ABSTRACT
The Act for the Suppression of the Monasteries may be compared to a stone flung into a pool, where its fall causes first a wave, then circle beyond circle of ripples, each one fainter than the last. After the wave of revolt had passed, there followed a succession of conspiracies, none showing any promise of success, and each giving the King an excuse for further bloodshed. According to some accounts the abbot of Sawley was executed at Lancaster but this must be a mistake arising from a confusion between the two abbots of Whalley and Sawley. The instructions provided for him and his fellow lieutenant was similar to Norfolk’s. At the same time as the Lancashire assizes the prisoners at Lincoln were being tried and put to death. The insurgents there may have shown weakness at the crisis of their attempt, but the expiation of their failure was very terrible.
