HOW THE NOBLES OF ENGLAND WERE IN GREAT PERIL TO
HAVE
BEEN DESTROYED, AND HOW THESE REBELS WERE PUNISHED
AND SENT HOME TO THEIR OWN HOUSES
WHEN the king came to the said place of Mile-end without
London, he put out of his company his two brethren, the earl
of Kent and sir John Holland, and the lord of Gommegnies,
for they durst not appear before the people: and when the
king and his other lords were there, he found there a three-score thousand men of divers villages and of sundry countries
in England; so the king entered in among them and
said to them sweetly: 'Ah, ye good people, I am your king:
what lack ye? what will ye say?' Then such as understood
him said: 'We will that ye make us free for ever, ourselves,
our heirs and our lands, and that we be called no more bond
nor so reputed.' 'Sirs,' said the king, 'I am well agreed
thereto. Withdraw you home into your own houses and into
such villages as ye came from, and leave behind you of
every village two or three, and I shall cause writings to be
made and seal them with my seal, the which they shall have
with them, containing everything that ye demand; and to
the intent that ye shall be the better assured, I shall cause
my banners to be delivered into every bailiwick, shire and
countries.'
These words appeased well the common people, such as
were simple and good plain men, that were come thither
and wist not why. They said, 'It was well said, we desire
no better.' Thus these people began to be appeased and began
to withdraw them into the city of London. And the
king also said a word, the which greatly contented them.
He said: 'Sirs, among you good men of Kent ye shall have
one of my banners with you, and ye of Essex another, and
ye of Sussex, of Bedford, of Cambridge, of Yarmouth, of
Stafford and of Lynn, each of you one; and also I pardon
everything that ye have done hitherto, so that ye follow my
banners and return home to your houses.' They all answered
how they would so do: thus these people departed
and went into London. Then the king ordained more than
thirty clerks the same Friday, to write with all diligence
letter patents and sealed with the king's seal, and delivered
them to these people; and when they had received the writing,
they departed and returned into their own countries:
but the great venom remained still behind, for Wat Tyler,
Jack Straw and John Ball said, for all that these people
were thus appeased, yet they would not depart so, and they
had of their accord more than thirty thousand. So they
abode still and made no press to have the king's writing
nor seal, for all their intents was to put the city to trouble
in such wise as to slay all the rich and honest persons and
to rob and pill their houses. They of London were in great
fear of this, wherefore they kept their houses privily with
their friends and such servants as they had, every man according
to his puissance. And when these said people were
this Friday thus somewhat appeased, and that they should
depart as soon as they had their writings, every man home
into his own country, then king Richard came into the
Royal, where the queen his mother was, right sore affrayed:
so he comforted her as well as he could and tarried there
with her all that night.
Yet I shall shew you of an adventure that fell by these
ungracious people before the city of Norwich, by a captain
among them called Guilliam Lister of Stafford. The same
day of Corpus Christi that these people entered into London
and brent the duke of Lancaster's house, called the Savoy,
and the hospital of Saint John's and brake up the king's
prisons and did all this hurt, as ye have heard before, the
same time there assembled together they of Stafford, of
Lynn, of Cambridge, of Bedford and of Yarmouth; and as
they were coming towards London, they had a captain
among them called Lister. And as they came, they rested
them before Norwich, and in their coming they caused
every man to rise with them, so that they left no villains
behind them. The cause why they rested before Norwich
I shall shew you. There was a knight, captain of the town,
called sir Robert Sale. He was no gentleman born, but he
had the grace to be reputed sage and valiant in arms, and
for his valiantness king Edward made him knight. He was
of his body one of the biggest knights in all England. Lister
and his company thought to have had this knight with them
and to make him their chief captain, to the intent to be the
more feared and beloved: so they sent to him that he should
come and speak with them in the field, or else they would
bren the town. The knight considered that it was better
for him to go and speak with them rather than they should
do that outrage to the town: then he mounted on his horse
and issued out of the town all alone, and so came to speak
with them. And when they saw him, they made him great
cheer and honoured him much, desiring him to alight off
his horse and to speak with them, and so he did: wherein
he did great folly; for when he was alighted, they came
round about him and began to speak fair to him and said:
'Sir Robert, ye are a knight and a man greatly beloved in
this country and renowned a valiant man; and though ye
be thus, yet we know you well, ye be no gentleman born,
but son to a villain such as we be. Therefore come you with
us and be our master, and we shall make you so great a lord,
that one quarter of England shall be under your obeisance.'
