Jack Cade and the revolt of 1450
On 3 July 1450 Jack Cade crossed London Bridge and declared himself Mayor. The rebels sought out, then executed James Fiennes and William Crowmer.
In rural Kent, the ranks of the rebel army had swollen. Jack Cade then led them to London. Now, it was time for the rebels to force their demands on the authorities. To do this would require force. The Kentish rebels had approached London along the south bank. To have any impact at all, they needed to cross to the northern bank. There was only one realistic way of doing this: crossing London Bridge.
1450: Rebels enter London
The rebels pressed forward. As advance over the bridge took place, the unpopular Bishop of Salisbury, William Asycough, was discovered by rebels. He was ruthlessly cut down. At the bridge, Cade’s men made excellent progress. They made their way across and secured the drawbridge so that it could not be raised.
King Henry VI was quickly being ushered out of London to the safety of Warwickshire. As Cade himself crossed the bridge, he symbolically struck the ‘London Stone’ and act traditionally done by a new Lord Mayor, which to the delight of his followers he declared himself to be.
The rebels spread out, hunting for the ‘evil counsellors’ whom they wanted to rid from the government. Many had fled. Not all escaped, though. They found and arrested James Fiennes, Baron Say and Sele, and William Crowmer, sheriff of Kent.
After a brief trial, the men were convicted of treason and executed, their heads then displayed on spikes on London Bridge, as though they were the traitors’ heads.
Authorities regain control
The revolt led by Jack Cade was large and had placed London and the Crown in a perilous position. King Henry VI left London for the safety of Warwickshire. Rebels looted parts of London, leading to clashes with the citizens. The authorities managed to bring an end to the looting by promising pardons to many involved in the uprising. The leaders were not included. As the rebels dispersed, the leaders were sought out. Jack Cade was discovered on 12 July 1450 and killed in a clash with troops loyal to the crown.
Inquiry into the Kentish Uprising of Jack Cade
In late July 1450 an inquiry was commissioned in relation to some ringleaders’ actions of the Kentish uprising led by Jack Cade.
“It is to be enquired for our Sovereign Lord the King that if John Merfeld of Brightling in the shire of Sussex husbandman and William Merfeld of Brightling the shire foresaid husbandman at Brightling in the open market the Sunday in the feast of St Anne in the 28th year of our said Sovereign Lord falsely said that the King was a natural fool and would oft times hold a staff in his hands with a bird on the end playing therewith as a fool and that another king must be ordained to rule the land saying that the King was no person able to rule the land.
Also, the said John of Brightling the Sunday next afore Saint Luke’s day the 29th year of our said Sovereign Lord the King in the open alehouse there…said to William Durford said that the charter that our said Sovereign Lord made of the first insurrection was false…Also the said John at Brightling on St James even the 28th year above said…that he and his fellowship would arise again and when they were up they would leave no gentleman alive but such as them list to have”.
Kings Bench Ancient Indictments, 1450
Establishing an inquiry into the uprising is a precursor to the trial of those believed to be involved in provoking it. This is a crucial element of the justice system at the time.
The appointment of commissioners to lead the inquiry is also essential. The crown could appoint people based on politics. For example, the crown looked to appoint the Duke of York and other ‘loyal opponents’ as commissioners. This suited the Queen‘s favourites as it would force the nobles who the rebels looked to for support at the highest levels to dispense justice. As it happened, the trials were undertaken by the King and many nobles from both factions.
Croyland Chronicle on the revolt of 1450 led by Jack Cade
In this year, also, being the year from the Incarnation of our Lord, 1448, upon Saint George’s night, towards day break, there happened a violent and terrible earthquake, respecting which, some teachers, remarkable for their knowledge, publicly prophesied that it was a prognostic of sinister events. Nor were they deceived in this presage. For, in the following summer, there was an extensive rising of the commons throughout nearly all England, and a most dreadful commotion. But the common people of Kent, who had become quite used to attempts at change, showed much greater violence than all the rest: For, having first appointed over them a captain and leader, they encamped upon the plain of Blackheath, and, in warlike form, fortified their position with pitfalls and embankments, and stakes driven into the ground. After this, presuming to make still further rash attempts, they assaulted the citizens upon London Bridge, and, by force, entered the city ; upon which, their said captain became elated to a pitch of extreme vanity, and being honored by the frantic mob as though he had been a king, fancied that there was no one to resist him, and that he was at liberty to do just as he pleased ; and, accordingly, dragged the prisoners forth from the Tower, And, at the prompting of the clamorous multitude, had them beheaded, without any form of trial whatever. Besides this, turning his hand to rapine, and attended by a band of his satellites, he stripped one of the* richest citizens to his utmost farthing, and plundered him of the whole of his property and goods; upon. which, the rest of his fellow-citizens were greatly apprehensive for themselves, and, conjecturing for certain that he would be guilty of the like conduct towards, them speedily collected troops of armed men from every quarter and manfully drove him out of the city. After the lapse of a short space of time he was caught, and, in conformity with the laws of the realm, was condemned to he beheaded and quartered as a traitor ; and thus did he unhappily terminate an unhappy existence.
