|
Page 149:-
all the communes, commande and charde you, that ye assemble
your selves together immediately upon recepte hereof, and so
take thys othe wychys we here send unto you; and then,
after, in all haste possible, to assist and hayde theis ower
brethern, wome wee sende to you to keep, and make sure the
castell, town, and port of Skarbora, that no man enter into
the same castell that belongs unto Rafe Evers, knyght; nor
any other auther whiches did not take full parte with the
communes at our first and last assemblynge, in woys name,
aethorrity, or attorney soeur he cume, unlesse they have
licence of all the communes: in like manner, yee shall truly
keepe all sickys ordinance, and shippe to the use of the
communes, wythe whyches we charde you at our late being
here; and this not to fail upon payne of yower lyves, yet
shall refer credence unto thys messyngeres, thus in hast;
fare yee well. From Settrynton, this Monday Sancte Mawris
daye,
FRANCIS BIGGOT Knight,
In the name, and by commandment of all the communes.
It may be discovered by the two foregoing letters, what
country they have been wrote in, for they each spell
according to the pronunciation of their residencies. For in
the south part of Yorkshire they pronounce, house,
hawse, town, tawn, as is seen in the above,
where you is spelled yow, and our brethren owr
brethren. The northern part of Lancashire, Westmorland, and
Cumberland are near alike. They call house, hoose,
town, toon, &c. so that it appears plainly that
each of the Barons summoned and admonished their own vassals
or tenants to their pilgrimage: Two examples I hope are
sufficient. Next is the oath taken by the pilgrims.
The Oath of the Holy Pilgrims.
Ye shall not enter into this our pilgrimage of grace for the
commynelth, but only for the loue that you doe hereunto
Almyghty Godde, his faith, and to holy churche militant, the
maintenance thereof; to the preservation of the King's
person, his issew, to the purifying of nobilitie, and to
expulse all vilayore blode: and avil counsellors agaynst the
commynwelthe, from his grace and the privis counsell of the
same; and that ye shall not enter into our said pilgrimage,
for no particular profite to your selfe, no doe no
displeasure to no priuey person, but by counsell for the
commynwelthe, nor flee, nor murder for no envye; but in your
hertts putt away all fear and dread, and take afore you the
crosse of Christe, and in your hertts his faith; the
restitution of the churche, the subpression of these
heretyks, and their opynyons, by all the holle contents of
this booke.
I cannot see how these pilgrims were very much to blame, for
without a doubt the priests had at that time the body (and
almost the soul) of the laity under their direction. And
when those secular clergy saw the monasteries pulled down,
their power and riches curtailed, no wonder if they stirred
up the ignorant, (and the pope their father stirring them
up,) caused those commotions: not every one would be a
Vicar of Bray. However, they soon dispersed, for being
assembled at Doncaster, they made a stand, when they found
that the King had sent the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of
Huntington, &c. against them, (we find that family of
the Howards in general to have been loyal to the crown, and
that King also, though Roman Catholicks.) However, the day
before the battle should have begun, there fell such a
quantity of rain, that it overflowed the meadows, and made
the bridge over the river Dun impassable. This rather
staggered the duke, being no doubt half divided between the
King and the old religion, and looking upon it as a presage
from heaven, proposed to them an agreement, and to hear
their demands, which he would lay before his Majesty, and
bloodshed thereby might be prevented;
|
Lakes Guides menu.
