The Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace

What was the Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace

What was the Lincolnshire Rising and the Pilgrimage of Grace

• Together comprimised the largest single rebellion in the history of Tudor England

• Began as a rising that started in October 1536 in Lincolnshire

• Spread to Yorkshire, Wakefield and Pontefract

Second rising

• Second more militant rising

• Between Richmond, spread west to Cumberland, Westmorland and into the west Riding of Yorkshire

• Rebels were more radicalised and more hostile towards the gentry

Causes of the rebellion

• Complex

• Various secular motives played a part

• But undoubtedly was due the the impact of Henry's religious changes figured among the rebels’ grievances

• Huge resentment felt about a government which was pushing too quickly for religious change that most ordinary people couldn’t keep up with

Religious motives

• Dissolution of the monasteries

• Loss of charitable and fundable education provided by them

• Fear that the north would be impoverished from land falling into southerners hands

• 1536 Injunctions drawn up by Cromwell were seen as attacking traditional religious practices

• Celebrations of local important saints in Yorkshire had been discouraged

• Rumours that church plate and jewels would be confiscated and parishes might be amalgamated

Secular motives

• Ordinary rebels were more motivated by economic grievances including resentment of taxation, rather than the leaders

• Crown’s attempts to impose the Duke of Suffolk upon Lincolnshire may have sparked initial rebellions

• Possibly initial rebellions prompted by supporters of Catherine of Aragon who wanted to restore Princess Mary as heir to the throne

• Extension of the rebellion into Cumberland has been linked to tenants’ grievances

• Difficult to completely outline the motives due to the size of the rebellion and the different identities involved

The suppression of the rebellions

• Lincolnshire rebellion quickly collapsed when faced with the forces of the Duke of Suffolk

• Northern rebels occupied York, Hull and captured Pontefract Castle

• Therefore caused alarm to the king and his ministers

• Some of the rebel forces at Doncaster dispersed when Norfolk issued a pardon to them and promised the dissolved monasteries would be restored

• Rebellion renewed in Feb 1537 - Norfolk quickly suppressed the renewed rebellion and hanged 74 rebels

• A number of rebel leaders including Darcy and Hussey, several members of the gentry and heads of monastic houses were bought to London, tried and executed

The Pilgrimage of Grace’s effect on Henry VIII

• Shook him

• His own dealing of the rebellion was poor

• He ignored warnings about the increase in resentment to dissolutions

• He was fortunate for the Duke of Norfolk’s involvement in suppressing the rebellion

• Pilgrimage didn’t show the pace of religious change, only the amount of opposition it gained