The Portable Medieval Reader

by James Bruce Ross

  This the king would not grant them, wherefore they sent to him again a yeoman, praying that he would come and speak with them: and he said that he would gladly do so, but the said chancellor and treasurer gave him contrary counsel, bidding him tell them that if they would come to Windsor on the next Monday they should there have a suitable answer....

  And at this time there came a knight with all the haste that he could, crying to the king to wait; and the king, startled at this, awaited his approach to hear what he would say. And the said knight came to the king telling him that he had heard from his servant, who had been in the hands of the rebels on that day, that if he came to them all the land should be lost, for they would never let him loose, but would take him with them all round England, and that they would make him grant them all their demands, and that their purpose was to slay all the lords and ladies of great renown, and all the archbishops, bishops, abbots and priors, monks and canons, parsons and vicars, by the advice and counsel of the aforesaid Sir John Wraw [Ball].

  Therefore the king returned towards London as fast as he could, and came to the Tower at the hour of Tierce. And at this time the yeoman who has been mentioned above hastened to Blackheath, crying to his fellows that the king was departed, and that it would be good for them to go on to London and carry out their purpose that same Wednesday. And before the hour of vespers the commons of Kent came, to the number of sixty thousand to Southwark, where was the Marshalsea. And they broke and threw down all the houses in the Marshalsea, and took out of prison all the prisoners who were imprisoned for debt or for felony. And they levelled to the ground a fine house belonging to John Imworth, then marshal of the Marshalsea of the King’s Bench, and warden of the prisoners of the said place, and all the dwellings of the jurors and questmongers belonging to the Marshalsea during that night. But at the same time, the commons of Essex came to Lambeth near London, a manor of the archbishop of Canterbury, and entered into the buildings and destroyed many of the goods of the said archbishop, and burnt all the books of register, and rules of remembrances belonging to the chancellor, which they found there.

  And the next day, Thursday, which was the feast of Corpus Christi, the 13th day of June ... the said commons of Essex went in the morning to Highbury, two leagues north of London, a very fine manor belonging to the master of the Hospitallers. They set it on fire, to the great damage and loss of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John. Then some of them returned to London, but others remained in the open fields all that night. And this same day of Corpus Christi, in the morning, the commons of Kent cast down a certain house of ill-fame near London Bridge, which was in the hands of Flemish women, and they had the said house to rent from the mayor of London. And then they went on to the Bridge to pass into the City, but the mayor was ready before them, and had the chains drawn up, and the drawbridge lifted, to prevent their passage. And the commons of Southwark rose with them and cried to the custodians of the Bridge to lower the drawbridge and let them in, or otherwise they should be undone. And for fear that they had of their lives, the custodians let them enter, much against their will. At this time all the religious and the parsons and vicars of London were going devoutly in procession to pray God for peace. At this same time the commons took their way through the middle of London, and did no harm or damage till they came to Fleet Street.... And in Fleet Street the men of Kent broke open the prison of the Fleet, and turned out all the prisoners, and let them go whither they would. Then they stopped, and cast down to the ground and burnt the shop of a certain chandler, and another shop belonging to a blacksmith, in the middle of the said street. And, as is supposed, there shall never be houses there again, defacing the beauty of that street....

  And then they went towards the Savoy, and set fire to divers houses of divers unpopular persons on the western side: and at last they came to the Savoy, and broke open the gates, and entered into the place and came to the wardrobe. And they took all the torches they could find, and lighted them, and burnt all the sheets and coverlets and beds and headboards of great worth, for their whole value was estimated at one thousand marks. And all the napery and other things that they could discover they carried to the hall and set on fire with their torches. And they burnt the hall, and the chambers, and all the buildings within the gates of the said palace or manor, which the commons of London had left unburnt. And, as is said, they found three barrels of gunpowder, and thought it was gold or silver, and cast it into the fire, and the powder exploded, and set the hall in a greater blaze than before, to the great loss and damage of the duke of Lancaster. And the commons of Kent got the credit of the arson, but some say that the Londoners were really the guilty parties, for their hatred to the said duke....

  At this time the king was in a turret of the great Tower of London, and could see the manor of the Savoy and the Hospital of Clerkenwell, and the house of Simon Hosteler near Newgate, and John Butterwick’s place, all on fire at once. And he called all his lords about him to his chamber, and asked counsel what they should do in such necessity. And none of them could or would give him any counsel, wherefore the young king said that he would send to the Mayor of the City, to bid him order the sheriffs and aldermen to have it cried round their wards that every man between the age of fifteen and sixty, on pain of life and members, should go next morning (which was Friday) to Mile End, and meet him there at seven o‘clock. He did this in order that all the commons who were encamped around the Tower might be induced to abandon the siege, and come to Mile End to see him and hear him, so that those who were in the Tower could get off safely whither they would, and save themselves. But it came to nought, for some of them did not get the good fortune to be preserved. And on that Thursday, the said feast of Corpus Christi, the king, being in the Tower very sad and sorry, mounted up into a little turret towards St. Catherine’s, where were lying a great number of the commons, and had proclamation made to them that they all should go peaceably to their homes, and he would pardon them all manner of their trespasses. But all cried with one voice that they would not go before they had captured the traitors who lay in the Tower, nor until they had got charters to free them from all manner of serfdom, and had got certain other points which they wished to demand. And the king benevolently granted all, and made a clerk write a bill in their presence ...

