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great pytie, for the daunger that the kyng and suche as were with him were in. For some tyme these unhappy people showted and cryed so loude, as thoughe all the devylles of hell had bene among them. In this evennynge the kynge was counsayled by his bretherne and lordes, and by sir Nycholas Walworthe, mayre of London, and dyvers other notable and riche burgesses, that in the night tyme they shulde issue out of the towre and entre into the cyte, and so to slee1 all these unhappy people whyle they were at their rest and aslepe; for it was thought that many of them were dronken, wherby they shulde be slayne lyke flees;2 also of twentie of them ther was scant one in harnes.3 And surely the good men of London might well have done this at their ease, for they had in their houses secretely their frendes and servauntes redy in harnesse; and also sir Robert Canolle was in his lodgyng, kepyng his treasure, with a sixscore redy at his commaundement; in likewise was sir Perducas Dalbret, who was as than in London; insomoche that ther myght well [be] assembled togyder an eyght thousande men, redy in harnesse. Howebeit, ther was nothyng done, for the resydue of the commons of the cytie were sore douted, leest they shulde ryse also, and the commons before were a threscore thousande or mo.5 Than the erle of Salisbury and the wyse men about the kynge sayd, "Sir, if ye can apese them with fayrnesse, it were best and moost profytable, and to graunt theym every thynge that they desyre; for if we shulde begyn a thynge the whiche we coulde nat acheve, we shulde never recover it agayne, but we and oure heyres ever to be disheyrited." So this counsaile was taken, and the mayre countermaunded, and so commaunded that he shulde nat styrre; and he dyde as he was commaunded, as reason was. And in the cytie with the mayre there were xii. aldermen, wherof nyne of them helde with the kynge, and the other thre toke parte with these ungraycous people, as it was after well knowen, the whiche they full derely bought.

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And on the Friday in the mornynge, the people beyng at saynt Katheryns, nere to the towre, began to apparell themselfe, and to crye and shoute, and sayd, without the kyng wolde come out and speke with them, they wolde assayle the towre and take it by force, and slee all them that were within. Than the

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kyng douted these wordes, and so was counsailed that he shulde issue out to speke with them; and than the knyge sende to them, that they shulde all drawe to a fayre playne place, called Myle-ende, wher-as the people of the cytie dyde sport them in the somer season, and there the kyng to graunt them that they desyred. And there it was cryed in the kynges name, that whosoever wolde speke with the kyng, let hym go to the sayd place, and ther he shulde nat fayle to fynde the king. Than the people began to departe, specially the commons of the vyllages, and went to the same place, but all went nat thyder, for they were nat all of one condycion: for ther were some that desyred nothynge but richesse and the utter distruction of the noble men, and to have London robbed and pylled. That was the princypall mater of their begynnynge, the whiche they well shewed; for assoone as the towre gate opyned, and that the kynge was yssued out with his two bretherne, and the erle of Salisbury, the erle of Warwike, the erle of Oxenforthe, sir Robert of Namure, the lorde of Bretaygne, the lorde Gomegynes, and dyvers other, than 2 Watte Tyler, Jacke Strawe, and Johan Ball, and more than foure hundred entred into the towre, and brake up chambre after chambre, and at last founde the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury, called Symon, a valyant man and a wyse, and chefe chaunceller of Englande; and a lytell before he hadde sayde masse before the kynge. These glottons toke hym and strake of his heed, and also they beheded the lorde of saynt Johans, and a Frere Mynour, maister in medicyn parteyning to the duke of Lancastre: they slewe hym in dispyte of his maister, and a sergeant at armes, called John Laige. And these four heedes were set on foure long speares, and they made them to be borne before them through the stretes of London, and at last set them a highe on London bridge, as though they had ben traytours to the kyng and to the realme. Also these glottons entred into the princes 10 chambre and brake her bed, wherby she was SO sore afrayed that she sowned," and ther she was taken up and borne to the water syde, and put into a barge and covered, and so conveyed to a place called the quenes Warderobe. And there she was all that daye and night, lyke a woman halfe deed, tyll

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she was conforted with the kyng her sonne, as ye shall here after.

CAP. CCCLXXXIIII

How the nobles of England were in great paryll to have ben dystroyed, and howe these rebels were punisshed and sende home to theyr owne houses.

