Causes of the Pilgrimage of Grace (1536)

Religion:
 The name given to the rising and the symbolism associated with it gives the assumption that
the main cause was religion.
 The banner that the rebels carried depicted the five wounds of Christ and indicated that the
pilgrims fought for Christ’s cause.
 The pilgrims also took an oath that contained the statement that they were undertaking the
pilgrimage in the name of Christ.
 Nine of the 24 Pontefract articles were religious based.
o 1st article: Destruction of heresies of “Luther, Wycliffe, Huss, Melanchthon and
Tyndale”.
 Religion affected all aspects of the people’s lives.
o The people would have disliked the abolition of Holy Days as they were an escape
from their harsh routines.
o The new taxes on baptism, burial and marriage would have also been resented
because the poorer parts of the country were unable to pay them, and it was
believed that this would prevent their salvation.
o There were rumours of further changes to the religion and this created more
tension.
 The locals would have been concerned about the closure of the monasteries (act of the
dissolution of the lesser monasteries) as often they provided the local place of worship and
the direct effect on their ability to gain salvation and to be spiritually nurtured.
 Aske was able to rally a large section of the population behind him.
o Many of the ordinary people disliked the religious changes.
o Aske was able to appeal to the maximum number of potential supporters.
 Abbots of Fountain and Bridlington joined the revolt

Factions:
 Aragonese faction
o Darcy and Hussey (former Chamberlain to Princess Mary)
 Wanted Mary re-named as heir
 Restore the power of the Aragonese faction
 Articles demanded the removal of Cromwell and Riche
o “subverters of the good laws of the realm”
 They were rivals of the Aragonese faction
 Parliament in the North
o More power in the north
 Clifford’s remained loyal
o Held Skipton Castle, Carlisle and Berwick
 Earl of Northumberland
o Didn’t join the revolt
 His brothers did join however
Other:
 Succession
o Demand for Mary to be named as heir
 Social causes
o Complaints over enclosure
 Removes public land
 Loss of common land hits the poorest
 Complaints featured in one of the articles – West Riding – Westmoreland
o Closure of monasteries
 Hosted travellers and merchants
 Provided employment
 Took care of roads and bridges
 Provided food
o Rack renting
 Two-year lease – rents very high
 Demand for entry fines to be fixed at 2 years rent
 Economic / taxation
o Poor harvests in 1534/5
o 1534 Peacetime Subsidy
o Article 14 called for the rebels to be discharged from the fifteenth
o Rumours of new taxes on sheep and cattle
o Anger at entry fines – fines went to the landlord
o Anger at the statute of uses – clamping down on middle class not paying taxes
 Shows the large amount of middle class involvement