Democracy; Great Britain -- Politics and government
On Mousehold Heath, Robert Ket, with his brother William, gave directions
and administered justice under a great tree, called the Oak of Reformation.
Mayor Cod, and two other respected Norwich citizens, Aldrich, an alderman,
and Watson, a preacher, joined Ket's council, thinking their influence
might restrain the rebels from worse doings.
Twenty-nine "Requests and Demands," signed by Ket, Cod, and Aldrich, were
dispatched to the King from Mousehold, and this document gave in full the
grievances of the rebels. The chief demands were the cessation of
enclosures, the enactment of fair rents, the restoration of common fishing
rights, the appointment of resident clergymen to preach and instruct the
children, and the free election or appointment of local "commissioners" for
the enforcement of the laws. There was also a request "that all bond men
may be made free, for God made all free with His precious bloodshedding."
The only answer to the "Requests and Demands" was the arrival of a herald
with a promise that Parliament would meet in October to consider the
grievances, if the people would in the meantime quietly return to their
homes.
But this Ket would by no means agree to, and for the next few weeks his
authority was supreme in that part of the country. He established a rough
constitution for the prevention of mere disorder, two men being chosen by
their fellows from the various hundreds of the eastern half of the county.
A royal messenger, bearing commissions of the peace to certain country
gentlemen, falling into the hands of Ket, was relieved of his documents and
dismissed. Ket then put in these commissions the names of men who had
joined the rising, and declared them magistrates with authority to check
all disobedience to orders.
To feed the army at Mousehold, men were sent out with a warrant from Ket
for obtaining cattle and corn from the country houses, and "to beware of
robbing, spoiling, and other evil demeanours." No violence or injury was to
be done to "any honest or poor man." Contributions came in from the smaller
yeomen "with much private good-will," but the landowners generally were
stricken with panic, and let the rebels do what they liked. Those who could
not escape by flight were, for the most part, brought captive to the Oak of
Reformation, and thence sent to the prisons in Norwich and St. Leonard's
Hill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account