d Aldrich, were
dispatched to the King from Mousehold, and this document gave in full the
grievances of the rebels. The chief demands were the cessation of
enclosures, the enactment of fair rents, the restoration of common fishing
rights, the appointment of resident clergymen to preach and instruct the
children, and the free election or appointment of local "commissioners" for
the enforcement of the laws. There was also a request "that all bond men
may be made free, for God made all free with His precious bloodshedding."

The only answer to the "Requests and Demands" was the arrival of a herald
with a promise that Parliament would meet in October to consider the
grievances, if the people would in the meantime quietly return to their
homes.

But this Ket would by no means agree to, and for the next few weeks his
authority was supreme in that part of the country. He established a rough
constitution for the prevention of mere disorder, two men being chosen by
their fellows from the various hundreds of the eastern half of the county.
A royal messenger, bearing commissions of the peace to certain country
gentlemen, falling into the hands of Ket, was relieved of his documents and
dismissed. Ket then put in these commissions the names of men who had
joined the rising, and declared them magistrates with authority to check
all disobedience to orders.

To feed the army at Mousehold, men were sent out with a warrant from Ket
for obtaining cattle and corn from the country houses, and "to beware of
robbing, spoiling, and other evil demeanours." No violence or injury was to
be done to "any honest or poor man." Contributions came in from the smaller
yeomen "with much private good-will," but the landowners generally were
stricken with panic, and let the rebels do what they liked. Those who could
not escape by flight were, for the most part, brought captive to the Oak of
Reformation, and thence sent to the prisons in Norwich and St. Leonard's
Hill.

Relations between Ket and the Norwich authorities soon became strained to
breaking point. Mayor Cod was shocked at the imprisonment of county
gentlemen, and refused permission for Ket's troops to pass through the city
on their foraging expeditions. Citizens and rebels were in conflict on July
21st, but "for lack of powder and want of skill in the gunners" few lives
were lost, and Norwich was in the hands of Ket the following day. No
reprisals followed; but a week later came William Parr,