Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace

Question 1

What was the rebellion in Lincolnshire caused by?

Answer 1

The local reaction to the rapid and radical changes that were being imposed by Henry and Cromwell between 1535 and 36. The trigger was the presence of the government commissioners in the region who were overseeing the dissolution of smaller scale monasteries and visitations of the clergy. Such high level of goverment intervention in one region caused tension and rumours.

Question 2

When did the Lincolnshire rising take place?

Answer 2

October 1536.

Question 3

What was the visitations of the clergy?

Answer 3

An inquiry which assessed the standard of education among the clergy.

Question 4

Who did the rebels at the Lincolnshire Rebellion blame?

Answer 4

Not Henry but his, “evil counsellors.”

Question 5

Why did the rebels of the Lincolnshire Rebellion decide not to blame Henry?

Answer 5

If they had blamed him they would have been commiting treason. By presenting themselves as loyal subjects it presented the opportunity for the King to listen to their grievances.

Question 6

Why did the rebels use the word commonwealth in their demands?

Answer 6

It was a term used for what was good for the realm. By using this word it made the rebels claim that they were acting out of common good not of self interest.

Question 7

What were some other demands of the Lincolnshire Rebellion which weren’t religious?

Answer 7

The 1534 subsidy and their inability to pay.

Question 8

What did the Lincolnshire rebellions petition show?

Answer 8

That both gentry, landlords and commons joined the revolt. The increasing government intervention and the religious changes was a factor which United them.

Question 9

How did the Lincolnshire Rebellion start?

Answer 9

The Bishop of Lincolns officer arrived at Louth to carry out a visitation of the clergy. An armed group of men had spent the night guarding the church treasure House fearing it was going to be seized by government officials. The men marched to a nearby nunnery and captured the commissioners who were there to dissolve it. The next day there was rumours that their weapons were going to be taken, 3000 people met in Louth and the commisioners were forced to flee. The trouble spread to Horncastle and Caistor.

Question 10

What happened on the 9th of October?

Answer 10

Dr Raynes, the chancellor of the Bishop of Lincoln was killed by an angry mob. They then drew up a petition and marched to Lincoln.

Question 11

What did the Lincolnshire rebels petition say?

Answer 11

Their main grievances were the dissolution of the smaller monasteries, the evil council Henry was receiving from men of low birth, and the promotion of men with reformer sympathies such as Cramner.

Question 12

How many men is it estimated had joined the rebellion when they marched on Lincoln?

Answer 12

10,000

Question 13

How did the local members of the nobility react?

Answer 13

Lord Hussey and Lord Clinton who should have stopped the rebels fled.

Question 14

How did the Lincolnshire Rebellion end?

Answer 14

The Kings army led by the Duke of Suffolk was just 40 miles away and the King had replied to their petition saying that they would be severley punished unless they disbanded. Rather then fight, the gentry asked Suffolk for a pardon. This caused anger among the commons but they did go home on the 11th of October.

Question 15

Who was the leader of the Lincolnshire Rebellion?

Answer 15

A shoe maker Nicholas Melton. This shows how it was supported by the common people, he was also joined by a monk from a dissolved Abbey in Louth and some from other monasteries.

Question 16

How were the Monks and abbot’s who were involved in the Lincolnshire Rebellion treated after?

Answer 16

They were executed.

Question 17

Why was the fact that some gentry joined the Lincolnshire Rebellion such an issue?

Answer 17

The gentry were also JPs and responsible for keeping local order so the rebellion was able to gain momentum.

Question 18

Why was the fact that Church members joined the Lincolnshire Rebellion such a threat for the Tudors?

Answer 18

The Church usually helped keep control as they taught things such as obedience and the importance of social hierarchy.

Question 19

Why was the speed of the events of the Lincolnshire Rebellion a threat for Henry?

Answer 19

It had taken the local authorities by suprise and they were unable to cope.

Question 20

What did the fact that the Lincolnshire rebels being in contact with the ones from Yorkshire show about the threat of the Rebellion?

Answer 20

The level of organisation shows that they could have posed an even greater threat. However, the Yorkshire commons were fortunately for Henry, not ready to rebel and the Lincolnshire rebels ignored the Yorkshire rebels please with them to wait to rebels.

Question 21

What are the 4 reasons that show the Lincolnshire Rebellion wasn’t really a threat?

Answer 21

1. It got put down so quickly. 2. As soon as the local gentry were threatened with punishment they put down the rebellion. 3. The rebels were loyal to Henry. 4. The local nobility did not join the rising.

Question 22

How did the ease of the defeat of the Lincolnshire Rebellion actually threaten Henry?

Answer 22

It lulled him into a false sense of security and on the 19th of October he disbanded a second army he had sent to help the Duke of Sulfolk finish suppressing the trouble in Lincolnshire.

Question 23

What did the gentry claim after the Lincolnshire Rebellion?

Answer 23

That they had been compelled into joining

Question 24

Where and when did the pilgrimage of grace start?

Answer 24

The 10th of October 1536 in Beverley, East riding of Yorkshire.

Question 25

When were the pilgrimage of grace rebels communicationing with the Lincolnshire rebels?

Answer 25

As early as the 2nd of October

Question 26

What happened on the 16th of October 1536?