When the knight heard them speak thus, it was greatly
contrarious to his mind, for he thought never to make any
such bargain, and answered them with a felonous regard:
'Fly away, ye ungracious people, false and evil traitors
that ye be: would you that I should forsake my natural lord
for such a company of knaves as ye be, to my dishonour
for ever? I had rather ye were all hanged, as ye shall be;
for that shall be your end.' And with those words he had
thought to have leapt again upon his horse, but he failed
of the stirrup and the horse started away. Then they cried
all at him and said: 'Slay him without mercy.' When he
heard those words, he let his horse go and drew out a good
sword and began to scrimmish with them, and made a great
place about him, that it was pleasure to behold him. There
was none that durst approach near him: there were some
that approached near him, but at every stroke that he gave
he cut off other leg, head or arm: there was none so hardy
but that they feared him: he did there such deeds of arms
that it was marvel to regard. But there were more than
forty thousand of these unhappy people: they shot and cast
at him, and he was unarmed: to say truth, if he had been
of iron or steel, yet he must needs have been slain; but yet,
or he died, he slew twelve out of hand, beside them that he
hurt. Finally he was stricken to the earth, and they cut
off his arms and legs and then strake his body all to pieces.
This was the end of sir Robert Sale, which was great
damage; for which deed afterward all the knights and
squires of England were angry and sore displeased when
they heard thereof.
Now let us return to the king. The Saturday the king
departed from the Wardrobe in the Royal and went to
Westminster and heard mass in the church there, and all
his lords with him. And beside the church there was a little
chapel with an image of our Lady, which did great miracles
and in whom the kings of England had ever great trust and
confidence. The king made his orisons before this image
and did there his offering; and then he leapt on his horse,
and all his lords, and so the king rode toward London; and
when he had ridden a little way, on the left hand there was
a way to pass without London.
The same proper morning Wat Tyler, Jack Straw and
John Ball had assembled their company to common together
in a place called Smithfield, whereas every Friday there is
a market of horses; and there were together all of affinity
more than twenty thousand, and yet there were many still
in the town, drinking and making merry in the taverns and
paid nothing, for they were happy that made them best
cheer. And these people in Smithfield had with them the
king's banners, the which were delivered them the day before,
and all these gluttons were in mind to overrun and to
rob London the same day; for their captains said how they
had done nothing as yet. 'These liberties that the king
hath given us is to us but a small profit: therefore let us
be all of one accord and let us overrun this rich and puissant
city, or they of Essex, of Sussex, of Cambridge, of Bedford,
of Arundel, of Warwick, of Reading, of Oxford, of
Guildford, of Lynn, of Stafford, of Yarmouth, of Lincoln,
of York and of Durham do come hither. For all these will
come hither; Baker and Lister will bring them hither; and
if we be first lords of London and have the possession of
the riches that is therein, we shall not repent us; for if we
leave it, they that come after will have it from us.'
