon issued at Doncaster was to be extended, that a Parliament would be held in the North.
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Doubting the Government's plans with Aske, Sir Francis Bigod emerged and decided t act and to seize Hull and Scarborough. Only Beverly was captured and was held for a short period of time.
Bigod fled to Cumberland and was captured -
There was a mustering of the commons in Eskdale but the gentry turned on them.
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Initial trials of Robert Aske , Lord Darcy , Sir Francis Bigod, Sir Thomas Percy, Lord Hussey