Acton, Sir Roger
| Birth Name | Acton, Sir Roger |
| Gender | male |
| Age at Death | 42 years, 11 months, 13 days |
Narrative
The text you provided is an excerpt from John Foxe's "Acts and Monuments of the Church," also known as "Foxe's Book of Martyrs." In this passage, Foxe is discussing a conspiracy and uprising allegedly led by Sir Roger Acton against King Henry V.
Foxe begins by mentioning that he is summarizing the account, as quoting the original source would be too lengthy. He notes that the Council of Constance condemned John Wycliffe's teachings and burned two Bohemians. This news, Foxe says, reached England and incited Wycliffe's followers to arm themselves and plot against the clergy, and later against the king.
According to Foxe, they held secret meetings, intending to defend their beliefs by force. Eventually, a large group of vagabonds and desperate men, under the leadership of Sir John Oldcastle and Sir Roger Acton, gathered and marched towards London, hoping to seize the city and then the king.
Foxe then questions the accuracy and reliability of the historian Polydore Vergil's account of these events. He raises several points:
Timing: He points out that the uprising is said to have begun after the burning of Jan Hus, which happened in July 1415. However, King Henry V was in France at that time, only returning to England around December. Foxe argues that it's unlikely such a significant uprising would occur during the winter months when public celebrations were taking place.
Historical Evidence: Foxe states that no other historians mention a conspiracy or uprising at that time. He also notes that Polydore himself says the rebellion happened after Hus was burned.
Sir Roger Acton's Death: Foxe highlights that Sir Roger Acton was actually burned in January 1413, two years before the Council of Constance. This makes it impossible for him to have been a leader in the alleged conspiracy in 1415.
Lord Cobham: Foxe also disputes the claim that Sir John Oldcastle was captured during this event and imprisoned in the Tower of London, from where he later escaped. Foxe asserts that historical records show Lord Cobham was in Wales for four years, free from imprisonment.
Based on these discrepancies, Foxe concludes that either there was no conspiracy against the king at that time, or it happened at a different time and was led by different people.
Foxe suggests that the errors might stem from writers of that era who were not entirely accurate or who didn't properly distinguish the timeline of events. He also speculates that Polydore Vergil, being a scholar who favored the Pope, might have been misled by others or even added details himself to support the papal perspective.
Despite these doubts about the conspiracy itself, Foxe emphasizes that Sir Roger Acton was known to be opposed to the Bishop of Rome and the Roman Catholic Church, which earned him their hatred. Foxe also suggests that Lord Cobham might have escaped the Tower with help and that this might have been the reason for his eventual apprehension and execution.
Foxe concludes by stating that even if the details of the conspiracy are debated, it is undeniable that Sir Roger Acton was a noble and virtuous knight who held contrary views to the Church of Rome. He was ultimately condemned and executed for his beliefs, along with others like John Browne and John Beuerley.
Narrative
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Events
| Event | Date | Place | Description | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 1375 | Tenbury, Worcestershire, England | ||
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| Death | 1417-12-14 | st. giles’s fields, London, London, England | ||
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Parents
| Relation to main person | Name | Birth date | Death date | Relation within this family (if not by birth) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Acton, John 🚩 | 1350 | 1396 | |
| Acton, Sir Roger | 1375 | 1417-12-14 |
Families
Family of Acton, Sir Roger and Ludlow, Alice |
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| Unknown | Partner | Ludlow, Alice ( * 1387 + 1423 ) | ||||||
| Children | ||||||||
| Name | Birth Date | Death Date |
|---|---|---|
| Acton, Sir Richard | 1400-10-01 | 1450-05-01 |
Pedigree
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Acton, John 🚩
- Acton, Sir Roger