Humphrey Arundell
Encyclopedia
Sir Humphrey Arundell was the leader of Cornish forces in the Prayer Book Rebellion
early in the reign of King Edward VI. He was executed at Tyburn, London
after the rebellion had been defeated.
, near Bodmin in Cornwall
, and was an experienced soldier. His maternal grandfather had been involved in the Perkin Warbeck
rising against Henry VII
in 1497. On the death of his parents in 1536 he inherited large estates in both Devon and Cornwall. In 1549 Arundell became leader of the Cornish army which assembled first at Bodmin
and was involved in the Cornish rebellion of 1549, which is also known as the Prayer Book Rebellion, against Edward VI. Previously he had been in charge of a small garrison on St Michaels Mount, which had defected to the rebels at the start of the campaign.
During the 1549 siege of Exeter
Arundell and his troops had little artillery and had taken some small calibre guns from Plymouth and other forts of the King, including those on St Michael's Mount
, St Mawes Castle
, Pendennis Castle
, and Trematon Castle
. The Cornishmen outside the walls of Exeter made the statement "and so we Cornishmen, whereof certain of us understand no English, utterly refuse this new English".
At the battle of Sampford Courtenay
Arundell led a large contingent of rebels from the rear throwing the Royal troops into confusion. The rebels were forced to make another stand at Okehampton
, before falling back to Launceston, where he was finally overpowered and imprisoned in the castle. On 19 August he was transferred to Rougemont Castle
dungeons, Exeter, before being taken with other rebels to the Tower of London
in September. In November 1549 Arundell was taken to Westminster Hall where he was found guilty of high treason and condemned to be taken back to the Tower and later hanged, drawn and quartered
. Humphrey Arundell was executed on 27 Jan 1550 and the estates of the ringleaders were distributed to those who had served the King in the rising. Sir Gawen Carew received most of Humprey Arundell's lands.
Other Cornish
leaders of the previous Cornish Rebellion of 1497
, Thomas Flamank
, Michael An Gof
and James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley
had also previously been executed at Tyburn, London
in 1497.
Prayer Book Rebellion
The Prayer Book Rebellion, Prayer Book Revolt, Prayer Book Rising, Western Rising or Western Rebellion was a popular revolt in Cornwall and Devon, in 1549. In 1549 the Book of Common Prayer, presenting the theology of the English Reformation, was introduced...
early in the reign of King Edward VI. He was executed at Tyburn, London
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
after the rebellion had been defeated.
Life
He was born at HellandHelland
Helland is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated 2½ miles north of Bodmin. The meaning of the name Helland is unclear: it is possible that the origin is in Cornish hen & lan...
, near Bodmin in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, and was an experienced soldier. His maternal grandfather had been involved in the Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck was a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England. By claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower, Warbeck was a significant threat to the newly established Tudor Dynasty,...
rising against Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
in 1497. On the death of his parents in 1536 he inherited large estates in both Devon and Cornwall. In 1549 Arundell became leader of the Cornish army which assembled first at Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
and was involved in the Cornish rebellion of 1549, which is also known as the Prayer Book Rebellion, against Edward VI. Previously he had been in charge of a small garrison on St Michaels Mount, which had defected to the rebels at the start of the campaign.
During the 1549 siege of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
Arundell and his troops had little artillery and had taken some small calibre guns from Plymouth and other forts of the King, including those on St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount
St Michael's Mount is a tidal island located off the Mount's Bay coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is a civil parish and is united with the town of Marazion by a man-made causeway of granite setts, passable between mid-tide and low water....
, St Mawes Castle
St Mawes Castle
St Mawes Castle and its larger sister castle, Pendennis, were built as part of a defensive chain of fortresses by Henry VIII to protect the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom...
, Pendennis Castle
Pendennis Castle
Pendennis Castle is a Henrician castle, also known as one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, in the English county of Cornwall. It was built in 1539 for King Henry VIII to guard the entrance to the River Fal on its west bank, near Falmouth. St Mawes Castle is its opposite number on the east bank and...
, and Trematon Castle
Trematon Castle
Trematon Castle is situated near Saltash in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is similar in style to the later Restormel Castle, with a 12th century keep. Trematon Castle overlooks Plymouth Sound and was built probably by Robert, Count of Mortain on the ruins of an earlier Roman fort: it is a...
. The Cornishmen outside the walls of Exeter made the statement "and so we Cornishmen, whereof certain of us understand no English, utterly refuse this new English".
At the battle of Sampford Courtenay
Battle of Sampford Courtenay
The Battle of Sampford Courtenay was one of the chief actions in the Western Rebellion of 1549.-Preparations:By mid August 1549, Humphrey Arundell, the leader of the rebel troops, regrouped his forces at Sampford Courtenay when he received a promise from Winchester that 1,000 men would join his...
Arundell led a large contingent of rebels from the rear throwing the Royal troops into confusion. The rebels were forced to make another stand at Okehampton
Okehampton
Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
, before falling back to Launceston, where he was finally overpowered and imprisoned in the castle. On 19 August he was transferred to Rougemont Castle
Rougemont Castle
Rougemont Castle is the historic castle of Exeter.The castle was first built in 1068 to help William the Conqueror maintain control over the city. It is perched on an ancient volcanic plug, overlaying remains of the Roman city of Isca Dumnoniorum...
dungeons, Exeter, before being taken with other rebels to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
in September. In November 1549 Arundell was taken to Westminster Hall where he was found guilty of high treason and condemned to be taken back to the Tower and later hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
. Humphrey Arundell was executed on 27 Jan 1550 and the estates of the ringleaders were distributed to those who had served the King in the rising. Sir Gawen Carew received most of Humprey Arundell's lands.
Other Cornish
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
leaders of the previous Cornish Rebellion of 1497
Cornish Rebellion of 1497
The Cornish Rebellion of 1497 was a popular uprising by the people of Cornwall in the far southwest of Britain. Its primary cause was a response of people to the raising of war taxes by King Henry VII on the impoverished Cornish, to raise money for a campaign against Scotland motivated by brief...
, Thomas Flamank
Thomas Flamank
Thomas Flamank was a lawyer from Cornwall who together with Michael An Gof led the Cornish Rebellion against taxes in 1497....
, Michael An Gof
Michael An Gof
Michael Joseph and Thomas Flamank were the leaders of the Cornish Rebellion of 1497....
and James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley
James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley
Sir James Tuchet, 7th Baron Audley was born in the Heleigh Castle, Staffordshire, England to John Tuchet, 6th Baron Audley and Ann Echingham....
had also previously been executed at Tyburn, London
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
in 1497.