PART 2 OF 2
Sir John Scrope, 8 th Lord Scrope of Bolton was involved in 'The Pilgrimage of Grace. This popular uprising was lead by a young lawyer called Robert Aske. Unfortunately Aske was not a soldier or organiser and a number of 'Tearaways' like Ninian Staveley gave them all a bad name and finally destroyed them all. The nobility and senior clergy were blackmailed into joining them with threats that 'Their sons would be kidnapped and their houses burnt down if they didn't.' Scrope initially refused and sought refuge with his father in-law, The Earl of Cumberland in Skipton Castle. The Rebels then besieged Skipton, Scrope in the end agreeing to join them. Robert Aske requested a meeting with Henry VIII, which did actually happen. The King agreed to make some concessions to the clergy as a result. Ninian Staveley and others continued with their excesses in The North which angered the King. Robert Aske was executed and The Kings' commissioners were despatched to round up the ring leaders. Adam Sedberg, Abbot of Jervaulx sought refuge at Bolton . When the Commissioners arrived at Bolton, The Abbot ran away, hiding out on Witton Fell until he was captured and eventually executed by Public Executioner Cratwell, described by Wriothesley as 'being a very cunning butcher in the quartering of men'. Scrope fled to Skipton, The Kings Commissioners writing to Henry VIII , informed him that they had 'fired Bolton Castle'.
EXTRACTS FROM CONTEMPORARY LETTERS
Thursday 12 th. Oct. 1536 Scrope wrote to The Earl of Cumberland, his father in law, "that The Commons of Mashamshire and Nidderdale had occupied Coverham Abbey and Middleham" and were advancing on Bolton to capture himself, he was going into hiding and begged Cumberland to send help to his wife.
13 th. Oct. 40,000 rebels at York, 'The worship of the whole shires from Doncaster to Newcastle', including Lords Latimer and Scrope. (Confusing bearing in mind the following correspondence).
17 th October It was said that 'Scrope had been taken by the rebels'.
21st.Oct. Aske reckoned that there would be 12,000 men under the command of Lord Scrope, Sir Christopher Danby, Sir William Mallory,The Nortons, Markenfelds and others.
22nd. Oct. 'The Rest of them were besieging Skipton, had orders to attend a muster at Pontefract, bringing Cumberland and Scrope with them - if they could catch them.
23rd October Talbot knew that Lords Scrope and Dacre were marching south by way of Skipton and Wakefield to join The King' army. ( This proved to be untrue, Dacre was lying neutral at Naworth, while Scrope was riding to the musters at Pontefract at the head of The Dalesmen'.
28 th October A truce called, everybody ordered to disperse and go home. Scrope, Danby and the others willing to accept, but the Dalesmen were unwilling to go home empty handed. They sulkily set off on their homeward march.
Tuesday 21st. November. The Great Council of The Pilgrims assembled at York. The Captains present were Robert Aske, Sir Robert Constable, Sir Stephen Hammerton, Nicholas Tempest, Lord Latimer, Sir James Strangeways, Robert Chaloner, Sir Ralph Ellerker, Robert Bowes,, William Babthorpe,William Stapleton, Lord Scrope, Sir Nicholas Fairfax, and Sir Richard Tempest.
Monday 4th. December. The Pilgrims Council sat again at Doncaster. Scrope again was amongst them.
30th. January. Scrope apparently trying to make himself out to be on the Kings side, writes to Norfolk, saying that there is lots of seditious writing in the dales.
4 th February When Norfolk reached Doncaster, Staveley and his companions were determined to take action. They set up bills on every church door in Richmondshire, commanding every man between 16 and 20 to be on Middleham Moor in harness on Tuesday 6 th February. This muster was poorly attended. There were only Staveley and his band , The Abbots servants (Jervaulx) and a few of The Abbots tenants from Witton. Adam Sedberg, The Abbot, fled to Bolton.
