Pilgrimage of Grace Dbq

The Pilgrimage of Grace was a religious uprising in York, England which started in late 1536 and finished in early 1537, where people lead by Yorkshire lawyer Robert Aske staged protests and demonstrations in opposition to King Henry VIII’s dissolution of monasteries and break from the Catholic Church. This rebellion was mostly aimed at Thomas Cromwell, who was Henry’s High Chancellor; and many of these marchers influenced Cromwell’s policies. The participants of the Pilgrimage of Grace had a goal to reinstate the Catholic Church, and a concern of the economic impacts caused by losing monasteries; those who opposed the movement had a goal to punish leaders and anyone associated with the movement and a political concern of losing power for the king. Documents 1, 3 and 5 demonstrate the marcher’s religious purpose and desire to bring power back to the church. Documents 4, 6 and 11 prove the marcher’s concerns about the economic impact that the dissolution of monasteries caused. A goal to punish anyone associated with the Pilgrimage of Grace can be found in Documents 8 and 10. Documents 7 and 9 indicate the oppositions’ concerns of the king losing power.

Commoners who were a part of the movement participated in protests to oppose King Henry VIII’s new policies. In Documents 1, 3, and 5, the marcher’s goal to reinstate the Catholic Church is evident. Document 1 is extracted from the “Oath of Honorable Men”, which was taken by marchers for this rebellion lead by Robert Aske, and within this oath, marcher’s state that their purpose for participating in the Pilgrimage of Grace is not for “worldly gain” (individual gain in terms of wealth, reputation, jobs, etc.), but rather for the better purpose of the “love of God, for the Holy Catholic Church militant”. In Document 1 there are many religious references which prove that the supporters of this rebellion had an ultimate goal to gain back the Catholic Church, in sentences such as “Take before you the Cross of Christ,