ABSTRACT
The champions of the old faith lay at the mercy of the reformers, but even this was not perhaps the most deadly feature of the prisoners’ position. Their plight was rendered still worse by the fact that they were the upholders of the common law, but they had fallen into the hands of the civilians. Every one of the prisoners after the Pilgrimage of Grace was repeatedly interrogated and their answers were used as the chief evidence against themselves and each other. There can be no doubt that many women were ardent supporters of the Pilgrimage. Lady Hussey and the dowager Countess of Northumberland were both more guilty than Lady Bulmer. Other names have occurred from time to time, Mistress Stapleton, old Sir Marmaduke Constable’s wife, who sheltered Levening, and young Lady Evers.