Answer 26

As many as 10,000 rebels entered and took over York. At York Aske issued a proclamation stating the pilgrimags peaceful intentions and their determination to protect the church. They made these intentions clear by capturing and restoring two dissolved religious houses.

Question 27

What happened on the 19th of October 1536?

Answer 27

Rebels captured Hull and Pontefract Castle. Lord Darcy tried to defend Pontefract and wrote letters asking for the Kings support but was eventually persuaded to join them. In Carlisle, rebels tried to convince the town to join them although most of the towns authorities did not agree.

Question 28

How did people in the North Riding of Yorkshire react?

Answer 28

They also joined the rebellion on the 11th of October. They captured Barnard Castle before meeting up with Askes army in York

Question 29

What members of the local nobility supported the rebels from the North Riding of Yorkshire?

Answer 29

Lord Latimer and Sir Christopher Derby and another lawyer Robert Bowes.

Question 30

Where else in the North did rebels muster?

Answer 30

Westmorland where Rebellion broke out on the 16th of October and Cumberland.

Question 31

What happened on the 21st of Octobrr 1536?

Answer 31

A rebel army besieged Skipton Castle trapping the Earl of Cumberland.

Question 32

What was the only area in the North where the rebellion was unsuccessful?

Answer 32

Lancashire as the Earl of Derby remained loyal to Henry despite Derby’s religiously conservative beliefs. This was because Henry had given Derby huge powers in Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales. This meant that the local gentry also remained loyal to Henry.

Question 33

Why was the pilgrimage of grace such a military threat for Henry?

Answer 33

There were 30,000 members many of who were well trained fighters due to the wars against Scotland. Nine rebel hosts formed throughout England and all were looking up to Aske as captain. Henry’s military recourses were in contrast over stretched, the Duke of Sufolk was still controlling things in Lincolnshire and Henry had sent his second army home. That meant that the rebels had three weeks to gather and create a strategy whilst even more of the Northern nobility joined them.

Question 34

What happened on the 23rd of October 1536?

Answer 34

The Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Shrewsbury marched North with an army of around 9000 men.

Question 35

What happened on the 27th of October 1536?

Answer 35

Because Shrewsbury and Norfolk were out numbered they were forced to negotiate with the rebels. They held a meeting at Pontefract where the rebels presented a list of five articles and two representatives would take it to the King and peace would be called.

Question 36

How did Henry respond when he recieved the 5 articles from the rebels?

Answer 36

He sent an angry reply.

Question 37

What happened at the second meeting with the rebels?

Answer 37

They drew up a second set of 24 complaints to give to Norfolk and this took place on the 7th of December at Doncaster. They also asked for the Kings pardon.

Question 38

What were the main points of the 24 Pontefract articles?

Answer 38

They wanted a parliament in the North of England, abbeys to be restored, Lady Mary to be made legitimate, the religious reforms to be gotten rid of etc.

Question 39

What news reached the rebels on the 9th of December and what did this result in?

Answer 39

The Kings pardon which made the rebels start to go home. Aske himself was recieved at court and treated well, he returned to the North convinced of the Kings good intentions.However, Henry was just biding his time.

Question 40

What rising happened in January 1537?

Answer 40

Bigods rising.

Question 41

What caused Bigods rising?

Answer 41

Some of the pilgrims realised that Henry had tricked them as Norfolk who had returned to London was staying there much longer then the rebels had expected. Rumours circulated that the King was preparing to take revenge.

Question 42

What happened at Bigods rising?

Answer 42

He planned to capture Scarborough and Hull hut only a few hundred rebels joined him and Hallam. This lead him to be captured in Cumberland in Febuary 1537. The commons were afraid that the gentry were about to turn on them and the rebels attacked Carlisle but were put down by a force led by Sir Christopher Darce on the 16th of Febuary.

Question 43

How did Henry respond to Bigods rising?

Answer 43

The Duke of Norfolk was sent to the North and the Carlisle rebels were hanged and trials and executions were carried out throughout Cumberland.

Question 44

How did the gentry who had been involved in the rebellion respond to the punishments by the King?

Answer 44

They joined sides with the government and even became those conducting the trials such as Robert Bowes.

Question 45

Who was executed after the pilgrimage of grace?

Answer 45

Members of the gentry and nobility who had played the greatest role in the rebellion. Even though the King had pardoned these men they made up new reasons to charge the men. At least 144 people were executed including Aske, Sir Thomas Percy, Bigod and Hussey.

Question 46

How was the Percy family involved with the pilgrimage of grace?

Answer 46

The two brothers of the Earl of Northumberland were involved. Their power base in the North had been threatened by Henry in the 1530s influencing them to rebel. Their high status in the North lead Their tenants and followers joined them in the rebellion.

Question 47

What was Robert Aske connected to the nobility?

Answer 47

He was the Earl of Northumberlands legal advisor, connecting him to the Percy family and the cousin of the Earl of Cumberland.

Question 48

How was the clergy involved in the pilgrimage of grace?

Answer 48

After the revolt, 39 Monks and 16 parish priests were executed for treason.

Question 49

Why can it be supposed that the Clifford’s remained loyal and defended Skipton Castle?

Answer 49

They had been rewarded by Henry in the 1530s.

Question 50

Why did the Earl of Northumberland not play a desisive parts in events?

Answer 50

He was too ill so surrendered his castle to Aske without a fight.