york00orns

CONFEREN'CE AT DONCASTER. 259
to their demands rather than risk an attack. Aske
and the cooler heads amongst his followers were far
from desirous of being the first to attack, urged though
they were to do so by the clergy who accompanied
their army. Had they yielded to the pressure thus
brought upon them they would have forfeited all
claim to the character of loyal subjects, which, in
spite of appearances to the contrary, they ostentatiously
professed themselves to be.
For two days they confronted each other without
a blow being struck on either side. At the end of
this time a herald came from the Duke of Norfolk
offering to meet four of them in conference, in the
town of Doncaster. Aske proposed an open conference
on Doncaster bridge.
After some negotiation
this was agreed to. It took place on October 26th.
The parley lasted from midday until darkness was
closing in around them. The result was that a long
series of articles containing their grievances and demands
which they had handed in, was to be laid
before the king by Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Ralph
EUerker, whom the Duke of Norfolk engaged to
present to their sovereign, and to do what he could
to gain them a favourable hearing.
The articles were explicit enough. Some of them
were of no great weight or moment, but there was
no mistaking the animus of those which desired the
destruction of the heresies of Luther, Wycliffe, and
Huss, and sought to have certain books destroyed
written by Bucer, Melancthon, and Tyndal, and the
extirpation of Anabaptist heresies. The suppressed
monasteries were to be restored, with their buildings,
s 2