Passing round the north transept of the church, he made the
best of his way to the abbot's house, where Paslew dwelt in great state,
keeping a separate establishment and a numerous train of domestics and
officials.
Paslew was in some respects a man of parsimonious habits; and though his
bounty might now be the better excused, yet in the more prosperous days
of his dominion he had the character of a selfish and greedy priest,
whose charity was less than that of his predecessor, and his personal
expenses double.
Encouraged by the "Pilgrimage of Grace," as it was then called, headed
by one Aske, a gentleman of but mean pretensions, who yet possessed the
art of making himself popular with the vulgar, Paslew, though apparently
taking no open part in the rebellion, had with his monks repossessed
their ancient seat, from which they had been driven by the decrees of
Henry VIII.
The rebel army had their camp at Doncaster, where the Archbishop of York
and the Lord D'Arcy openly espoused their cause, receiving in great
state a herald from the king's army, who came to negotiate with these
dangerous malcontents. They had formed high notions of their own power
and importance, and entertained sanguine hopes of success, especially
since the Duke of Norfolk, a supporter of the ancient religion, was
appointed to the command of the royal forces along with the Earl of
Shrewsbury.
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