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EVI - Jan Mocks - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Religious grievances:
        
        Contrast to Kett's, religion unquestionably central issue that sparked Western rebels. List of articles resolutely demanded the reintroduction of Catholicism. To be achieved through reinstatement of H8's Act of Six Articles, use of Latin, Communion in one kind, prayers for dead and Mass every Sunday.
        
        Widespread response of ordinary people was provoked as much by familiarity of new practices as by doctrinal and political issues behind them. Removal of images and intro of new Prayer Book could have left all community in no doubt as to how significantly religion under Somerset had changed.
      - Economic factors:
        
        Although articles produced by rebels dominated by religious grievances, it is a simplification to state this as the sole cause. Earlier stages, economic grievances featured more heavily. Complaints about taxes on sheep and cloth generated rumours about taxes on other animals. List of demands produced was a second list that superseded first. Initial list contained complaints about taxes and food prices, probably reflecting more accurately the fears of the rank and file members of crowd. Small group of clergy led by Robert Welsh hijacked control of movement.
      - Personality clashes:
        
        In Devon, gov agent William Body had intensified antagonism felt towards religious changes with heavy-handed investigation into church property.
    - - Background:
        
        Cornwall had its own language, and its geographical location at the edge of the country made it a 'and apart'. Largest town in Bodmin had only 1,000 inhabitants, and county relied on profits made from tin mining. Poverty and vigorous regional industry had triggered the rebellion in 1497 against H7's tax request and had led to 3000 people joining Warbeck's attempt to claim the throne later on. Devon shared much of it's neighbours natural conservatism with regard to social and religious matters, and the common people of the country were more hostile towards gentry than in other parts of England.
      - Trigger causes:
        
        Western rebellion had 2 principle triggers: William Body, a commissioner investigating church property in the country in 1547. His arrogance and the investigation into the Chantries created a swirl of rumours and fears about the confiscation of church goods. The destruction of the church images by Body the following year led a group in Helston to set upon and murder him. Devon quickly dealt with the uprising, but the deep-seated antagonism remained. The final straw was the introduction of the new Prayer Book on 10 June 1547.
        
        In Devon, in the village of Sampford Courtenay, the people were also provoked by their priests use of the new Prayer Book on Whitsunday.
      - The rebellion takes hold:
        
        In Cornwall, protestors assembled in Bodmin. They soon came under the leadership of Humphrey Arundell and a list of Articles was compiled. The crowd then marched on into Devon.
        
        In Sampford Courtenay, the rebels persuaded the priest to deliver a traditional Catholic Mass and then moved on to join forced from Cornwall at Crediton on 20 June.
      - Local reaction:
        
        Very quickly the gentry lost their grip on the counties. A gentleman called Hellier, who attempted to clam the rebels in Devon, was hacked to pieces. Sir Peter Carew, the leading gentleman in Devon, rode to meet the combined force at Crediton on 21 June. Carew succeeded in aggravating the situation, as he was a known protestant and his tense meeting with the rebels nearly erupted into violence when one of his servants inadvertently set fire to a barn.
        
        Fled back to Exeter and then London.
        
        The sizeable rebel army moved up to the walls of Exeter then to Clyst St Mary on 23 June.
        
        Two gentlemen made further unsuccessful attempts to conciliate the rebels by agreeing that religion should remain as it was during Henry 8's reign until E came of age.
    - - First gov response:
        
        Somerset acting on inadequate info and had only limited resources at his disposal.
        
        On 29 June he urged Lord Russell, a Catholic member of the Council, to find a peaceful settlement and wrote his own conciliatory response to the rebel demands.
        
        At the time, Somerset was struggling to suppress enclosure riots in the Midlands, maintain forces on the Scottish border and watch for any French aggression.
        
        He could therefore provide the cautious Russell with only a small army. Russell, knowing the weakness of his position, avoided confronting the enemy.
      - Descent into bloodshed:
        
        Loyalty to Crown led Exonians to defend their city staunchly against the rebel attack for 6 weeks. Russell still prevaricated and on 8 July he made his last attempt to reach a settlement with the rebels.
        
        On 12 July reinforcements under Lord Grey were delayed by another uprising in Oxfordshire.
        
        On 28 July, in response to the pressure from Somerset, Russell began his advance against the rebels. He was aided by the much-needed arrival of the forces of Lord Grey on 3 Aug.
      - Gov suppression:
        
        Confrontations between the rebels and the Government forces under Russell took place at Fenny Bridges, Clyst St Mary and Clyst Heath, each time the rebels were pushed further back.
        
        On 6 August, Exeter and Gov reinforcements under Sir William Herbert arrived. Time was running out for the rebels. Somserset heaped yet more pressure on Russell to finish the job, as the French had declared war on England on 8 Aug.
        