  And when the commons had heard the bill, they said that this was nothing but trifles and mockery. Therefore they returned to London and had it cried around the City that all lawyers, and all the clerks of the chancery and the exchequer and every man who could write a brief or a letter should be beheaded, whenever they could be found. At this time they burnt several more houses in the City, and the king himself ascended to a high garret of the Tower and watched the fires. Then he came down again and sent for the lords to have their counsel, but they knew not how they should counsel him, and all were wondrous abashed.

  And next day, Friday, the commons of the countryside and the commons of London assembled in fearful strength, to the number of one hundred thousand or more, besides some four score who remained on Tower Hill to watch those who were in the Tower. And some went to Mile End, on the Brentwood Road, to wait for the coming of the king, because of the proclamation that he had made....

  And by seven o’clock the king came to Mile End, and with him his mother in a whirlicote, and also the earls of Buckingham, Kent, Warwick, and Oxford, and Sir Thomas Percy, and Sir Robert Knolles, and the mayor of London, and many knights and squires; and Sir Aubrey de Vere carried the sword of state. And when he was come the commons all knelt down to him, saying “Welcome our Lord King Richard, if it pleases you, and we will not have any other king but you.” And Wat Tighler, their leader and chief, prayed in the name of the commons that he would suffer them to take and deal with all the traitors against him and the law, and the king granted that they should have at their disposition all who were traitors, and could be proved to be traitors by process of law. The said Walter and the commons were carrying two banners, and many pennons and penno
ncels, while they made their petition to the king. And they required that for the future no man should be in serfdom, nor make any manner of homage or suit to any lord, but should give a rent of 4d. an acre for his land. They asked also that no one should serve any man except by his own good will, and on terms of regular covenant.

  And at this time the king made the commons draw themselves out in two lines, and proclaimed to them that he would confirm and grant it that they should be free, and generally should have their will, and that they might go through all the realm of England and catch all traitors and bring them to him in safety, and then he would deal with them as the law demanded.

  Under colour of this grant Wat Tighler and [some of] the commons took their way to the Tower, to seize the archbishop, while the rest remained at Mile End....

  And at the same time the commons made proclamation that whoever could catch any Fleming or other alien of any nation, might cut off his head, and so they did after this. Then they took the heads of the archbishop and of the others and put them on wooden poles, and carried them before them in procession, as far as the shrine of Westminster Abbey, in despite of them and of God and Holy Church; and vengeance descended on them no long time after. Then they returned to London Bridge and set the head of the archbishop above the gate, with eight other heads of those they had murdered, so that all could see them who passed over the Bridge. This done, they went to the church of St. Martin’s in the Vintry, and found therein thirty-five Flemings, whom they dragged out and beheaded in the street. On that day there were beheaded in all some one hundred and forty or one hundred and sixty persons. Then they took their way to the houses of Lombards and other aliens, and broke into their dwellings, and robbed them of all their goods that they could lay hands on. This went on for all that day and the night following, with hideous cries and horrid tumult....

  Then the king caused a proclamation to be made that all the commons of the country who were still in London should come to Smithfield, to meet him there; and so they did.

  And when the king and his train had arrived there they turned into the eastern meadow in front of St. Bartholomew’s, which is a house of canons: and the commons arrayed themselves on the west side in great battles. At this moment the mayor of London, William Walworth, came up, and the king bade him go to the commons, and make their chieftain come to him. And when he was summoned by the mayor, by the name of Wat Tighler of Maidstone, he came to the king with great confidence, mounted on a little horse, that the commons might see him. And he dismounted, holding in his hand a dagger which he had taken from another man, and when he had dismounted he half bent his knee, and then took the king by the hand, and shook his arm forcibly and roughly, saying to him, “Brother, be of good comfort and joyful, for you shall have, in the fortnight that is to come, praise from the commons even more than you have yet had, and we shall be good companions.” And the king said to Walter, “Why will you not go back to your own country?” But the other answered, with a great oath, that neither he nor his fellows would depart until they had got their charter such as they wished to have it, and had certain points rehearsed, and added to their charter which they wished to demand. And he said in a threatening fashion that the lords of the realm would rue it bitterly if these points were not settled to their pleasure. Then the king asked him what were the points which he wished to have revised, and he should have them freely, without contradiction, written out and sealed. Thereupon the said Walter rehearsed the points which were to be demanded; and he asked that there should be no law within the realm save the law of Winchester, and that from henceforth there should be no outlawry in any process of law, and that no lord should have lordship save civilly, and that there should be equality(?) among all people save only the king, and that the goods of Holy Church should not remain in the hands of the religious, nor of parsons and vicars, and other churchmen; but that clergy already in possession should have a sufficient sustenance from the endowments, and the rest of the goods should be divided among the people of the parish. And he demanded that there should be only one bishop in England and only one prelate, and all the lands and tenements now held by them should be confiscated, and divided among the commons, only reserving for them a reasonable sustenance. And he demanded that there should be no more villeins in England, and no serfdom or villeinage, but that all men should be free and of one condition. To this the king gave an easy answer, and said that he should have all that he could fairly grant, reserving only for himself the regality of his crown. And then he bade him go back to his home without making further delay.