Ingulph’s chronicle of the abbey of Croyland with the continuations by Peter of Blois and anonymous writers. Edited by Henry T Riley (1854) Via Archive.org
A Short English Chronicle’s account of the Cade Revolt
John Cade; The batel on London Bryge by twene men of London and Kentyssh men, Jak Cade beyng capten of Kent.; John Cade taken yn kent, and so hurt yn his takyng that he dyed the same nyght.
This year the kynge helde his Parlement at Westmester. And that same yere was all Normandy loste. And also in the terme of Cristmas while the Parlement was at Westmester the Duke of Southefolke was a rested and sent to the Toure of London. And with in a moneth after the kynge sent after the duke frome the Toure to the towre at Westmestre, and a yenes Ester the Parlement was enjorned to Leyseter, and the kynge toke with him the Duke of Southefolke. And whan the kynge and the comenys were come to Leyseter the comenys saide that they wolde have excusyon don upon the traytors that hadde solde Normandy, Gyan, and Gascoyne, and were causes of the dethe of the Duke of Glowcester, for the whiche the Duke of Suthefolke was named chefe, and the Lord Saye and Danyell squyer, and many other. And so the comenys cryed so sore on the Duke of Southefolke that at the laste the kynge did exile hym oute of the londe. And so the duke shepped and was forwarde in the see, and ther mett with him a shippe calles Nicholas of the Toure, and toke the duke and smote of his hede in the see the first day of Maye. And so he was brought to Dovyr a londe, and forthe with the Parlement was ended. And than the comynes of Kent a rose and hade chosen hem a capteyne the whiche namyd hym sylfe John Mortymer, whose very trew name was John Cade, and he was an Iresheman; and so he come to the Black hethe withe the comynes of Kentt. And the kynge with all his lordis made hem redy with all her power for to with stonde him. And the capteyn hiryng that the kynge was comynge, and so the nyght a fore the capteyne with drowe him and his peple; and so the xviij day of June the kynge toke his wey taward the Blacke Hethe. And Sir Umfrey Stafford, knyght, and John Stafford, squyer, with her peple went in the fowarde, and they were slayne and myche of her peple. And the kynge came to the Blacke Hethe with his lordys. They hirynge of þis jorney a none the lordis meyne went togeder and said, but the kynge wolde do excussyon on suche traytors as were named else they wolde turne to the capteyn of Kent. And than the kynge grawnte hem that they shuld have ther entent, and bade hem name suche persones as were fectyffe, and they shulde have as lawe wolde. And than the lordis men saide that the Lorde Saye was one, the Bysshuppe of Salysbury, the Baron of Dudley, the Abbott of Glowcester,and Danyell, and many moo. And the Lord Saye was rested in the kynges presence, and sent to the Toure of London; and so the kynge went to Grenewiche, and so to London by water, and ther was ij or iij dayes, and than made him redy to remeve to Kyllyngworthe. And the Meire of London with the comynes of the cite came to the kynge besekynge him that he wolde tarye in the cite and they wolde lyve and dye with him, and pay for his costes of housholde and halff yere; but he wold nott, but toke his jorney to Kyllingworthe. And whan the kynge was gone the capteyn with the comynes of Kent came a yene to the Black hethe. And the iijthe day of Juyll he came to London; and as sone as thei entred in London they rubbed Phelippe Malpas. And the iiij day of Jule he behedid Crowmer and a noþer man at Myle Ende; and the same day at after none the Lorde Say was fett oute of the Toure to the Yelde Hall to for meire to have jugement, and whan he came befor the meir he saide he wolde be juged by his perys. And then the comenes of Kent toke him from the officers and ledd him to the Standart in Chepe and there smote of his hede. And than the capteyn did do drawe him thorowe London, and over London brige, and to Seint Thomas Watring, and ther he was hanged and quartered, and his hede and Crowmers hede and a noþer manes hede were sett on London brige. And after that he smote of ij oþer menes hedis in Sowthewerke. And the vth day of Jule at nyght (and beyng Sondaye) the comynes of London sett upon the comynes of Kent, for they began to rubbe. And all the men of Kent that were in London that nyght they went to her capteyne in to Sowthewerke. And the same nyght the Meir and Shoreffess and my Lorde Scalys and Mathew Gowghe and the comynes of London went to London Brygge, and ther they faughte from ix of the cloke at eve till ix on the morowe, and at the laste the capteyne fired the drawe brigge. And forthe withe went the Chaunseler to þ e capteyne and sessed him and yave him a chartur and his men a noþ er, and so with drowe hem homward. Than the xij daye of Juyll was in every shire proclamed that whate man that couthe take the forsaide capteyne shulde have a ml marke and brynge him to the kynge quycke or dede, and as for any man that longed to him, x marke; for hit was openly knowe that his name was nott Mortymer, his name was John Cade, and þerfor his chartor stode in no streynthe. And so one Alexandre Iden, a squyre of Kent, toke hym in a garden yn Sowthsex the xiij day of Jule; and in the takynge of him he was hurtt and died that same nyght, and on the morowe he was brought in to the Kynges Bynche, and after was drawe throwe London and his hede set on London brige.
A Short English Chronicle: London under Henry VI (1422-71)’, in Three Fifteenth-Century Chronicles with Historical Memoranda by John Stowe, ed. James Gairdner( London, 1880), British History Online