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Whan the kyng came to the sayd place of Myle-ende without London, he put out of his company his two bretherne, the erle of Kent and sir Johan Holande, and the lorde of Gomegynes, for they durst nat apere before the people. And whan the kynge and his other lordes were ther, he founde there a threscore thousande men, of dyvers vyllages, and of sondrie countreis 4 in Englande. So the kynge entred in amonge them, and sayd to them swetely, "A! ye good people, I am your kyng; what lacke ye? what wyll ye say?" Than suche as understode him sayd, "We wyll that ye make us free for ever, our selfe, our heyres, and our landes, and that we be called no more bonde, nor so reputed." "Sirs,' sayd the king, "I am well agreed therto; withdrawe you home into your owne houses, and into suche villages as ye came fro, and leave behynde you of every vyllage ii. or thre, and I shall cause writynges to be made, and seale theym with my seale, the whiche they shall have with them, conteyning every thynge that ye demaunde; and to thentent that ye shal be the better assured, I shall cause my baners to be delyvered into every bayliwyke, shyre, and countreis." These wordes apeased well the common people, suche as were symple and good playne men, that were come thyder and wyste nat why: they sayd, "It was well said; We desyre no better." Thus these people beganne to be apeased, and began to withdrawe them into the cyte of London. And the kyng also said a worde, the whiche greatlye contented them. He sayde, "Sirs, amonge you good men of Kent, ye shall have one of my banners with you, and ye of Essexe another; and ye of Sussexe, of Bedforde, of Cambridge, of Germeney, of Stafforde, and of Lyn, eche of you one; and also I pardon every thinge that ye have done hyderto, so that ye folowe my baners and retourne home to your houses." They all answered how they wolde so do: thus these people departed and went into London. Than the kynge ordayned mo than xxx. clerkes the same Fridaye, to write with all danger 3 sent 4 districts 5 knew

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dilygence letters patentes, and sayled1 with the kynges seale, and delyvered them to these people. And whan they had receyved the writynge, they departed and retourned into their owne countreis; but the great venym 2 remayned styll behynde. For Watte Tyler, Jacke Strawe, and John Ball sayd, for all that these people were thus apesed, yet they wolde nat departe so, and they had of their acorde 3 mo than xxx. thousande: so they abode styll, and made no prese to have the kynges writyng nor seale; for all their ententes was to putte the cytie to trouble, in suche wyse as to slee all the riche and honest persons, and to robbe and pylle their houses. They of London were in great feare of this, wherfore they kepte their houses previly with their frendes, and suche servauntes as they had, every man accordynge to his puyssaunce. And whane these sayde people were this Fridaye thus somewhat apeased, and that they shulde departe assoone as they hadde their writynges, everye manne home into his owne country, than kynge Rycharde came into the Royall, where the quene his mother was, right sore afrayed; so he conforted her as well as he coulde, and taryed there with her all that night.

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The Saturday the kynge departed fro the Warderobe in the Royall, and went to Westmynster and harde masse in the churche there, and all his lordes with hym; and besyde the churche there was a lytle chapell, with an image of Our Lady, whiche dyd great myracles, and in whom the kynges of Englande had ever great truste and confydence. The kynge made his orisons before this image, and dyde there his offryng; and than he lepte on his horse and all his lordes, and so the kynge rode towarde London; and whan he had ryden a lytle way on the lyft hande, there was a way to passe without London.

The same propre mornynge Watte Tyler, Jacke Strawe, and John Ball had assembled their company to comon together, in a place called Smythfelde, where-as 10 every Fryday there is at markette of horses. And there were together all of affinite mo than xx. thousande, and yet there were many styll in the towne, drynkynge and makynge mery in the tavernes, and payed nothyng, for they were happy that made them

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beste chere. And these people in Smythfelde had with theym the kynges baners, the whiche were delyvered theym the daye before. And all these glottons were in mynde to overrenne' and to robbe London the same daye, for theyr capitaynes sayde howe they had done nothynge as yet; "These lyberties that the kynge hath gyven us, is to us but a small profitte; therfore lette us be all of one accorde, and lette us overrenne this riche and puyssaunt citie or they of Essex, of Sussex, of Cambrydge, of Bedforde, of Arundell, of Warwyke, of Reedynge, of Oxenforde, of Guylforde, of Linne, of Stafforde, of Germeney, of Lyncolne, of Yorke, and of Duram, do come hyther; for all these wyll come hyther, Wallyor and Lyster wyll bringe them hyther; and if we be fyrst lordes of London, and have the possession of the ryches that is therin, we shall nat repent us; for if we leave it, they that come after wyll have it fro us." To thys counsayle they all agreed: and therwith the kynge came the same waye unware of theym, for he had thought to have passed that waye withoute London, and with hym a xl. horse; and whan he came before the abbaye of saynt Bartilmeus, and behelde all these people, than the kynge rested and sayde, howe he wolde go no farther, tyll he knewe what these people ayled, sayenge, if they were in any trouble, howe he wold repease them agayne. The lordes that were with hym taried also, as reason was whan they sawe the kynge tarye. And whan Watte Tyler sawe the kynge tary, he sayd to his people," Syrs, yonder is the kynge, I wyll go and speke with hym; styrre nat fro hens without I make you a signe, and whan I make you that sygne, come on, and slee all theym, excepte the kynge. But do the kynge no hurte; he is yonge, we shall do with hym as we lyst, and shall leade hym with us all about Englande, and so shall we be lordes of all the royalme without doubt." And there was a dowblette maker of London, called John Tycle, and he hadde brought to these glotons a lx. doublettes, the whiche they ware; than he demaunded of these capitaynes who shulde paye hym for his doublettes; he demaunded xxx. marke. Watte Tyler answered hym and sayd, "Frende, appease yourselfe, thou shalte be well payed or this day be ended; kepe the nere me, I shall be thy credytour." And therwith he spurred his horse and departed fro his company, and

