Article 1 [1721]

Return to The Early Angus History by Elsdon Watson

The Hall Humberston’s Survey and the life of Alexander Angus from 1566 to 1608

In November 1569 600 knights gathered at Brancepeth and then occupied Durham where they held a Catholic Mass. They headed South hoping to gain popular support and convert the country back to Catholicism and put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne of England. This did not happen although they did gather an army of about 6000. At Wetherby they stopped and then turned back to Northumberland in disarray. The rebel Earls and their supporters retreated north pursued by government armies, dispersed their forces and fled to Scotland. Later the Earl of Northumberland was hanged. The Earl Westmorland, after a long stay at Ferniehurst Castle escaped to Flanders. He never returned and died abroad. His lands and property were confiscated including his land at Bywell. It has been suggested that about 60 supporters from the Bywell area supported Westmorland on his campaign.

After the Rebellion of the Earls in 1569 there was an enquiry to identify the rebels, by Hall and Humberston. John Crawford Hodgson uses the data from this enquiry in his History of Northumberland Volume VI. The data used below is mainly taken from this book.

Hall and Humberston went to all the lands owned by the Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland to search out who were tenants (husbandmen) or owners (yeoman). Traditionally in medieval times the Yeoman and Husbandmen were expected to form cavalry units for their Lords in times of troubles. They would also supply a horse with associated saddle etc. There was also a muster of men who were available to fight for the king or queen. These would be the same people. At a muster of the Middle Marches, taken on the Mootlaw, 26^th March 1580, 101 men presented themselves. It would have been expected that a similar number would have been available in 1569 in the Bywell area. (1)

Hall and Humberston found that there were tenants who had been there a long time, but also men who had become tenant farmers for very small amounts of money, with long term leases. The leases had been set up in 1566 for 21 years. It seems probable that these extra men were brought in especially for the expected revolt. Or as seemed to happen to Alexander the new leases were a reward for prospective members of the cavalry. It is also probable that this was organised by John Swinburne of Chopwell. (2)

He was the trusted Steward of the Earl of Westmorland.

In addition to finding extra men he also had the task of finding new income for the Earl. One of his plans was to get the land for the new farms from existing common land by enclosing it. We know this because someone complained to Hall and Humberston. (3)

One of these men was Alexander Angus. He signed his lease in 1566 for the Botehouse and 14 acres of land for the bargain price of 13 shillings and 2 pence a year. (4) This income went to the Earl. The net effect was that the Earl got income and Alexander got the tenancy of a farm at a bargain price. The losers in all this were the landless poor who relied on the common land to graze animals and grow crops.

After the rebellion, Hall and Humberston could identify all the potential rebels, including Alexander. When the rebellion was over the initial government response was merciless. Once identified the leaders, about 50, were to be executed. The penniless followers were decimated. In Durham, about 600 were executed under the orders of the queen and carried out by Sir George Bowes. (5).

Further North the rebels were more fortunate. Sir John Forster, Warden of the Marches, was in charge. Initially his efforts were directed to following the leading rebels into Scotland. By the time he had time to deal with the rebels left from Bywell and other places the royal orders had changed. What was now of prime importance was to make money for the Queen out of the Rebellion, (6) This was done by 2 methods. First the Earl’s land was taken by the crown, including all rents from the tenant farmers. In addition, the rebels had a choice. They could be tried and if found guilty, executed. This would be done under martial law. The alternate and preferred option was to give a pardon to the rebels in exchange for a fine and swearing an oath of loyalty both to the Queen and the Anglican religion.(6) Not surprisingly this second choice seems to have been done by nearly all the rebels and there are no records of any deaths in the Bywell area. The exceptions were John Swinburne who escaped to Flanders with the Earl of Westmorland and died in exile and Alexander’s uncle William who probably escorted Westmorland and Swinburne to the coast when they were heading into exile.

I cannot find information re executions and fines for Bywell although they are available for Durham and Yorkshire. There is an interesting website showing what happened in Tudhoe, a village in Durham, called “The History of Tudhoe Village. Dissent and rebellion in County Durham”

http://community.dur.ac.uk/j.m.hutson/tudhoe/

These pardons meant that the rebels could continue to work their farms until 1587 for the same bargain price. (7) In fact, the tenancies were renewed until 1608. By 1625 the Botehouse had been acquired by London based men. (8)

By 1608 the farming career of Alexander Angus had got off to a flying start. He had the farm from 1566 to 1608 for 13 shillings and 2 pence a year which was estimated to be 35s below the market price. (8) This was a saving of 35 shillings a year for 42 years, a total savings of £73.5. At today’s prices this corresponds to about £22,000. ( £1 in 1550 = £300 now), The problems which had made the Bywell area a nightmare to farm for centuries were coming to an end. With the advent of James 1 to the throne of England, the attacks to the North of England from the Border Reivers came to an end. By 1610 the laws in the Border regions were the same as the laws of England.

Conclusion.

I think various aspects of the life of Alexander Angus from 1566 until 1608 are now clear.

1. He was a farmer/soldier in Broomley in 1566, working under John Swinburne of Chopwell, who in turn was under the leadership of the Earl of Westmorland.

2. He was a participant in the Rebellion in the North in 1569.

3. He obtained his farm on a long-term lease, very cheaply, in 1566 as part payment for his participation and continued the farm until at least 1608.

4. After the Rebellion he escaped execution by paying a fine and swearing an oath to serve Queen Elizabeth and converting to the Anglican religion probably about 1570.