The Norfolk Rising, aka Ket's Rebellion

1549 At Mousehold, England, a herald of child King Edward VI was turned away, his message of conciliation from the monarch to some 16-20,000 rural insurrectionists rejected. The herald had promised the king's pardon to all who would depart quietly to their homes.

The rebellion of farmers and farm workers was aimed at bringing attention to the economic problems faced by agricultural workers in East Anglia. Like the Diggers (founded exactly one century later, in 1649 by Gerrard Winstanley) and even the rather more conservative Levellers, the rebels demanded the abolition of land enclosures, the end of private ownership of land, and the dismissal of counsellors. A commonwealth was established on Mousehold Heath.

The 'commotion' was led by Robert Ket (or Kett), a fairly prosperous landowner (he held the manor of Wymondham – pron. 'Windum' – in Norfolk) and tanner, and he and his followers occupied the city of Norwich, but were defeated on August 25 by the overwhelming military power of John Dudley, the Earl of Warwick. Thousands of men were killed, Warwick's men cutting them to pieces in the slaughter of Dussin's Dale (Dussindale).

They had met daily under 'the Oak of Reformation', upon which many of them were later hanged. Robert Ket was executed at Norwich, and his body was hanged on the top of the castle on December 7, 1549 ...

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