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Henry the Eight, after the Dissolution of the Ab∣beys, having made some slender Reformations, and particularly given way, that the Creed, the ten Commandments, and the Lords Prayer might be read in English, which was also Enacted by Parliament,
the Commons discontented that their Mumblings must down, and the Monks sore troubled to min∣gle English in their Masses, the Lincolnsh re men began a Commotion under Duke Mackarel, a Monk who named himself Captain Cobler, and his follow∣ers were sweld near to the number of twenty Thou∣sand. Against these the King prepared in Person, sending forth into several Counties, to charge them with a Levy of so many well appointed Souldiers to meet him at Ampthil; which being known to the Rebels, they were so bold as to send to the King several Articles subscribed with many of their Hands, demanding the Restitution of Abbeys, the removal of Cromwel and Sir Richard Rich, Chan∣cellor of the Augmentations, and several of the Bishops. But these Rebels seeing the Kings For∣ces grow upon 'em, were soon dissipated by the meer Breach of a General Pardon, so that they submitted themselves to the Kings Mercy, after a vain Breath of their Allegiance.
Yet did not their ill success daunt the Northern Commoners, who threatned a severer Storm: For in Yorkshire there Assembled no less then forty Thousand Rusticks well furnished with Horse, Ar∣mour, Artilery and other War-like Habiliments, threatning to set the stay of the State upon their Giddy Inventions; their pretence was Religion and the Defence of the Holy Church. Their Ban∣ners Painted with the four Wounds of Christ, the Challice and the Cakes, and upon their Sleevs was writ the Name of the Lord; and so fervent were they in their Proceedings, that this attempt of
theirs must be called the Holy Pilgrimage: Nor were the Boores and Swains only involved in this Insurrection, but others of Place and Degree, as the Archbishop of York, the Lord Darcy, the Lord Lumley, with several Knights and Bayliffs of Cor∣porations, but their Captain General was one Robert Aske a mean Gentleman, to whom one Rudstone was Associate in the Field: Other Commanders they had out of the Common Rabble, of whom the Chief was one James Diamond General of the Foot, a poor Fisherman who styl'd himself the Earl of Poverty.
These set forth a Declaration, subscribed to all Lords, Knights, Masters and Friends, wherein they declared their Intentions to Fight against all that should oppose them in their Pilgrimage for the Punishment of Hereticks and Lawyers.
And so terrible and haughty was their Captain Ask, that when Lancaster Herald was sent to de∣clare the Kings Message to them at Pomfrait Castle, which the Rebels had got by surrender from the Lord Darcy, he so blustered out his Answers, that the poor spirited Fellow excusing himself to be but a Messenger, fell before him on his Knees: These Rebels also sent forth their Mandates for the Country to come into their Assistance, under penalty of pulling down their Houses, loosing their Goods, and their Persons to be at the Cap∣tains disposal.
Against these the King sent the Duke of Norfolk, accompanied with Marquis of Exeter, the Earls of Huntington and Rutland, who joyning their
Forces together, made toward the Rebels then ly∣ing near Doncaster, in whose sight they immedi∣ately set up their Tents, resolving the next day to give them Battle. But in the Night time such Floods of Water fell, that the River Don over∣flowed its Banks, so that there was no passage over the Bridge, Thereupon the Lord General offered the Rebels a Parley, which being with much ado accepted, at length this Meteor of an Infurrection was also Disolved by the warm Rayes of the Kings Pardon, and the Multitude melted away like Hail in Spring; but Heaven determining to bring these boisterous Rebels to a more remarkable Punish∣ment, neither could this gentleness of the King reclaim their tumultuous Rage, so that after they had taken a little breath, a new Insurrection was set on Foot in the same Places, and by the same Per∣sons, Dacres, Ash, Sir Robert Constable, Sir Fran∣cis Bigot, Dulmer, Peircy, Tempest, Hamilton and Lumley, who being taken in this last attempt, were all put to Death, as well they deserved. In which Executions they were accompanyed by four Abbots, three Monks, two Priors, one Parson and five Priests, together with Captain Cobler their Ge∣neral, who were all hanged at the same time for Treason.