h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The following site appears at first read, as a comprehensive and balanced view of the Western Rebellion of 1549.

www.devonperspectives.co.uk/prayerbook_rebellion1.html

Not only does it give background to both the Cornish and the Devon elements of this historic event, but it also provides a lot of detail - with references.

I found it interesting not only because it provided a far deeper analysis than I have seen on other websites, but it "names names" in a succinct single source.

For example it gives details of the organization of the "rebels" showing that Cornish and Devonians had roughly equal representation.

for example the sixteen demands made by the Devon and Cornwall rebels were signed by two bodies, These were four governors, a mayor from Devon, a mayor of Cornwall, and two priests, and five "captains", at least three of whom were Devonian.

Although Cornishman Arundell led the captains, his second in charge was a Devonian, Bury.

Further this testimony indicates that whilst the Devonians and Cornish fought together at ever single battle after Crediton (which was a Devonian confrontation) they seem to have operated as separate forces .

It is only after the final battle back at Sampford Courtenay, in which the Devonians appear to have played the part of bait, with the Cornish as surprise forces, did the two forces separate, with the Devonians heading (curiously) east making it as far as Somerset. What they were trying to achieve is unknown, or least not touched on here.

Going back to the 16 demands in the siege of Exeter, it is also curious that not all are religious, with the 13th appearing to be solely secular in nature.

Ozzie Exile,

The account of the Prayer Book Rebellion certainly provides a lot more information than I have previously seen, but whether or not it is totally accurate, one cannot tell. Even 16th century chroniclers were known to slant their writings to suit their own agendas. For instance, the Devon Perspectives web page concerning Exeter and the Cornish Rebellions of 1497 includes the following:-

“The Cornish were particularly incensed because the imposition of such taxes went against the decision by Edward I to declare Cornwall a Duchy, giving it a measure of independence, with laws and taxation framed by the Stannary Parliament whose jurisdiction Henry VII had by now suspended.”

The source of this account is not made clear, but it is inaccurate in most respects:-

The Duchy of Cornwall was created by Edward III (not Edward I) in 1337.
Cornwall was not declared a Duchy, as most of the Duchy land holding was (and still is) in Devon.
Cornwall was not given a measure of independence, as it was the Stannary Parliaments of both Cornwall and Devon (under the jurisdiction of the Duchy) that were given the right to legislate, but only on matters concerning the tin trade in both Cornwall and Devon.

Plymouthexile,

I also read the section on the Cornish Rebellion and Exeter in 1497, and was rather disappointed at its brevity and lack of depth.

Nevertheless the Western Rebellion pages appear more thorough, and there are frequent references at the foot of each section, which at least provides an avenue to question and confirm.

You are correct about the bias in 16th century writers. Most accounts of that rebellion appear to rely heavily on Hooker, who whilst contemporary, also appears to have heavily sided with the "government" cause. Nevertheless, the more there is detail the more truth tends to win through.

In any event I thought the information was a substantial improvement on some sites which tend to misrepresent history in favour of emotion and nationalism (or is that duchyism).