#Raphe Sadler

[historyartthings]

I know it had always been traditional for a book of hours to be passed down and given to family - often it was intended to be owned by more than its first user.

But still, Raphe Sadler keeping Thomas’s, and clearly instilling it with such a sense of importance that it was preserved and handed down over multiple generations, and then donated to be properly looked after? That it was kept so safe, even after his arrest and execution?

…Crying in the club rn

[historyartthings]

this letter by Rafe Sadler always has me absolutely creased. Honestly good for them for not being 'ruled' hahah

(For anyone who’s read the mirror and the light, Mantel actually mentions this incident in passing)

(Also, 'set by their heels' means to be put in the stocks)

'In 1537 Sir Ralph Sadler was sent into the North, just after the suppression of “the Pilgrimage of Grace.” In a letter from Newcastle, 28 Jan. he gives an account of the still agitated state of the country through which he had just passed. The following very dramatic scene occurs at Darlington:’

‘Syr,—I saw no likelihood of any lygtness or desyre of devision amongst the people throughout the whole Bishopricke, which is a gret countrey, savyng in one towne, which is called Daryngton; and there I noted and perceyved the people to be very fikell. My chance was to come into the towne in the evenyng, about vi of the clocke, or somewhat afore; and when I alighted at my lodging, I think there was not passing iii or iiii persons standing about the inne doore, assuring your Lordshipp, that I was scant ascended up a payre of steres into my chamber, but there was about xxx or xl persons assembled in the strete afore my chamber windows, with clubbs and batts; and there they cam rooninge out of all quarters of the strete, and stode together on a plompe, whispering and roundinge together. Whereupon I called unto me myn host, who seemed to be an honest man, and I asked him what the people meant to assemble so together? He answered me, that when they saw or harde of any comyng out of the South, they used always so to gather together to here newes. I told him it was ill suffered of them that were the heddes of the towne to let them make such unlawfull assemblies together in the strete, and that it was a very ill example, and hard to judge what inconveniencys might followe, or what attemptats they wold enterprise when such a number of light felowes were assembled. He answered me by his faith, that the heddes of the towne could not rule them, nor durst, for their lyves, speke any fowle words to them; but, quod he, I thinke myselfe to be in som credite with them; and, quod he, ye shall see that I shall cause them to scatter abrode, and every man to go to his home by and by. Marry, quod I, if ye do well, ye shoulde set some of them by the heles. No, quod he, God defende; for so might we bringe a thousande on our toppes within an hower; but, quod he, ye shall see me order them well ynough with fayre words; and thereupon he went to the route in the strete, as they stode whispering together, and with his cappe in his handes, prayed them to leve their whispering, and every man to go home; and there came they all about him, and asked him who I was? whense I cam? and whither I wold? Myn hoste told them, that I was the kyng's servante, and going from his Highnes in ambassade into Scotland: whereunto one of them replyed and sayed, that could not be true, for the Kyng of Scoth was in Fraunce. Nevertheless, in fine myn host so pacyfyed them, that every man went his way; but moche ado he had, as he told me, to persuade them to beleve that I went into Scotland; and they all with one voyce asked when my Lorde of Norff. wold com, and with what company? and so myn host cam to me as a messenger from them to know the trewth; and I sent them word that he wolde be at Danncaster on Candlemas Even; and that he brought no more with him but his owne houshold servants; which pleased them wondrous well; and so every man departed, and I harde no more of them. I assure your Lordship the people be very fykell, and methinketh in a marvellous strange case and perplexite, for they stare and look for thinges, and fayne wold have they cannot tell what'

'Parish of Darlington', in The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham: Volume 3, Stockton and Darlington Wards, (London, 1823), pp. 350-377