To this counsel they all agreed; and therewith the king
came the same way unware of them, for he had thought to
have passed that way without London, and with him a forty
horse. And when he came before the abbey of Saint
Bartholomew and beheld all these people, then the king
rested and said how he would go no farther till he knew
what these people ailed, saying, if they were in any trouble,
how he would rappease them again. The lords that were
with him tarried also, as reason was when they saw the
king tarry. And when Wat Tyler saw the king tarry, he
said to his people: 'Sirs, yonder is the king: I will go and
speak with him. Stir not from hence, without I make you
a sign; and when I make you that sign, come on and slay
all them except the king; but do the king no hurt, he is
young, we shall do with him as we list and shall lead him
with us all about England, and so shall we be lords of all
the realm without doubt.' And there was a doublet-maker of
London called John Tycle, and he had brought to these
gluttons a sixty doublets, the which they ware: then he
demanded of these captains who should pay him for his
doublets; he demanded thirty mark. Wat Tyler answered
him and said: 'Friend, appease yourself, thou shalt be
well paid or this day be ended. Keep thee near me; I shall
be thy creditor.' And therewith he spurred his horse and
departed from his company and came to the king, so near
him that his horse head touched the croup of the king's
horse, and the first word that he said was this: 'Sir king,
seest thou all yonder people?' 'Yea truly,' said the king,
'wherefore sayest thou?' 'Because,' said he, 'they be all
at my commandment and have sworn to me faith and truth,
to do all that I will have them.' 'In a good time,' said the
king, 'I will well it be so.' Then Wat Tyler said, as he
that nothing demanded but riot: 'What believest thou,
king, that these people and as many more as be in London
at my commandment, that they will depart from thee thus
without having thy letters? ' 'No,' said the king, 'ye shall
have them: they be ordained for you and shall be delivered
every one each after other. Wherefore, good fellows, withdraw
fair and easily to your people and cause them to depart
out of London; for it is our intent that each of you by
villages and townships shall have letters patents, as I have
promised you.'
With those words Wat Tyler cast his eyen on a squire
that was there with the king bearing the king's sword, and
Wat Tyler hated greatly the same squire, for the same squire
had displeased him before for words between them. 'What,
said Tyler, 'art thou there? Give me thy dagger.' 'Nay,'
said the squire, 'that will I not do: wherefore should I give
it thee?' The king beheld the squire and said: 'Give it him;
let him have it.' And so the squire took it him sore against
his will. And when this Wat Tyler had it, he began to play
therewith and turned it in his hand, and said again to the
squire: 'Give me also that sword.' 'Nay,' said the squire,
'it is the king's sword: thou art not worthy to have it, for
thou art but a knave; and if there were no more here but
thou and I, thou durst not speak those words for as much
gold in quantity as all yonder abbey.' 'By my faith,' said
Wat Tyler, 'I shall never eat meat till I have thy head':
and with those words the mayor of London came to the
king with a twelve horses well armed under their coats,
and so he brake the press and saw and heard how Wat Tyler
demeaned himself, and said to him: 'Ha, thou knave, how
art thou so hardy in the king's presence to speak such
words? It is too much for thee so to do.' Then the king
began to chafe and said to the mayor: 'Set hands on him.'
And while the king said so, Tyler said to the mayor: 'A
God's name what have I said to displease thee?' 'Yes
truly,' quoth the mayor, 'thou false stinking knave, shalt
thou speak thus in the presence of the king my natural lord?
I commit never to live, without thou shalt dearly abye it.'
And with those words the mayor drew out his sword and
strake Tyler so great a stroke on the head, that he fell
down at the feet of his horse, and as soon as he was fallen,
they environed him all about, whereby he was not seen of
his company. Then a squire of the king's alighted, called
John Standish, and he drew out his sword and put it into
Wat Tyler's belly, and so he died.
Then the ungracious people there assembled, perceiving
their captain slain, began to murmur among themselves and
said: 'Ah, our captain is slain, let us go and slay them all':
and therewith they arranged themselves on the place in
manner of battle, and their bows before them. Thus the
king began a great outrage;
howbeit, all turned to the best:
for as soon as Tyler was on the earth, the king departed
from all his company and all alone he rode to these people,
and said to his own men: 'Sirs, none of you follow me; let
me alone.' And so when he came before these ungracious
people, who put themselves in ordinance to revenge their
captain, then the king said to them: 'Sirs, what aileth you?
Ye shall have no captain but me: I am your king: be all in
rest and peace.' And so the most part of the people that
heard the king speak and saw him among them, were shamefast
and began to wax peaceable and to depart; but some,
such as were malicious and evil, would not depart, but made
semblant as though they would do somewhat.
