On 27 January 1415 Walter Blake was imprisoned in the Marshalsea Prison. This was a result of his involvement in a plot to overthrow King Henry V. He was later tried and executed. King Henry V acceded to the throne at a time of political unrest. Lollardy had taken hold in some parts of the country. The Lollards held political views that were quite opposed to the monarchy. In 1414 a group of Lollards, led by John Oldcastle, had plotted against the new King. The plan was for the Lollards to gather together, overthrow the King and kill him and other senior royals. They were to be replaced by John Oldcastle, as a Regent of England.

Arrests of Lollards

On 10/11 January 1415 a number of arrests were made throughout London and the surrounding areas. A Commission hastily established that sedition and Lollardy was evident elsewhere: it is suggested by some that this may have been a Government designed plot, to give good cause to stamp out lollardy before they posed a serious risk[i].

A Planned Lollard Uprising?

Instructions were sent to twenty counties and the town of Bristol to apprehend Lollards. The Commission made the claim that up to 20,000 men would rebel. Likely farfetched but the estimate of Walsingham was 50,000. [ii]

John Oldcastle

Oldcastle was subject to a large reward for information leading to his capture. However, it was not until 1417 that the authorities had him in custody. When arrested he was promptly tried and sentenced, through fear of a further plot under his leadership.. He was drawn through the the city of London to St. Giles, where he was executed by hanging and burning in December 1417. Other leaders, however, had not been apprehended as quickly. One of these was Walter Blake, a chaplain who was believed to be the leader of the Lollards in Bristol.

William Blake

Blake was reasonably wealthy for a chaplain, serving for Bristol merchants. This meant that he was well armed and considered to be a considerable threat. Blake was arrested some days after the gathering of Lollards was supposed to have taken place. By 27 January 1415 he was in the Marshalsea Gaol. He was tried and found guilty of treason. He was drawn to St. Giles, where the rebels were meant to have gathered, and executed by hanging.

Not all of the people arrested for involvement in this plot were tried, or executed. Pardons were issued to 214 men who had been accused of lollardy, rebellion, or a combination of the two. These pardons were, in some cases, due to large payments made by the accused to buy their freedom. Others were pardoned on the basis that they would participate in the King’s 1415 Campaign to France, the Agincourt Campaign.

[i] Popular Protest in Late Medieval English Towns. By Samuel K. Cohn, Jr, Douglas Aiton Page 299. [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N_-s3V0ZhVoC&pg=PA301&lpg=PA301&dq=walter+blake+oldcastle+revolt&source=bl&ots=iOpoYYH9zr&sig=ACfU3U0ozOBRUos2k84YCP4k8vSmQkXGJg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkhOmT277wAhX3WRUIHSFGBhAQ6AEwE3oECBIQAw#v=onepage&q=walter%20blake%20oldcastle%20revolt&f=false]

[ii] Ibid, page 300

Links on the Lollard Uprising

History of Parliament Project– John Oldcastle

Agincourt 600 – Pardons for Lollards

Featured Image

Execution of John Oldcastle. From Holinshed’s Chronicles. Via Wikimedia.