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came to the kynge, so nere hym that his horse heed touched the crope' of the kynges horse. And the first worde that he sayd was this: "Syr kynge, seest thou all yonder people?" "Ye, truly," sayd the kynge: "wherfore sayest thou?" 'Bycause," sayd he, "they be all at my commaundement, and have sworne to me fayth and trouth to do all that I wyll have theym." "In a good tyme," sayd the kyng, "I wyll well it be so." Than Watte Tyler sayde, as he that nothynge demaunded but ryot, "What belevest thou, kynge, that these people, and as many mo as be in London at my commaundement, that they wyll departe frome the thus, without havynge thy letters?" "No," sayde the kyng, "ye shall have theym, they be ordeyned for you, and shal be delyvered every one eche after other; wherfore, good felowes, withdrawe fayre and easely to your people, and cause them to departe out of London, for it is our entent that eche of you by villages and towneshippes shall have letters patentes, as I have promysed you." With those wordes Watte Tyler caste his eyen on a squyer that was there with the kynge, bearynge the kynges swerde; and Wat Tyler hated greatlye the same squyer, for the same squier had displeased hym before for wordes bytwene theym. "What," sayde Tyler, "arte thou there? gyve me thy dagger!" "Nay," sayde the squier, "that wyll I nat do; wherfore shulde I gyve it thee?" The kynge behelde the squyer, and sayd, "Gyve it hym, lette hym have it." And so the squyer toke it hym sore agaynst his wyll. And whan this Watte Tyler had it, he began to play therwith, and tourned it in his hande, and sayde agayne to the squyer, "Gyve me also that swerde." "Naye," sayde the squyer, "it is the kynges swerde; thou arte nat worthy to have it, for thou arte but a knave; and if there were no moo here but thou and I, thou durste nat speke those wordes for as moche golde in quantite as all yonder abbaye." "By my faythe," sayd Wat Tyler, “I shall never eate meate tyll I have thy heed." And with those wordes the mayre of London came to the kynge with a xii. horses, well armed under theyr cootes, and so he brake the prease, and sawe and harde howe Watte Tyler demeaned' hymselfe, and sayde to hym, "Ha! thou knave, howe arte thou so hardy in the kynges presence to speke suche wordes? It is to moche for the so to do." Than the

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kynge began to chafe, and sayd to the mayre, "Sette handes on hym." And while the kynge sayde so, Tyler sayd to the mayre, "A Goddesname,' what have I sayde to displease the?" "Yes, truely," quod the mayre, "thou false stynkynge knave, shalt thou speke thus in the presence of the kynge my naturall lorde? I commytte never to lyve without thou shalte derely abye it." And with those wordes the mayre drewe oute his swerde and strake Tyler so great a stroke on the heed, that he fell downe at the feete of his horse; and as soone as he was fallen, they environed hym all aboute, wherby he was nat sene of his company. Than a squyer of the kynges alyghted, called John Standysshe, and he drewe out his sworde and put it into Watte Tylers belye, and so he dyed. Than the ungracious people there assembled, perceyvynge theyr capytayne slayne, beganne to mourmure amonge themselfe and sayde, "A! our capitayne is slayne; lette us go and slee them all!" And therwith they araynged themselfe on the place in maner of batayle, and theyr bowes before theym. Thus the kynge beganne a great outrage; howebeit, all turned to the beste, for as soone as Tyler was on the erthe, the kynge departed from all his company, and all alone he rode to these people, and sayde to his owne men, "Syrs, none of you folowe me, let me alone." And so whan he came before these ungracious people, who put themselfe in ordinaunce to revenge theyr capitayne, than the kynge sayde to theym, "Syrs, what ayleth you, ye shall have no capitayne but me: I am your kynge, be all in rest and peace." And so the moost parte of the people that harde the kynge speke, and sawe hym amonge them, were shamefast, and beganne to waxe peasable, and to departe; but some, suche as were malicious and evyll, wolde nat departe, but made semblant as though they wolde do somwhat. Than the kynge returned to his owne company and demaunded of theym what was best to be done. Than he was counsailed to drawe into the feld, for to flye awaye was no boote." Than sayd the mayre, "It is good that we do so, for I thynke surely we shall have shortely some comforte of them of London, and of suche good men as be of our parte, who are pourveyed, and have theyr frendes and men redy armed in theyr houses." And in this meane tyme voyce and bruyte

