Kett's Rebellion - Timeline

Background

• May 1548 - Sir William Cavendish (unpop landlord) triggered a riot - his property attacked
• Cavendish had been about to enclose area of common land near Middlesex/Essex border, affecting villages in 3 counties
• They celebrated by blowing up his rabbit warren - killed 2,000 rabbits!!
• Set up camp on the common land, only left when royal officials promised to take their concerns to the gov
• Economic causes of unrest - inflation, starvation etc 
• May 1549 - attacks on enclosures in Somerset & Wiltshire > action in Essex & Oxfordshire, demonstrators set up camps, demand an end to enclosure
• 7th July - movement spreads to Suffolk, East Anglia etc
• Can be claimed the WHOLE of the SOUTH & a large part of the Midlands = state of unrest, S.Eng on the VERGE OF COLLAPSE
•  8th July - Som appoints new enc commission, trying to stop enc - same day of trouble in Norfolk > Kett's march to Norwhich > Kett's Rebellion 

Ed's action against Enc

• 1st June 1548 - commision of enquiry under John Hales to investigate how far enclosure legis was being enforced in Midlands
• June 1548 - Proc against men being driven to poverty because of enclosure
• Summer 1548 - large no rural riots breaks out - one are where Hales is investiagting. Council voiced opp to Som's policy, accused Hales of stirring up trouble 
• Summer 1549 - Hales began investigating again - his work is a failure - doesn't manage to bring proceedings against any enclosers. 

Was Somerset a friend of the poor?? - This may have been a reason the common people rebelled - if they thought he was against enclosure. 

• Supported 'Commonwealth Men' - campaigned against exploitation of the poor
• Appointed John Hales to…