Sir John Scrope died in 1549.
| Sir Henry Scrope, 9th Lord Scrope of Bolton was Warden of the West Marches and Captain of Carlisle. Mary, Queen of Scots fled to England after losing The Battle of Langside in April 1568. She landed at Workington, travelling from there to Cockermouth and from thence to Carlisle. Scrope was at court at the time, but hurried north with Sir Francis Knollys to take charge of her. They moved her to Bolton on 16 th July. She arrived only with the clothes she stood up in. Sir George Bowes sent her tapestries and turkey rugs to make her stay more comfortable. The Earl of Northumberland sent her venison. Scrope wrote to James Stuart, Earl of Moray, asking him to send on Marys' belongings which she had left behind in Loch Leven Castle. He sent pack horses and several car loads but 'there was but one gown of taffeta, the other riding cloaks and the such-like'. Scrope wrote again and the remainder of her belongings were despatched. This next consignment contained 'Her Cloth of Estate, ' which she hung in the Great Chamber. Lady Scrope was sister to The Duke of Norfolk. Norfolk had other northern connections in that he had just married the widow of Lord Dacre, one of the near hereditary wardens of the middle marches. |
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It was during Mary's stay at Bolton that The Commission sat at York to discuss what should happen to Mary. The Earl of Moray wanted Mary returned to Scotland to face a charge of being involved in the murder of her husband Lord Darnley. The Duke of Norfolk headed the commission, though Mary herself was not allowed to give evidence in person. The Earl of Moray produced 'The Casket Letters', letters which she claimed to be forgeries. Norfolk, at first believed them to be genuine, though he later appeared to change his mind. 'Queen Elizabeth ,somewhat angry, said openly, that The Scottish Woman should never want an advocate, as long as Norfolk lived'. Numerous letters were written to and from Bolton at this time. Mary appears to have been treated well, receiving many of the local catholic nobility, many of whom were later involved with The Rising of The Northern Earls'.'Ligon ,a servant of Norfolk,a great Papist, much increased the suspicion, by his oft going to Bolton where The Queen of Scots was kept, on the pretence of visiting Scroop's wife ,who was sister unto Norfolk.'' And when Murrey was called home, and Boyde(as it was commonly reported) plotted to steal away the Queen of Scots', Mary was moved from Bolton in the middle of a snowstorm on 26 th January 1569, further into The Realm, unto Tutburie. Christopher Norton, executed for his part in The Rising in The North paints a very realistic picture of The Queen of Scots in his 'confession':
"One day when The Queen of Scots, in winter, had been sitting at the window side knitting at a work, and after the board was covered, she rose and went to the fireside, and making haste to have the work finished, would not lay it away, but worked of it at the time she was warming herself. She looked for one of her servants, which indeed were all gone to fetch up her meat, and, seeing none of her own folk there, called me to hold her work, who was looking at my Lord Scrope and Sir Francis Knollys playing of chess. I went , thinking I had deserved no blame, but that it should not have become me to have refused to do it, my Lady Scrope standing there, and many gentlemen in the chamber, that saw she spake not to me. I think Sir Francis saw not nor heard when she called of me. But when he had played his mate, he, seeing me standing by The Queen holding of her work, called my captain to him and asked him if I watched. He answered 'Sometimes'. Then he gave me commandment that I should watch no more, and said the Queen would make me a fool"
The Northern Earls rebelled in April 1569. Diplomacy was used initially to persuade them to give themselves up and throw themselves on The Queens mercy. This did not work and Scrope was charged with arresting the conspirators, which he successfully did. Scrope himself and most of his relatives were Catholic, though Harry Scrope never allowed himself to be anything other than loyal to Queen Elizabeth.
