pilgrimage of grace

OK, I give up on last Friday's quiz...no one, even my Yorkshire readers, ventured a guess..... so I'll just tell you the answer and why K. C. thinks it important. The map presented was of the "Pilgrimage of Grace", 1536, a rebellion in Yorkshire against Henry VIII's pillaging of the Church as well as Henry's innovations [which could be considered modest in comparison with what was to follow].

The rebellion was 'spontaneous' and was of the little people. The nobles who led it , even Robert Aske included, were mostly conscripted by the mob and told to 'lead or else!'. Their banner was the Five Wounds of Christ, and wherever they passed, the old religion was restored....

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>>>a body of priests marched at their head, bearing a banner, on which was painted the image of the crucified Saviour, with the chalice and the host; and each soldier wore on his sleeve the emblem of his holy cause - a representation of the five wounds of Christ, with the name "Jesus" in the centre. The enterprise was quaintly called "The Pilgrimage of Grace," and wherever the pilgrims appeared, their first object was to re-instate the ejected monks in their monasteries. <<< href="http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/PilgrimageofGrace.htm">http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/PilgrimageofGrace.htm

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Their army [[you kneeling Catholics in Skipton, the rebels actually laid seige to a castle in Skipton!]] eventually swelled to 30,000 and came crashing down on the town of Doncaster where the Duke of Norfok, Thomas Howard -well played as Thomas More's good friend in a Man for all Seasons- with 5,000 of the king's men stalled for time. Thru deceit/false promises the King was able to diffuse the rebellion, the rebels - always wishing to believe the best of the king - disbanded. When Henry showed no intention of keeping his promises, another smaller rebellion sprang up a few months later and was crushed. The king then placed York under marshal law, rounded up some 250 leaders of the original rebellion, including Robert Aske, and hung them, some in their own gardens.

... "Ye shall not enter into this our Pilgrimage of Grace for the commonwealth, but only for the love that ye do bear unto Almighty God his faith, and to Holy Church militant and the maintenance thereof; to the preservation of the King's person and his issue, to the purifying of the nobility, and to expulse all villein >> note 1 blood and evil councillors against the commonwealth from his Grace and his Privy Council of the same. And that ye shall not enter into our said Pilgrimage for no particular profit to yourself, nor to do any displeasure to any private person, but by counsel of the commonwealth, nor slay nor murder for no envy, but in your hearts put away all fear and dread, and take afore you the Cross of Christ, and in your hearts His faith, the restitution of the Church, the suppression of these heretics and their opinions, by all the holy contents of this book."

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Why is the "Pilgrimage of Grace" signficant? Why are the doomed Cristeros significant? Or the laity who stood with St. Athansius against a world of bishops and priests? one word - courage. What is it they saw that we don't? What is it that they had that we don't got?

Pray for courage!

K. C.