Now! Then! God stands between Henry VIII’s army at Doncaster and a superior force of Catholic rebels from the Pilgrimage of Grace, according to a Tudor chronicler

25 October 1536: God stands between Henry VIII’s army at Doncaster and a superior force of Catholic rebels from the Pilgrimage of Grace, according to a Tudor chronicler

Raphael Holinshed. 1808. Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Vol. 3/6: England. London: J. Johnson. Get it:

Excerpt

The Earl of Shrewsbury, with the Earls of Huntingdon and Rutland, and such other that were next adjoining to those parties, with their powers assembled out of the shires of Salop, Stafford, Leicester, Rutland, Nottingham and Derby, came to a place in Nottinghamshire called Blithlow, and there taking the musters of their people, straightways passed forth to Doncaster, and appointed certain bands of their men to lie in places where any fords or passages lay over the river of Don, that runs by the north side of Doncaster, to stay the enemies if they should attempt to come over. Shortly after came the Duke of Norfolk, and finally the Marquess of Exeter with a jolly company of western men, well and perfectly appointed. When these captains and sage counsellors being here assembled understood the manner of the northern men, their number, and readiness to battle, they first practised with great policy to have pacified the matter without blood-shedding. But the northern men were so bent to maintain their wilful enterprise that there was no hope to take up the matter without battle. Therefore a day was set on which they should try the quarrel betwixt them with dint of sword. But see the chance: the night before the day assigned for this bloody and unnatural battle (it have been fought betwixt men of one nation, and subjects to one king) there fell a rain not great to speak of, but yet as it were by miracle, the river of Don rose suddenly on such a height, that seldom had been seen there the like hugeness of water. So that the day when the hour of battle should come, it was not possible for the one army to come at the other, and so the appointment made between both the armies for trial of the matter by force of arms was by God’s good providence disappointed, and many an innocent man’s life preserved. After this a communication was had, and an agreement made upon the king’s pardon, obtained for all the captains and chief doers in this insurrection, and promise made that they should be gently heard, to declare such things as they found themselves grieved with.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

The letter from the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Marquess of Exeter etc. to the King from Doncaster (Hoyle 1985) is better and will be used if Taylor & Francis waive their suggested fee of £80.

A good chronology is to be found in Appendix II of Michael Bush’s Pilgrimage of Grace. Some relevant items:

25th October:

Middleward of the pilgrim host moves to Hampole; the van moves to Pickburn, overlooking Doncaster.

Skirmish occurs that morning outside Doncaster, in which government troops are routed, inspiring the Bowes host to consider taking Doncaster immediately. The same day the herald returns with a letter rejecting the pilgrims’ terms and challenging battle unless they disperse. The letter also proposes that, if they disperse, the commanders of the royal army will be suitors for them to the king.

That evening the pilgrims convene a council at Hampole: the wisdom of war or peace is debated. A policy of negotiation prevails. The rebels accept Norfolk’s original proposal for a meeting in Doncaster. That night heavy rain causes the Don to rise, making it unfordable.

26th October: Norfolk reaches Doncaster in the early hours, without his army.
26th and 27th October: Pilgrim host is arrayed before Doncaster at Scawsby Leys.
27th October: First Appointment at Doncaster is made, A truce is agreed whilst the rebels’ five articles are taken to the king by Norfolk accompanied by the pilgrim leaders, Bowes and Ellerker. It is also proposed that there should be a parliament to consider the pilgrims’ grievances and that a general pardon should be granted.
(Bush 1996)

Swainson quotes Brand who, to fit his superstitious narrative, redates the event to the eve of 28 October, the notoriously rainy feast of the Saints Simon and Jude (Swainson 1873). The addition of resonance to events by their post hoc redating to important feasts may have been common, but I haven’t found any analysis of the practice.

I enjoyed Roy Hattersley’s take on this and other stuff in The Catholics (Hattersley 2017).

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Original

These lords raising such retinues of souldiers and men of warre as were to them assigned, made forward to the place where the armie of the rebels was then incamped, which was beyond the towne of Doncaster, in the high waie towards Yorke. But first the said earle of Shrewesburie, with the earles of Huntington, and Rutland, and such other that were next adioining to those parties, with their powers assembled out of the shires of Salop, Stafford, Leicester, Rutland, Notingham, and Derbie, came to a place in Notingham shire called Blithlow, and there taking the musters of their people, streightwaies passed foorth to Doncaster, and appointed certeine bands of their men, to lie in places where anie foords or passages laie ouer the riuer of Dun, that runneth by the northside of Doncaster, to staie the enimies if they should attempt to come ouer. Shortlie after came the duke of Norffolke, and finallie the marquesse of Excester with a iollie companie of westerne men, well and perfectly appointed.

When these capteins and sage councellors being here assembled, vnderstood the manner of the northerne men, their number, and readinesse to battell, they first practised with great policie, to haue pacified the matter without bloudshedding: but the northerne men were so bent to mainteine their wilfull enterprise, that there was no hope to take vp the matter without battell: therefore a daie was set, on the which they should trie the quarrell betwixt them with dint of sword. But see the chance. The night before the daie assigned for this bloudie and vnnaturall battell, t haue béene fought betwixt men of one nation, and subiects to one king; there fell a raine not great to speake of, but yet as it were by miracle, the riuer of Dun rose suddenlie on such a height, that seldome had béene séene there the like hugenesse of water: so that the daie when the houre of battell should come, it was not possible for the one armie to come at the other, and so the appointment made betwéene both the armies for triall of the matter by force of armes, was by Gods good prouidence disappointed, and manie an innocent mans life perserued, that should haue died, if their purposes had taken place.

After this by the great wisedome and policie of the nobles and capteins, a comunication was had, and an agréement made vpon the kings pardon, obteined for all the capteins and chiefe dooers in this insurrection, and promise made that they should be gentlie heard, to declare such things as they found themselues gréeued with: and that vpon their articles presented to the king, their reasonable petitions should be granted, as by him & his councell it should be thought expedient, whereby all troubles might be quieted, and ech thing brought to a good conclusion. Herewith euerie man departed, and those which before came as hot as fire to fight, letted of their desperat purpose, by Gods mercifull prouidence, returned now peaceablie to their houses without anie more businesse.

519 words.