  During all this time that the king was speaking, no lord or counsellor dared or wished to give answer to the commons in any place save the king himself. Presently Wat Tighler, in the presence of the king, sent for a flagon of water to rinse his mouth, because of the great heat that he was in, and when it was brought he rinsed his mouth in a very rude and disgusting fashion before the king’s face. And then he made them bring him a jug of beer, and drank a great draught, and then, in the presence of the king, climbed on his horse again. At this time a certain valet from Kent, who was among the king’s retinue, asked that the said Walter, the chief of the commons, might be pointed out to him. And when he saw him, he said aloud that he knew him for the greatest thief and robber in all Kent. Watt heard these words, and bade him come out to him, wagging his head at him in sign of malice; but the valet refused to approach, for fear that he had of the mob. But at last the lords made him go out to him, to see what he [Watt] would do before the king. And when Watt saw him he ordered one of his followers, who was riding behind him carrying his banner displayed, to dismount and behead the said valet. But the valet answered that he had done nothing worthy of death, for what he had said was true, and he would not deny it, but he could not lawfully make debate in the presence of his liege lord, without leave, except in his own defence: but that he could do without reproof; for if he was struck he would strike back again. And for these words Watt tried to strike him with his dagger, and would have slain him in the king’s presence; but because he strove so to do, the mayor of London, William Walworth, reasoned with the said Watt for his violent behaviour and despite, done in the king’s presence, and arrested him. And because he arrested him, the said Watt stabbed the mayor with his dagger in the stomach in great wrath. But, as it pleased God, the mayor was wearing armour and took no harm, but like a hardy and vigorous man drew his cutlass, and struck back at the said Watt, and gave him a deep cut on the neck, and then a great cut on the head. And during this scuffle one of the king’s household drew his sword, and ran Watt two or three times through the body, mortally wounding him. And he spurred his horse, crying to the commons to avenge him, and the horse carried him some four score paces, and then he fell to the ground half dead. And when the commons saw him fall, and knew not how for certain it was, they began to bend their bows and to shoot, wherefore the king himself spurred his horse, and rode out to them, commanding them that they should all come to him to Clerkenwell Fields.

  Meanwhile the mayor of London rode as hastily as he could back to the City, and commanded those who were in charge of the twenty-four wards to make proclamation round their wards, that every man should arm himself as quickly as he could, and come to the king in St. John’s Fields, where were the commons, to aid the king, for he was in great trouble and necessity. But at this time most of the knights and squires of the king’s household, and many others, for fear that they had to this affray, left their lord and went each one his way. And afterwards, when the king had reached the open fields, he made the commons array themselves on the west side of the fields. And presently the aldermen came to him in a body, bringing with them their wardens, and the wards arrayed in bands, a fine company of well-armed folks in great strength. And they enveloped the commons like sheep within a pen, and after that the mayor had set the wardens of the city on their way to the king, he returned with a company of lances to Smithfield, to make an end of the captain of the commons. And when he came to Smith
field he found not there the said captain Watt Tighler, at which he marvelled much, and asked what was become of the traitor. And it was told him that he had been carried by some of the commons to the hospital for poor folks by St. Bartholomew’s, and was put to bed in the chamber of the master of the hospital. And the mayor went thither and found him, and had him carried out to the middle of Smithfield, in presence of his fellows, and there beheaded. And thus ended his wretched life. But the mayor had his head set on a pole and borne before him to the king, who still abode in the Fields. And when the king saw the head he had it brought near him to abash the commons, and thanked the mayor greatly for what he had done. And when the commons saw that their chieftain, Watt Tyler, was dead in such a manner, they fell to the ground there among the wheat, like beaten men, imploring the king for mercy for their misdeeds. And the king benevolently granted them mercy, and most of them took to flight. But the king ordained two knights to conduct the rest of them, namely the Kentishmen, through London, and over London Bridge, without doing them harm, so that each of them could go to his own home. Then the king ordered the mayor to put a helmet on his head because of what was to happen, and the mayor asked for what reason he was to do so, and the king told him that he was much obliged to him, and that for this he was to receive the order of knighthood. And the mayor answered that he was not worthy or able to have or to spend a knight’s estate, for he was but a merchant and had to live by traffic; but finally the king made him put on the helmet, and took a sword in both his hands and dubbed him knight with great good will. The same day he made three other knights from among the citizens of London on that same spot ... and the king gave Sir William Walworth £ 100 in land, and each of the others £ 40 in land, for them and their heirs. And after this the king took his way to London to the Wardrobe to ease him of his great toils....