Book published by the Durham County Local History Society in 2000, 68 pages. Paperback (N7571)
From the introduction: The Pilgrimage of Grace broke out in the second week of October 1536. A fortnight later it had won over much of the north. Presenting itself as a rising of the commons, it belonged to a tradition of revolt that reached back to 1381.1 The pilgrims' grievances mostly focused upon bad governance, which they blamed upon Thomas Cromwell and his control of Henry VIII.
The rebellion began as a number of regional uprisings. In each case a confederation formed, sworn to be true to God, the king and the commons, and then quickly mustered an army.' Of the nine rebel armies raised, five came together in a large, well-equipped pilgrim host to confront a much smaller army royal at Doncaster on 26th/27th October. The pilgrims' military superiority obliged the government to accept a truce, which was consolidated and extended by a further agreement on 8th December.' Having obtained a general pardon excusing every participant and the promise of a parliament at York to remedy their grievances, the pilgrims, at this stage, stood triumphant. But further revolts in early 1537 led to disaster, as the pilgrims divided between those prepared to abide by the December agreement and those bent on battle. As a result of this division, the king acquired a party in the north and the means to regain control of the region. The revolts themselves, moreover, gave him the excuse to default on the promises he had made in the December agreement. In this way the largest uprising to occur in England between 1381 and the civil wars of the 1640s was brought to an end."
Condition of the book is very good. The covers are clean and bright, the spine is tight and intact and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and tightly bound.