As chaos engulfed the streets of London in the summer of 1450, William Ayscough, Bishop of Salisbury was a frightened man, most probably believing that the mob who had plotted his death at the beginning of the year would now put their plans into action.
The death in the February of Adam Moleyns, murdered on a beach at Portsmouth and the murder three months later of William de la Pole off the coast at Dover must have playing on Ayscough's mind, and with Jack Cade's rebel's drawing ever closer, Asycough left the city heading for his home in Dorset.
William Ayscough, along with Moleyn's had been a royal councilor and in his capacity as Henry VI's confessor, had been one of a few men who had been close to the king. However, he did himself no flavours by suggesting (allegedly) to Henry that he abstain from having sex with the queen. This of course was taken as jeopardising the succession, and seeing that there was no Lancastrian heir and that Richard, Duke of York was hovering in the wings it was certainly a risky thing to say.
Asycough's movements after leaving London are not documented and the reason he was taking mass at the priory church
in Edington in Wiltshire on the 29th of June is unclear, but its likely that it was a stopping point on his southwards journey home to Sherborne.
William Ayscough, along with Moleyn's had been a royal councilor and in his capacity as Henry VI's confessor, had been one of a few men who had been close to the king. However, he did himself no flavours by suggesting (allegedly) to Henry that he abstain from having sex with the queen. This of course was taken as jeopardising the succession, and seeing that there was no Lancastrian heir and that Richard, Duke of York was hovering in the wings it was certainly a risky thing to say.
Asycough's movements after leaving London are not documented and the reason he was taking mass at the priory church
in Edington in Wiltshire on the 29th of June is unclear, but its likely that it was a stopping point on his southwards journey home to Sherborne.
Maybe he thought that he would be safe, but he was far from it.
Ayscough's fears that he too would die at the hands of a mob turned into reality when he was killed by the people of
Edington parish while at mass in the church of that forms part of the Bonhommes Priory.
Of Ayscough's death the Chronicles of England states
Ayscough's fears that he too would die at the hands of a mob turned into reality when he was killed by the people of
Edington parish while at mass in the church of that forms part of the Bonhommes Priory.
Of Ayscough's death the Chronicles of England states
'William Ascoghe, bisshop of Salisbury was slayn of his owen parisshens and peple . . . aftir that he hadde saide
Mass, and was draw from the auter and lad up to an hill the beside, to his awbe and his stole aboute his necke; and their
they slow him horribly, thair fader and thair bisshoppe and spoillid him unto the nakid skyn, and rente his blody shirte
in to pecis.'
Mass, and was draw from the auter and lad up to an hill the beside, to his awbe and his stole aboute his necke; and their
they slow him horribly, thair fader and thair bisshoppe and spoillid him unto the nakid skyn, and rente his blody shirte
in to pecis.'
Hill in the fields just outside Edington Church and Priory.
You have to wonder if some of the men who died in the turmoil that engulfed the country in 1450 were all bad, Ayscouth it seems
'concerned himself regularly with diocesan affairs and the maintenance of orthodoxy'
It is thought that Ayscough was buried where he was slain, less than a mile where King Alfred fought Guthram at the Battle of Edington in 878.
(My photographs of Edington Church and the fields that surround it were taken in 2014 when my daughter lived in Bratton, Edington's neigbouring village.)
'concerned himself regularly with diocesan affairs and the maintenance of orthodoxy'
It is thought that Ayscough was buried where he was slain, less than a mile where King Alfred fought Guthram at the Battle of Edington in 878.
(My photographs of Edington Church and the fields that surround it were taken in 2014 when my daughter lived in Bratton, Edington's neigbouring village.)
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