Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland - Border Warfare

Border Warfare

Northumberland was constantly ill with an ague, was burdened with debt, and yet had to keep up an establishment and engage in fighting on his own account. Wolsey treated him in a patronising manner so long as he was in power. He was not often allowed to go to court, nor even to his father's funeral. His chief friend was Sir Thomas Arundell.

In spite of all he was very active on the borders. He had leave in 1528 to come to London; in 1530, while he was at Topcliffe, he received a message from the king ordering him to go to Cawood and arrest Wolsey. He sent his prisoner south in the custody of Sir Roger Lascelles, while he remained to make an inventory of the Cardinal's goods. He was one of the peers who signed the letter to the Pope in July 1530 asking that the divorce might be hurried on, was a friend of Sir Thomas Legh, and possibly was a reformer. On 23 April 1531 he was created Knight of the Garter.; on 11 May 1532 he was made High Sheriff of Northumberland for life; and on the 26th of the same month a privy councillor.

Northumberland took part in the trial of Lord Dacre in July 1534. In the January following he was accused of slackness on the borders, and also of having a sword of state carried before him when he went as justiciary to York. If illness was in part responsible, Eustace Chapuys also ranked him, on information which he had from his doctor, among the disaffected early in 1535.