prior of Barlings, who was disguised like a mean mechanic, and who
bore the name of Captain Cobler. This tumultuary army amounted to above
twenty thousand men;[**] but notwithstanding their number, they showed
little disposition of proceeding to extremities against the king, and
seemed still overawed by his authority.

* Burnet, vol. i. p. 223.

** Burnet, vol. i. p. 227. Herbert.

They acknowledged him to be supreme head of the church of England; but
they complained of suppressing the monasteries, of evil counsellors, of
persons meanly born raised to dignity, of the danger to which the jewels
and plate of their parochial churches were exposed; and they prayed
the king to consult the nobility of the realm concerning the redress
of these grievances.[*] Henry was little disposed to entertain
apprehensions of danger, especially from a low multitude whom he
despised. He sent forces against the rebels, under the command of the
duke of Suffolk; and he returned them a very sharp answer to their
petition. There were some gentry whom the populace had constrained to
take part with them, and who kept a secret correspondence with Suffolk.
They informed him, that resentment against the king's reply was the
chief cause which retained the malecontents in arms, and that a milder
answer would probably suppress the rebellion. Henry had levied a great
force at London, with which he was preparing to march against the
rebels; and being so well supported by power, he thought that, without
losing his dignity, he might now show them some greater condescension.
He sent a new proclamation, requiring them to return to their obedience,
with secret assurances of pardon. This expedient had its effect: the
populace was dispersed: Mackrel and some of their leaders fell into
the king's hands, and were executed: the greater part of the multitude
retired peaceably to their usual occupations: a few of the more
obstinate fled to the north, where they joined the insurrection that was
raised in those parts.

The northern rebels, as they were more numerous, were also on other
accounts more formidable than those of Lincolnshire; because the people
were there more accustomed to arms, and because of their vicinity to
the Scots, who might make advantage of these disorders. One Aske, a
gentleman, had taken the command of them, and he possessed the art of
governing the populace. Their enterprise they called the "pilgrimage
of grace:" some priests ma