Agricultural History Review, Volume 52 Part 2 (2004), p. 210

At the height of the Pilgrimage of Grace, Henry VIII’s government lost control of ‘virtually the whole of the North from the rivers Don in Yorkshire and Ribble in Lancashire to the borders of Scotland’. At the end of October 1536, 40,000 rebel troops faced a royal army of less than a quarter of that size. As such it was the largest of popular rebellion in Tudor England, but one that leaves many puzzles for historians. As the name ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’, coined by rebel leader Robert Aske suggests, the rebellion was in part motivated by religious grievances: opposition to the closure of smaller monasteries, and rumours that church goods were to be confiscated from the parishes. However, the exact reasons for the widespread popular support of this revolt remain difficult to discern. The rebellion consisted not of a single movement but a series of rebellions co-ordinated to varying degrees: the Lincolnshire revolt that collapsed just as Yorkshire rose, the rebellion of east and lowland Yorkshire under the leadership of Aske, and the Captain Poverty revolts of upland Yorkshire and the north-west. Hoyle provides an account of these dramatic events that is comprehensive, scholarly and readable. This book replaces the pioneering work of the Dodds, which has long needed updating, and complements the more detailed account of events in October 1536 provided by Bush’s recent volume. It is certain to become the standard text on the rebellion, for students, researchers and other interested readers. Hoyle not only describes the three main movements, but tops and tails this with an account of events before and after the revolt. A chapter on ‘1536: The Year of Three Queens’ demonstrates the unprecedented degree of political instability in the run-up to the revolt, as the populace saw two fundamental aspects of life, religion and marriage, undermined by the government. This helps to make sense of the role of rumour in the outbreak of revolt: not so much the product of ordinary people’s ignorance, but of fear as to where these changes, about which they were well informed, might lead. A full account of the end of the rebellion sheds light on an important question in the organisation of the revolt: the role of the gentry. Did they lead the revolt willingly or were they threatened into leadership by the rebellious commons? Gentry leaders ensured that the revolt was ended by negotiation and concessions, rather than battle. Subsequent actions do suggest significant splits within the rebel ranks. Many gentlemen hurried down to London to profess their innocence and loyalty to the crown. Aske also went to court, but more out of the misguided belief that he was now a man who could wield political influence. Meanwhile in northern England, the commons were restless and increasingly convinced they had been betrayed. Stilted attempts at renewed rebellion in early 1537 provided an excuse for violent retribution by the Crown: the execution of Aske and other ringleaders, as well as rank and file rebels in the north, many on trumped up charges.

Hoyle’s approach throughout is to keep close to the sources and not to speculate or theorize any more than is necessary to provide a coherent account, although he does provide analysis, for instance of the social background of the rebels and their means of organization, as well as a narrative account. Occasionally the level of detail makes the train of disparate but simultaneous events difficult to follow. However the advantages of this approach greatly outweigh any disadvantages. Hoyle treads a delicate path through a rebellion that was made up of bluffs and double-bluffs, and thus full of contradictions. The rebels argued they were loyal to the king, but against his advisers, particularly Cromwell and his policies, while the king knew that the policies which they attacked were his own. Did they simply profess loyalty in order to avoid being accused of treason? Gentlemen claimed to have been coerced into leading the rebels, but much of the evidence comes from confessions written after the rebellion to try and save their heads. Besides, whether or not they were coerced, the involvement of gentlemen led to a better organized and more focused movement that stood some chance of achieving its aims – although it is not clear whether the demands sent to the king represented the original aims of the rebellion that caused the commons to rise. Perhaps it is fitting then, that Aske and others were executed on charges known to be largely untrue, despite the fact their involvement in the original rebellion was irrefutable. The Pilgrimage of Grace remains open to multiple interpretations, but Hoyle has done us a great service by providing a wide-ranging and accessible account based on meticulous study of the original documents from which our own judgements can be made.