Then the king returned to his own company and demanded
of them what was best to be done. Then he was counselled
to draw into the field, for to fly away was no boot. Then
said the mayor: 'It is good that we do so, for I think surely
we shall have shortly some comfort of them of London and
of such good men as be of our part, who are purveyed and
have their friends and men ready armed in their houses.'
And in the mean time voice and bruit ran through London
how these unhappy people were likely to slay the king and
the mayor in Smithfield; through the which noise all manner
of good men of the king's party issued out of their houses
and lodgings well armed, and so came all to Smithfield
and to the field where the king was, and they were anon to
the number of seven or eight thousand men well armed.
And first thither came sir Robert Knolles and sir Perducas
d'Albret, well accompanied, and divers of the aldermen of
London, and with them a six hundred men in harness, and
a puissant man of the city, who was the king's draper,
called Nicholas Bramber, and he brought with him a great
company; and ever as they came, they ranged them afoot
in order of battle: and on the other part these unhappy
people were ready ranged, making semblance to give battle,
and they had with them divers of the king's banners. There
the king made three knights, the one the mayor of London
sir Nicholas Walworth, sir John Standish and sir Nicholas
Bramber. Then the lords said among themselves: 'What
shall we do? We see here our enemies, who would gladly
slay us, if they might have the better hand of us.' Sir
Robert Knolles counselled to go and fight with them and
slay them all; yet the king would not consent thereto, but
said: 'Nay, I will not so: I will send to them commanding
them to send me again my banners, and thereby we shall
see what they will do. Howbeit, other by fairness or otherwise,
I will have them.' 'That is well said, sir,' quoth the
earl of Salisbury. Then these new knights were sent to
them, and these knights made token to them not to shoot
at them, and when they came so near them that their speech
might be heard, they said: 'Sirs, the king commandeth you
to send to him again his banners, and we think he will have
mercy of you.' And incontinent they delivered again the
banners and sent them to the king. Also they were commanded
on pain of their heads, that all such as had letters
of the king to bring them forth and to send them again to
the king; and so many of them delivered their letters, but
not all. Then the king made them to be all to-torn in their
presence; and as soon as the king's banners were delivered
again, these unhappy people kept none array, but the most
part of them did cast down their bows, and so brake their
array and returned into London. Sir Robert Knolles was
sore displeased in that he might not go to slay them all:
but the king would not consent thereto, but said he would
be revenged of them well enough; and so he was after.
Thus these foolish people departed, some one way and
some another; and the king and his lords and all his company
right ordinately entered into London with great joy.
And the first journey that the king made he went to the lady
princess his mother, who was in a castle in the Royal called
the Queen's Wardrobe, and there she had tarried two days
and two nights right sore abashed, as she had good reason;
and when she saw the king her son, she was greatly rejoiced
and said: 'Ah, fair son, what pain and great sorrow
that I have suffered for you this day!' Then the king answered
and said: 'Certainly, madam, I know it well; but
now rejoice yourself and thank God, for now it is time.
I have this day recovered mine heritage and the realm of
England, the which I had near lost.' Thus the king tarried
that day with his mother, and every lord went peaceably to
their own lodgings. Then there was a cry made in every
street in the king's name, that all manner of men, not being
of the city of London and have not dwelt there the space
of one year, to depart; and if any such be found there the
Sunday by the sun-rising, that they should be taken as
traitors to the king and to lose their heads. This cry thus
made, there was none that durst brake it, and so all manner
of people departed and sparkled abroad every man to their
own places. John Ball and Jack Straw were found in an old
house hidden, thinking to have stolen away, but they could
not, for they were accused by their own men. Of the
taking of them the king and his lords were glad, and then
strake off their heads and Wat Tyler's also, and they were
set on London bridge, and the valiant men's heads taken
down that they had set on the Thursday before. These
tidings anon spread abroad, so that the people of the strange
countries, which were coming towards London, returned
back again to their own houses and durst come no farther.