Henry, like all despots, was extremely suspicious of a joke. Without any such precautions, therefore, Aske rode up to London about Christmas time. Henry summoned Sir Thomas Wharton to court, but he excused himself[146]. Bishop Tunstall, who was still at Norham, was also summoned. The letter, despatched on 24 December, did not reach him until 4 January, and he replied that he dared not attempt the journey through the disaffected region[147]. Sir George Darcy and Sir Nicholas Fairfax went up on their own account at Christmas, the former carrying messages from the Earl of Northumberland[148]. Archdeacon Magnus, who had been with Archbishop Lee since the beginning of the rising, went to the Earl of Shrewsbury and thence to London as early as 13 December[149]. Sir Oswald Wolsthrope and Sir Ralph Ellerker had gone up to London, as well as Sir Ralph Evers, who held Scarborough so long[150]; Lord Latimer set out, but was turned back by an order from the King[151]. The news that so many had gone up to court gave rise to rumours. The commons said that the only object of the conference at Doncaster and the “counselling above” was to betray them, and that they would trust the gentlemen no more[152]. This was the result which the King wished to obtain, and he took no trouble to conciliate the lower ranks of the Pilgrims. His Council had determined that a mass of treasure must be accumulated. To achieve this, the King’s rents and taxes must be collected[153]. The collection was not contrary to the agreement at Doncaster. The gentlemen had declared there, perhaps over hastily, that the King’s money was ready for his Highness[154]. But considering the state of the country it would have been wiser to defer the collection for a time, if the King’s object had really been peace. The servants of John Gostwick, the treasurer of the tenths and first fruits, went north to collect the King’s rents immediately after the conference at Doncaster[155]. They were accompanied by Sir George Lawson the treasurer of Berwick, who had himself been involved in the rebellion[156]. At Templehurst, Doncaster, Wakefield, and Sheriffhutton the rents were paid quietly, but as the King’s servants went further north they began to encounter opposition[157]. On Christmas Eve Lawson reported to Gostwick from Barnard Castle that it was impossible to induce anyone to pay at present in those parts. They all said that they had been ruined by the late disturbances. At Barnard Castle the tenants had demanded respite until twenty days after Christmas, and at Bishop Middleham until a week before Candlemas (2 February), and he could make no better terms. He himself and some other friends were advancing the money to pay the garrison at Berwick, whither he was going, while Gostwick’s servants were returning to Lawson’s house at York to wait until the appointed time for the new collection[158]. One of the servants, Thomas Ley, wrote to Gostwick from York, confirming Lawson’s report.