(20 mark)
HISTORY PART A (UK Essay Question)
Source 1 is a primary source which clearly demonstrates the religious reasons based on the uprisings. The petition which was presented to the king at York (demonstrates its reliability as it’s derived directly from the demands of the rebels in the Pilgrimage of Grace) highlights their key requests: “the service of God is not well performed.” This quote highlights the frustrations as well as disapproval for the way the church’s direction has been altered and disrupted the divine way of God: “Bishops who have recently been promoted by the king have subverted the Faith of Christ.” Other demands detailed within the petition demonstrate the rebels’ further frustrations in regards to the “suppression of so many religious grievances.” This demand is the first stated in their demands, which shows that this religious grievance is in fact the primary cause for the uprising (Pilgrimage of Grace in the eyes of the rebels). The suppression of the religious houses are creating issues as well as directly effecting the way that the message of God is being spread among the people; not only those partaking in the Pilgrimage of Grace.
A report made by the Imperial Ambassador to Charles V supports this, as it states that “the rebellion may be the way of stopping…the changes in matters of religion.” Due to the fact that this source may overall be un-biased (as it is simply a report and interpretation of events from the Ambassador to Charles) and neutral in its motivation within the matter, this proves to be a reliable form of evidence. Due to Charles V’s overall opposition to any changes within the Catholic church, as well as Henry’s need to break with Rome, highlight a general feeling shared between Charles and the rebels against reformist ideas and actions supporting it; shown through “the demolition of the churches” and “suppression of