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ranne through London, howe these unhappy people were lykely to sle the kynge and the maire in Smythfelde; through the whiche noyse, all maner of good men of the kynges partye issued out of theyr houses and lodgynges, well armed, and so came all to Smythfelde, and to the felde where the kynge was; and they were anone to the nombre of vii. or viii. thousande men well armed. And fyrste thyther came sir Robert Canoll, and sir Perducas Dalbret, well accompanyed, and dyvers of the aldermen of London, and with theym a vi. hundred men in harneys; and a pusant man of the citie, who was the kynges draper, called Nicholas Membre, and he brought with hym a great company. And ever as they came, they raynged them afoote in ordre of bataylle; and on the other parte these unhappy people were redy raynged, makynge semblaunce to gyve batayle; and they had with theym dyvers of the kynges baners. There the kynge made iii. knyghtes; the one the mayre of London sir Nycholas Walworthe, syr Johan Standysshe, and syr Nycholas Braule. Than the lordes sayde amonge theymselfe, "What shall we do? We se here our ennemyes, who wolde gladly slee us, if they myght have the better hande of us. Sir Robert Canoll counsayled to go and fight with them, and slee them all; yet the kyng wolde nat consent therto, but sayd, “Nay, I wyll nat so; I wyll sende to theym, commaundynge them to sende me agayne my baners, and therby we shall se what they wyll do: howbeit, outher by fayrnesse or otherwise, I wyll have them." "That is well sayd, sir," quod therle of Salysbury. Than these newe knightes were sent to them, and these knightes made token to them nat to shote at them; and whan they came so nere them that their speche might be herde, they sayd, "Sirs, the kyng commaundeth you to sende to him agayne his baners, and we thynke he wyll have mercy of you." And incontinent they delyvered agayne the baners, and sent them to the kyng: also they were commaunded, on payne of their heedes, that all suche as had letters of the king to bring them forthe, and to sende them agayne to the kynge. And so many of them delyvered their letters, but nat all. Than the kyng made them to be all to-torne in their presence and as soone as the kynges baners were delyvered agayne, these unhappy people kept none array, but the moost parte of them

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dyde caste downe their bowes, and so brake their array, and retourned into London. Sir Robert Canoll was sore dyspleased in that he myght nat go to slee them all; but the kyng wolde nat consent therto, but sayd he wolde be revenged of them well ynough, and so he was after.

Thus these folysshe people departed, some one way and some another; and the kyng and his lordes and all his company ryght ordynately entred into London with great joye. And the firste journey that the kynge made, he wente to the lady princesse his mother, who was in a castell in the Royall, called the quenes wardrobe; and there she hadde taryed two dayes and two nightes right sore abasshed, as she had good reasone. And whan she sawe the kyng her sonne she was greatly rejoysed, and sayde, "A! fayre sonne, what payne and great sorowe that I have suffred for you this day!" Than the kynge answered and sayd, "Certaynly, madame, I knowe it well; but nowe re joyse yourselfe and thanke God, for nowe it is tyme. I have this day recovered myne herytage and the realme of Englande, the whiche I hadde nere lost." Thus the kyng taryed that day with his mother, and every lorde went peaseably to their

owne lodgynges. Than there was a crye made in every strete in the kynges name, that all maner of men, nat beyng of the cytie of London, and have nat dwelt there the space of one yere, to departe; and if any suche be founde there the Sonday by the sonne risyng, that they shuld be taken as traytours to the kyng, and to lose their heedes. This crye thus made, there was none that durste breke it; and so all maner of people departed, and sparcled1 abrode every man to their owne places. Johan Balle and Jaques Strawe were founde in an olde house hydden, thinkyng to have stollen away, but they coulde nat, for they were accused by their owne men. Of the takyng of them the kyng and his lordes were gladde, and thanne strake of their heedes, and Watte Tylers also, and they were set on London bridge; and the valyaunt mennes heedes taken downe that they had sette on the Thursday before. These tidynges anone spredde abrode, so that the people of the strange countreis, whiche were comyng towardes London, retourned backe agayne to their owne houses, and durst come no farther.

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