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B02231 The rebellion of the rude multitude under Wat Tyler and his priests Baal and Straw, in the dayes of King Richard the IId, Anno. 1381. Parallel'd with the late rebellion in 1640, against King Charles I of ever blessed memory. / By a lover of his King and countrey. Cleveland, John, 1613-1658. 1660 (1660) Wing C4698A; ESTC R223909 69,217 170

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City and constantly accusing themselves for the Parricide of their spirituall Father Nothing was now unlawfull there could be no wickednesse after this They make more examples of barbarous cruelty under the name of Justice Robert Lord Prior of St. John and Lord Treasurer of England John Leg or Laige one of the Kings serjeants at Armes a Franciscan a Physitian belonging to the Duke of Lancaster whom perhaps they hated because they had wronged his Master a Frier Carmelite the Kings Confessour were murdered there in this fury Whose heads with the Archbishops were borne before them through London streets and advanced over the Bridge This while the King was softning the Rebells of Essex at Mile-end with the Earles of Salisbury Warwick and Oxford and other Lords Thither by Proclamation he had summoned them as presuming the Essexians to be the more civilized and by much the fairer enemies as indeed they were There he promises to grant them their desires Liberty pretious Liberty is the thing they aske this is given them by the King but on condition of good behaviour They are to cease their burning and destruction of Houses to returne quietly to their homes and offend no man in their way Two of every Village were to stay as Agents behinde for the Kings Charters which could not be got ready in time Farther the King offers them his Banners Some of thē were simple honest people of no ill meaning Froiss who knew not why the Garboils were begun nor why they came thither These were won and win others without more stir those of Essex returne whence they came Tyler and Baal are of another spirit they would not part so easily Tyler the future Monarch who had designed an Empire for himselfe and was now sceleribus suis ferox atque praeclarus famous for his villeinies and haughty would not put up so he and his Kentish rabble tarry The next day being Saturday the 17 of June was spent as the other dayes of their tyranny in Burning Ruining houses Murthers and Depopulations The night of this day the Idol and his Priest upon a new resolution intended to have struck at the neck of the Nation to have Murthered the King the Achan of the Tribes probably by beheading the death these parricides had used hitherto the Lords G●ntlemen the wealthiest and honestest part of the Citiz●ns then to have pillaged their Houses and fi●ed the City in foure parts they ●…ended this hast to avoid odi●us partne●sh●p in the exploit and that those of Norfolke Suffolke and other parts might not share in the spoile This Counsell of destruction was against all policy more profit might have beene made of this City by Excise Assessment and Taxes upon the Trade Tyler might sooner have inriched himselfe and have been as secure Estate makes men losty f●are and poverty if we may trust Machiavel bend and supple every man had been in danger and obnoxious to him one Clowne had awed a street Near the Abby-Church at Westminster was a Chappell with an image of the Virgin Mary this Chappell was called the Chappell of our Lady in the Piew it stood near the Chappell of S. Steph. since turned from a Chappell to the Parliament house here our Lady then who would not believe it did great miracles Richards preservation at this time was no small one being in the hands of the multitude let loose and inraged There he makes his vowes of safety after which he rides towards these Sonnes of perdition under the Idol Tyler Tyler who meant to consume the day in Cavills protests to those who were sent by the King to offer those of Kent the same peace which the Essex Clownes had accepted That he would willingly embrace a good and honest Peace but the Propositions or Articles of it were only to be dictated by himselfe He is not satisfied with the Kings Charters Three draughts are presented to him no substance no forme would please he desires an accommodation but he will have Peace and truth together He exclaims that the liberty there is deceitfull but an empty name that while the King talkes of liberty he is actually levying Warre setting up his Standard against his Commons that the good Commons are abused to their owne ruine and to the miscarriage of the great undertaking that they have with infinite paines and labour acquainted the King with their humble desires who refuses to joyn with them misled and carried away by a few evill and rotten-hearted Lords and Delinquents contrary to his Coronation Oath by which he is obliged to passe all Lawes offered him by the Commons whose the Legislative power is which deniall of his if it be not a forfeiture of his trust and office both which are now uselesse it comes neare it and he is fairely dealt with if he be not deposed which too might be done without any want of modesty or duty and with the good of the Common-wealth The happinesse of the Nation not depending on him or any of the Regall Branches I will deliver the Nation from the Norman slavery and the world sayes he of an old silly superstition That Kings are onely the Tenants of Heaven obnoxious to God alone cannot be condemned and punished by any power else I will make here he lied not an wholsome President to the world formidable to all tyrannes I declare That Richard Plantagenet or Richard of Bourdeaux at this time is not