Document: Robert Ket, "Demands of Ket's Rebellion", (1549)

Source: A.E. Bland, P.A. Brown, and R.H. Tawney, (eds.), English Economic History: Selected Documents (London: Bell and Sons, 1933), pp. 247-50.

1. We pray your grace that where it is enacted for enclosing that it be not hurtful to such as have enclosed saffron grounds, for they be greatly chargeable to them, and that henceforth no man shall enclose any more.
2. We certify your grace that whereas the lord of the manors hath been charged with certe free rent, the same lords hath sought means to charge the freeholders to pay the same rent, contrary to right.
3. We pray your grace that no lord of no manor shall common upon the commons.
4. We pray that priests from henceforth shall purchase no lands..., and the lands that they have in possession may be letten to temporal men, as they were in the first year of the reign of King Henry VII.
5. We pray that reed ground and meadow ground may be at such price as they were in the first year of the reign of King Henry VII.
6. We pray that all bushels within your realm be of one stice, that to say, to be in measure 8 gallons.
7. We pray that [priests] or vicars that be [not able] to preach and set forth the word of God to his parishioners may be thereby put from his benefice, and the parishioners there to chose another, or else the patron or lord of the town.
8. We pray that the payments of castleward rent, and blanch farm and office lands, which hath been accustomed to be gathered of the tenements, whereas we suppose the lords ought to pay the same to their bailiffs for their rents gathering, and not the tenants.
9. We pray that no man under the degree of knight or esquire keep a dove house, except it hath been of an old ancient custom.
10. We pray that all freeholders and copyholders may take the profits of all commons, and there to common, and the lords not to common nor take profits of the same.
11. We pray that no feodary within your shires shall be a councilor to any man in his office making, whereby the King may be truly served, so that a man being of good conscience may be yearly chosen to the same office by the commons of the same shire.
12. We pray your grace to take all liberty of let into your own hands whereby all men may quietly enjoy their commons with all profits.
13. We pray that copyhold land that is unreasonably rented may go as it did in the first year of King Henry VII, and that at the death of a tenant or at a sale the same lands to be charged with an easy fine as a capon or reasonable [sum] of money for a remembrance.
14. We pray that no priest [shall be chaplain'] nor no other officer to any man of honour or worship, but only to be resident upon their benefices whereby their parishioners may be instructed with the laws of God
15. We pray that all bond men may be made free, for God made all free with his precious bloodshedding.
16. We pray that rivers may be free and common to all men for fishing and passage.
17. We pray that no man shall be put by your escheator and feodary to find any office unless he holdeth of your Grace in chief or capite above 40 by year.
18. We pray that the poor mariners or fishermen may have the whole profits of their fishings as porpoises, grampuses, whales or any great fish, so it be not prejudicial to your Grace.
19. We pray that every proprietary parson or vicar having a benefice of 40 or more by year shall either by themselves or by some other person teach poor men's children of their parish the book called the catechism and the primer.
20. We pray that it be not lawful to the lords of any manor to purchase lands freely and to let them out again by copy of court roll to their great advancement and to the undoing of your poor subjects.
21. We pray that no proprietary parson or vicar, on consideration of avoiding trouble and suit between them and their poor parishioners which they do daily proceed and attempt, shall be henceforth take for the full contention [i.e. satisfaction] of all the tenths which now they do receive but 8 pence of the noble in the full discharge of all others tithes.
22. We pray that no man under the degree of [blank] shall keep any conies [rabbits] upon any of their own freehold or copyhold unless he pale them in so that it shall not be to the commons' nuisance.
23. We pray that no person, of what estate, degree or condition he be, shall from henceforth sell the wardship of any child, but that the same child if he live to his full age shall be at his own chosen concerning his marriage, the King's wards only except.
24. We pray that no manner of person having a manor of his own shall be no other lord's bailiff by only his own.
25. We pray that no lord Knight nor gentleman shall have or take in farm any spiritual promotion.
26. We pray that your Grace to give license and authority by your gracious commission under your great seal to such commissioners as your poor commons hath chosen, or as many of them as your Majesty and your council shall appoint and think meet, for to redress and reform all such good laws, statues, proclamations, and all other your proceedings, which hath been hidden by your justices of your peace, sheriffs, escheators, and other your officers from your poor commons, since the first year of the reign of your noble grandfather King Henry VII.
27. We Pray that those your officers that hath offended your Grace and your commons, and so proved by the complaint of your poor commons, do give unto these poor men so assembled 4 pence every day so long as they have remained there.
28. We pray that no lord, knight, esquire nor gentlemen do graze nor feed any bullocks of sheep, if he may spend forty pounds a year by his lands, but only for the provision of his house.