They say that our sovereign is above his laws to his pleasure, and he may make it and break it as he pleases, without any distinction. The contrary is true, or else he should not have sworn to keep it.

Despite the well-known anger of the peasants towards the Duke and their efforts to rid England of corrupt high officials the Bill of Complaints dismissed the idea that the rebels were responsible. M. M.

Promised pardons and reforms many of the rebels were instead declared traitors and Cade was killed in a small skirmish on 12 July 1450 near Lewes in Sussex. Cade's power-base was Kent from which he led an army of as many as 5000 against London causing the King to flee to Warwickshire. The revolt arose from local grievances linked to the weakness and corruption of the king's regime.