The Jack Cade Rebellion of 1450: A Sourcebook

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Description

The Jack Cade Rebellion of 1450 was an uprising of the commons of Englandmost of whom were from Kent, Norfolk, and Essexthat culminated in a battle on London Bridge. The rebel force, led by a mysterious man known as Jack Cade, protested King Henry VIs ineffectiveness as a leader, the over-taxation of the working classes, the crowns failed attempts to secure French territories, and the corrupt bureaucrats and church officials. This book collects, for the first time, primary documents related to the rebellion that have been translated into Present-Day English or glossed for ease of reading. The sources included in this book comprise the rebels petitions, entries from medieval and early modern chronicles, letters and formal correspondences, official government documents, and political poems of the fifteenth century. Students interested in urban history, popular rebellions, medieval and early modern studies, legal studies, criminal justice, Shakespeare, and artistic expressions of protest will find these primary sources invaluable.

Reviews

With this book, Alexander Kaufman does great service to the teaching and study of the Jack Cade Rebellion. His collection of thirty-two primary documents, encompassing medieval and early modern chronicles, official documents, personal correspondence, bills of complaint, and popular literature, is an invaluable resource. Acknowledging that the original languages of the documentsLatin and Middle Englishare not taught in the numbers they once were, Kaufman offers translations in present-day English. This feat will, doubtless, broaden access to the study of Jack Cade, especially within the disciplines of history, law, and literature. -- John Marshall, University of Bristol
What emerges from Alexander Kaufmans collection is the image of a socially diverse rebellion which included yeomen, esquires, gentlemen, land labourers, and even constables. For the first time, all the major historiographical, legal, and literary sources relating to Jack Cades Rebellion can be found in one easily accessible, extremely well-researched volume. This book, compiled by Kaufmanwho is already a well-established expert on the topicis likely to become and remain the standard work on the events of 1450 in the years to come. It will be indispensable for scholars, students, and even general readers wishing to learn more about that turbulent year in English history. -- Stephen Basdeo, The American University in London at Richmond Hill
Alexander Kaufman has diligently researched his material and selected these extracts carefully. The documents in this scholarly anthology conjure up the lively and turbulent sociopolitical world of mid-fifteenth-century England, providing avenues for further exploration of the revolt and its contexts. With Kaufmans analysis, these accounts also offer insights into how Jack Cade and his revolt were developed in cultural imagination during the years after the events. -- Lesley Coote, University of Hull

By bringing togetherfor the first timetranslated primary sources on Cades rebellion, Kaufman has performed a valuable service for scholars and researchers. The modern English translations, supported by Kaufmans scholarly commentary and notes, also make the sources available to a wider readership. This volume will be an invaluable source for anyone interested in late-medieval England or medieval social movements.

Author Bio

Alexander L. Kaufman is Reed D. Voran Distinguished Professor of Honors Humanities and professor of English at Ball State University.