in a condition to governe I will make no addresses no applications to him nor receive any from him though I am but a dry bone too unworthy for this great calling yet I will finish the work I will settle the Government without the King and against him and against all that take part with him which ●ufficiently justifies our Armes God with Vs sayes he owns them successe manifests the righteousnesse of our cause this is sayes he the voyce of the people by us their Representative and our Counsell After the Vote of no more Addresses which with all their other Votes of treasons were to be styled the resolution of the whole Realm and while he swells in this ruffle Sir John Newton a Knight of the Court is sent to intreat rather than invite him to come to the King then in Smithfield where the Idols Regiments were drawn up and treat with him concerning the additionall Provisions he desired to be inserted into the Charter No observance was omitted which might be thought pleasing to his Pride which pride was infinitely puffing Flattery was sweet to him and he had enough of it that made him bow a little when nothing else could doe it We may judge a● the unreasonablenesse of all his demands and supplyes of new Articles out of his instrument by one He required of the King a Commission to impower himselfe and a Committee teame of his owne choosing to cut off the heads of Lawyers and Escheators and of all those who by reason of their knowledge and place were any way imployed in the Law
grave on Tower-hill or Smithfield where the faithfull lieges of his Crown were torn in pieces by these Canibals The reverence due to the annointed heads of Kings began to fall away and naked Majesty could not guard where Innocency could not But Tyler blinded with his owne fatall pride throws himself foolishly upon the Kings sword and by his over-much hast preserves him whom he had vowed to destroy The Heathens make it a mark of the Divinity of of their Gods that they bestowed benefits upon mortal men and took nothing from them The Clownes of the Idoll upon this rule were not very heavenly they were the meeke ones of those times the onely inheritours of right the kingdom was made a prey by them it was cantoned out to erect new Principalities for the Mock-kings of the Commons so their Chiefs or Captains would be called Here though the title of the Rebellion spoke fair was shewn somewhat of ambition and no little of injust private interest no little of self-seeking which the good of the people in pretence onely was to give way to and no wonder for the good of the people properly was meerely to be intended of themselves and no where but amongst those was the Commonwealth Had these Thistles these Brambles flourished the whole Wood of noble Trees had perished If the violent casting other men out of their possessions firing their houses cutting off their Heads violating of all Rights be thought Gods blessing any evidence of his owning the Cause these Thieves and Murderers were well blessed and sufficiently owned Such was then the face of things estates were dangerous every Rich man was an enemy mens lives were taken away without either offence or tryall their reign was but a continuation of horrible injuries the Lawes were not onely silent but dead The Idolls fury was a Law and Faith and Loyaltie and Obedience to lawfull power were damnable Servants had the rule over Princes England was near a slavery the most unworthy of free and ingenious spirits of any What I relate here to speak something of the Story I collect out of Sir John Froissart a French-man living in the times of King EDVVARD the third and his Grandchild King RICHARD who had seen England in both the reigns was known and esteemed in the Court and came last over after these Tumults were appeased and out of Thomas of Thomas of Walsingham a Monk of St. Albanes in Henry the sixth 's dayes who sayes Bale in his centuries of him writes many the most choice passages of affairs and actions such as no other hath met with In the main and to the substance of things I have made no additions no alterations I have faithfully followed my Authors who are not so historically exact as I could wish nor could I much better what did not please me in their order No man saies Walsingham Hypod. Neust can recite fully the misehiefs murders sacriledge and cruelty of these Actors he excuses his digesting them upon the confusion of the combustions flaming in such varietie of places and in the same time Tyler Litster and those of Hartfordshire take up most part of the discourse Westbrome is brought in by the halves the lesser Snakes are onely named in the Chronicle What had been more had not been to any purpose Those were but types of Tyler the Idoll and acted nothing but acrording to the Original according to his great example they were Wolves alike and he that reads one knowes all Par. Wals Wiston c. Per Thomae Sanguiuem salva nos Breviar fest S. Tho. Cant. Rishang Polyd. D'Avilla Jaques Clem. the Paricide of Hen. 3. of France was prayed for as a Saint Thomas of Becket Simon of Montfort the English Cataline Thomas of Lancaster Rebels and Traitors of the former years are Canonised by the Monks generally the enemies of their Kings miracles make their Tombes illustrious and their Memories sacred The Idol and his Incendiaries are abhorred every where every History detests them while Faith Civility Honesty and Piety shall be left in the world the enemies of all these must neither be beloved nor pitied THE IDOL OF THE CLOVVNES THe Reigne of King Richard the second was but a throw of State for so many yeares a Feaver to whose distempers all pieces of the home Dominions contributed by fits * Gui●… the