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The road to the end (2/5)
Rievaulx’s first encounter with the Crown occurred in 1533, when a royal commission was sent to investigate allegations against Abbot Edward Kirkby, made by the abbey’s patron, the earl of Rutland, who accused Kirkby of misconduct and disrepute. The king’s advisor, Thomas Cromwell, hoped to use a Cistercian to indict Kirkby and appointed the abbot of Fountains to lead this commission against his fellow abbot. The abbot of Fountains, however, resisted, arguing that this was a matter for the General Chapter of the Order to decide, rather than a royal commission. Therefore, in August 1533 it was a Dr Legh who arrived at Rievaulx to force Kirkby to confess to these charges and to resign from office; Legh successfully accomplished his task, no doubt by employing rather unsavoury tactics. Whilst most of the Rievaulx community opposed Kirkby’s resignation, believing he had been unjustly treated, the election of a new abbot went ahead regardless and the abbots of Fountains and Byland were appointed to start the proceedings. This resulted in the installation of the king’s candidate, Roland Blyton of Rufford, to the abbacy of Rievaulx. Kirkby was present at the installation and indeed sang the Te Deum at the ceremony. He had been promised an annual pension of £44 in return for his compliance, but this never materialised and he retired to Jervaulx Abbey where he was caught up in a popular uprising known as the Pilgrimage of Grace. Kirkby was sentenced to death for his participation but later reprieved and appointed vicar of Newport, Essex (1539-46). It seems that Kirkby had died by 1557.(4) |
