King Henry wanted to record (in writing) the age, status, location, wealth, and movable property, etc, of these men. He was perhaps a little concerned about the possibility of rebellions designed to other-throw his reign (similar to the highly bloody and brutal “War of the Roses”). Indeed, he would abolish the feudal-system and the right of the aristocracy to raise private armies from men living on their land. As a result, Henry would use foreign mercenaries (often “German”) to put-down insurrections within England. Henry abolished serfdom – and then hanged 70,000 former serfs for being “unemployed” – which was viewed as “Treason”. Anyway, in my quest, I have discovered a historical journal that mentions a school in Duddington circa 1670.