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Sir Thomas Scrope, 10 th Lord Scrope KG (Knight of the Garter) was Warden of the West Marches. It was he who apprehended Willie Armstrong (Kinmount Willie) in 'The Debatable Lands' whilst under a flag of truce. Kinmount Willie was escorted to Carlisle in chains. He was sentenced to death and was going to be hanged. The night before his intended execution, 'The Bold Buccleugh' broke into Carlisle Castle (He bribed a member of the garrison to leave a postern door unbarred). They made good their escape. Scrope had a sense of humour failure and set off in pursuit. He burnt the towns of Annan and Dumfries to the ground, capturing two hundred prisoners whom he marched home 'naked, chained together on leashes'. This caused a major diplomatic incident. Queen Elizabeth was furious and told Scrope that she would not condone his bestial behaviour. James VI of Scotland is said to have gnawed his finger nails down to the bone in his anxiety. He was terrified that Buccleugh had ruined his chances of succeeding Elizabeth on the throne of England. Buccleugh was ordered to hand himself over to the English for their pleasure. Kinmount Willie was never apprehended again and is said to have died of old age in his bed. |
Emmanuel Scrope, 11 th and last Lord Scrope of Bolton also Earl of Sunderland was created Lord President of The King's Council in the North. He had two families. His wife Elizabeth bore him four children, who all died in infancy. He also had a mistress named Martha Janes, alias Sandford, who bore him four children who all survived. He left all his worldly wealth to his natural children. Died 1630.
John Scrope was left Bolton Castle, which he defended
for The King during The Civil Wars. Sir Marmeduke Langdale relieved The Castle in April
1645. At about this time Scrope, with elements from his garrison, attacked and overcame
Raby Castle, held for parliament by The Lascelles family. He did not have the men to
garrison it so he trashed it before leaving. Col. Henry Chaytor reinforced the garrison
with two hundred foot soldiers after Marston Moor. He also took over command. Bolton fell
to Maj Gen Poyntz on 5th November 1645.He wrote at the time that having brought up capital
guns and mortars ,he had just won a great victory. The garrison was allowed to depart with
their colours flying. Col Chaytor is reputed to have cut of his own hand and thrown it off
the battlements at the besieging army. John Scrope was allowed to depart with four
servants to his property at Langar, Notts. He died of the plague in London in July 1646
aged 21 years while under an assumed name and apparently on The Kings business. He left
Bolton to his sister Mary Scrope. Following the surrender, Bolton was held for parliament
for two years. In 1647 Parliament ordered the castle to be rendered un-tenantable
Mary Scrope married for her second husband, Charles Paulet, Earl of Wiltshire, son and heir of The Marquess of Winchester. Charles Paulet supported William of Orange and was created The First Duke of Bolton. 'He was a man of infinite whim, who would not open his mouth for days at a time incase some evil spirit could get in. He refused to go abroad in daylight, having amazing Bacchanalian orgies in a banqueting hall in the woods, also hunting his hounds at night by torchlight. He built Bolton Hall, completed in 1678 and Hackwood Park in Hampshire - to replace Basing House, which he had helped his father John, 5th Lord Winchester defend. It fell in October 1645 to Oliver Cromwell himself after a serious siege of two years and three months. The loot that was carried from Basing was reputed to exceed £200,000 in value.
- 'The Scrope and Grosvenor Controversy' by Sir Nicholas Harris
- ' Chronica et Annales' ed. HT Riley 1886 (Not read yet)
- 'Annales Ricardii Secundi et Henrici Quarti (Not read yet)
- 'Chronicon Angliae' by Walsingham (Extracts only to date)
- 'Calender of State Papers for Scotland'
- 'Letters and Papers of Henry V111 and Queen Elizabeth' (Not read yet)
- 'The Pilgrimage of Grace and The Exeter Conspiracy' by MH Dodds and R Dodds 'A Tudor Tragedy' by Neville Williams
- 'The Clifford Papers' (Extracts only read re. Pilgrimage of Grace)
- 'The Historie of the Life and Death of Mary Stuart, Queene of Scotland' printed by John Havilland at The Sign of The Harrow 1636