After thys, (Lincs rebellion) immediately wythin sixe dayes, vpon the same, followed a new insurrection in Yorkeshire for the same causes, through the instigation and lying tales of seditious persons, especially Monkes and Priests, making them beleeue, that their siluer chalices, crosses, iewels, and other ornaments shoulde be taken out of their Churches, and that no man should be maried, or eate any good meate in his house, but should geue tribute therfore to the King: but their speciall malice was against Cromwell, and certaine other Counsailours.
The number of these rebelles were neare about 40. M. hauing for their badges the 5. woundes, wyth the signe of the Sacrament, and Iesus wrytten in the middest.
This their deuilish rebellion, they termed by the name of aholy pilgrimage,but they serued a wrong and a naughty Saint. They had also in the field their streamers and banners, whereuppon was painted Christ hanging vpon the Crosse on the one side, and a chalice with a painted cake in it, on the other side, with other such ensignes of like hypocrisie and fayned sanctitie, pretending thereby to fight for the faith, and right of holy Church.
As soone as the king was certified of this newe seditious insurrection, hee sent with all speede against them, the Duke of Northfolke, Duke of Suffolke, Marques of Excetor, Earle of Shrewsbury & other, wyth a great armye, forthwith to encounter with the rebels.
These noble Captaines and Counsailours thus well furnished with habilement of warre, approching towarde the rebels, and vnderstāding both their number, and howe they were ful bent to battaile, first with policy went about to assay and practise how to appease all without bloudsheding: but the Northern men stoutly and sturdely standing to their wicked cause and wretched enterprise, wold in no case relent frō their attempts. Which when the nobles perceiued, & saw no other way to pacifie their furious mindes vtterly sette on mischiefe, determined vppon a battel. The place was appoynted, the day assigned, and the houre set, but see þewonderous worke of Gods gracious prouidēce.
The night before the day of battaile came (as testifieth Edward Hall) fell a small raine, nothing to speake of: but yet, as it were by a great miracle of God, the water which was but a very small forde, and that men, in maner þeday before, might haue gone drishod ouer, sodenly rose of suche a height, deepenes, and breadth, that the like no man that there did inhabite, could tell that euer they sawe afore: so þtthe day, euen when the houre of battayle shoulde come, it was impossible for one army to come at the other.
After this, þeappoyntment made betweene both þearmies being thus disappoynted, as it is to be thought, onely by God (who extended his great mercye, and had compassion on the great number of innocent persons, that in that deadly slaughter had like to haue bene murthered) could take no place: then by the great wisedome and pollicie of þesaid Captaines, a communication was had, & a pardon of the kings Maiestie obteined, for al the captayns and chiefe doers of this insurrection, and they promised þtsuch thinges as they found themselues agreeued with all they shoulde gently be heard, and theyr reasonable peticions graunted, & that their articles shoulde be presented to the king, that by his highnesse authoritie, and wisedome of his Counsayle, all thinges shoulde be brought to good order and conclusion: and with this order euery man quietly departed, and those which before were bent as hote as fire, to fight, being letted therof by God, went now peaceably to their houses, and were as cold as water.A Domino factum est istud.
In the same time of this ruffle in Yorkeshyre, and the king lying the same time at Windsore there was a Butcher dwelling within 5. miles of the saide towne of Windsore, whiche caused a Priest to preach, that all they that tooke part with theyorkshiremen, whom he called Gods people did fight in Gods quarrell: for the whiche both he and the priest were apprehended, and executed.
Diuers other priestes also, with other, about the same tyme committing in like sorte treason agaynst the king, suffered the like execution. Such a busines had the Kyng then to ridde the realme from the seruitude of the Romish yokes.
Tantæ molis erat Romanam euertere sedem. (So hard it was to overthrow the throne of Rome)
But Gods hād did still worke with all, in vpholding hys Gospell and troden truth, against all seditious sturres, cōmotions, rebellions, and what soeuer was to the contrary as both by these storyes aforepassed, and by suche also as hereafter follow, may notoriously appeare.
The yere next after this, which was of the Lord. 1537. after that great execution had bene done vpon certayne rebellious Priestes and a fewe other lay men, with certayne noble persons also and gentlemen, amongest whome was the Lord Darcy, the Lorde Hussy, Syr Robert Constable Syr Thomas Percy, Syr Frances Bygot, Syr Stephen Hamelton, Syr Iohn Bulmer, and his wife, William Lomeley, Nicholas Tempest, with the Abbottes of Gerney, and of Riuers. &c.