        Finally, on 16 Aug, Russell advanced on and defeated the rebel forces at Sampford Courtenay.
      - Aftermath:
        
        Resilience and commitment of rebels remained strong to end and, even after victory on battlefield, Russell had to deal with rearguard action and pockets of reisstance until an estimated 3,000 people had been killed.
        
        Robert Welsh, the vicar of the church of St. Thomas and probably the leader of the rebellion, was hanged on the gallows erected on his church tower, in his vestments and with a 'holy water bucket, a sprinkle, a sacring bell, a pair of beads and auch other like popish trash hanged about him.'
        
        The Gov operation further deepened hostility as Gov forces had acted illegally, executing without trials and confiscating and redistributing property.
  - - - Enclosure:
        
        Rebel attack on fences and hedges show opposition to enclosure in wooded pasture areas. First article of demands opposed future enclosure (but did protect the enclosure of expensive saffron fields).
        
        Over prior 1/2 cent more enclosures had been created because more money in sale of wool and other animal products than in cereal crops. In response to this, some farmers had begun to specialise in sheep farming and had built enclosed sheep rune.
        
        Attack on Flowerdew's enclosure that triggered the whole rebellion. List of demands does, however, contain complaints on a whole range of local farming issues, not just enclosure.
        
        Gov action against enclosure: May 1548: royal deer park at Hampton Court was disparked (removed fences). 1 June 1548: Proclamation against men being 'driven to extreme poverty and compelled to leave placed they were born because of enclosure'. Simmer 1548: unusually large no of rural riots broke out including in Buckinghamshire where Hales was investigating. Summer 1548: The Council voiced opposition and with the populace increasingly restless, Hales began work of his commission again, but his work was a failure and he did not manage to bring proceedings against enclosures.
      - Rents: - Rebels also complain about rapid increase in rents. These complaints came in a period of rapid inflation, which worsened the economic situation for ordinary people. Rack renting was seen as a way in which unscrupulous landlords passed on the increased costs to the peasantry.
      - Somerset's policies:
        
        Somerset's rep as the 'Good Duke' was largely built in his social policy. Somerset's perceived sympathy with the plight of the poor and the social and agrarian problems they faced was believed by contemporaries and some historians to have encouraged the common people to riot. If some of the rebels were confident of the Protector's support, it gave them an extra incentive to express their grievances. Ev for Somerset's sympathy is as follows:
        
        He gave support to 'Commonwealth men' - a group of Christian reformers who campaigned against exploitation of poor.
        
        He appointed John Hales to lead a commission into enclosure (one of the most fiercely resented of the agrarian problems that the common people faced).
        
        He attacked landlord's greed.
        
        He passed an Act protecting the rights of copyhold tenants on his own estates.
      - Protest against bad gov in East Anglia:
        
        Kett's rebels picked out gentry and JPs in their country for the most vehement attack both in their articles and their actions. Kett's tactics seem to have been to appeal over the heads of the local gentry, directly to the central gov. - This appeal fits in with the traditional belief that the Gov wold respond to valid grievances and work on behalf of the ordinary people to redress them. Kett must have been devastated when on 21 June this was rejected.
        
        To prove that the quality of the gov of the county was one of the major concerns, the rebels ran Mousehold Heath camp fairly and effectively, setting up their own court and sending out searches for food with commissions in the King's name. There was no gentry involvement in the rebellion and it was led throughout those just outside governing classes, who may have been ambitious for power themselves.
      - Religion and the Clergy:
        
        The articles relating to religion are thoughtful calls for more competent and involved clergy, rather than controversial doctrinal statements. There was clearly concern with the poor quality of priests and their failure to fulfil their duties. One article requests that they do more to educate the poor and another states that the clergy should just be priests for the whole community and not just chaplains for the gentry.
        
        The rebels inclination towards Protestantism is shown by their demand for congregations to choose their own clergy and by their use of the new Prayer Book at Mousehold Heath camp.
      - Personality clashes:
        
        In both rebellions, hatred of particular individuals helped tip the countries into rebellion. In Norfolk, the first few fences and hedges to be uprooted were those of John Flowerdew, who had outraged the village of Wymondham with his rapacity.
    - - Background:
        East Anglia most densely populated and industrialised part of country. After London, Norwich was second biggest city in the country. (16,000 people) and had become a major textile centre. A collapse in the textile industry had thrown large numbers of cloth workers out of work, and many independent, small farmers were being badly affected by the enclosure of wooded pastoral areas by gentry and yeoman farmers.
      - Trigger causes
      - Rebellion takes hold
      - Local reaction
    - - First gov response
      - Descent into bloodshed
      - Gov's first attempt at suppression
      - Full-scale rebellion
      - Gov suppression
      - Aftermath