forrain part onely continuing faithfull in the fourth yeare of his reigne and fifteenth of his Age the dregs and off scum of the Commons unite into bodies in severall parts of the Kingdome and forme a Rebellion called the Rebellion of the Clownes which lead the rest and sh●wed the way of disobedience first Of which may truly be said Though amongst other causes we may attribute it to the indisposition and unseasonablenesse of the age that the fruits of it did not take it was strongly begun and had not Providence heldback the hand the blow had fallen the Government had broke into shivers then The young King at this time had few besides Thomas of Woodstock his Unkle Earle of Buckingham and after Duke of Glocester but the servants of his house in ordinary about him the Lord Edmund of Langly Earle of Cambridge after Duke of Yorke with the Lords Beauchamp Botercaux Sir Matthew Gourny with others of the Nobility and Gentry had set saile for Portugall the Duke John of Lancaster another of his Unkles was in Scotland treating a peace when this commotion brake out Though no cause can be given for Seditions those who designe publick troubles can never want pretences Polidore as much out in this story as any gives this reason for this The Polle money sayes he imposed by Parliament a groat sterling upon every head was intollerable It was justly imposed and so by some to whom Law and Custome of England were intollerable not to be indured but we shall find in the tyranny breaking in not onely fifth and twentieth parts and loanes forced out of feare of plunder and death but subsidies in Troops and Regiments by fifties more than Sequestrations and Compositions not under foot low sales for what had these Rascalls to give but downright Robbery and violent usurpation of Estates Thus would Polidore have it in defence of his Priests who blew the fire and thrust the silly rout into the midst of it He takes it ill that Baal valle he calls him should be supposed by I know not what flaterers of the Nobles to have filled these sailes to have let these windes out of their Caverns In the fourth yeare of this King sayes the Monk there was a grievous Tax exacted in Parliament after cause of great trouble every Religious paid half a Mark every Secular Priest as much every Lay-man or Woman 12d This might discontent the people but who prepared the Mutineers for such dangerous impressions who fell in with them after and pushed them forward will be soon found Froissart complaines of the servitude of the villanes or Bond-men now Names worne out
and unduly procured c. To the prejudice of us and our Crown of the Prelates and great men of our Realm as also to the disherison of holy English Church and to the hurt and damage of the Common wealth the said Letters we revoke make void and annull c. Yet our intention is such Grace upon every of our said Subjects to confer though enormiously their Allegeance they have forfeited c. As shall be usefull to us and our Realm The close commands to bring in to the King and his Councell all Charters of manumission and pardon to be cancelled upon their faith and allegeance and under forfeiture of all things forfeitable c. Witnesse our selfe at Chelmsford the 2. of July and 5. year of our reign False for the 4. In the case of a Subject and no reason Kings shall be more bound every Act extorted by violence and awe upon the Agent is voyd In the time of Edward the third two Thieves which was the case here force a Traveller to swear that hee will at a day appoi●…d bring them a thousand pound and threaten to kill him if he refuse their oath He swears and performs what he had sworn 44 E. 3. 14. by advice of all the Justices these two were Indicted of Robbery and the Court maintaines that the party was not bound by this Oath Yet if this be denyed as unsafe Violence or Force which strikes a just fear into any man makes any Contract voyd say the Casuists Bishop Andrewes Resp ad Apolog. that most learned Prelate answers to the pretended resignation of King John urged by Bellarmine that what this King did if any such act was done was done by force and out of feare Widdrington Admonit disp de jur fid l. 1. the most loyall of all Roman-Catholick Priests who writ much against the Gun-powder Jesuits in defence of the right of Kings against those Jesuits who would have cut off the King the Royall Family the Bishops of the English Catholick Church the Nobility and Gentry as their Letter speaks with one blow sayes of this Resignation or Donation if we may so he call it so That it was not freely given The Jesuites challenge the perpetuall dictature or regency of the University of Pontamousson by Bull of Sixtus the fift contrary to the Statutes of the foundation by Gregory the thirteenth Were the Bull true sayes Barclaie yet it ougt not to be of force because it was obtain'd presently after his Creation when things are presumed to be rather extorted than obtained Bodin denyes that a King deceived or forced can be bound by his grants The justice of Contracts is that alone which binds The distinction of Royall and Private acts is of more sound then strength and answers not the injustice of the impulsive violence which must be naturally vicious every where and corrupt and weaken the effects and cannot be good and bad by changes or as to this or that Grotius who loves this distinction in another place is positive There must be Equality in all Contracts He condemns all fear or awe upon the person purposely moved for the contracts sake and tels us out of Xenophon of those of Lacaedemon who annulled a sale of lands which the Elians had forced the owners to passe out of fear A Charter of King Henry the third imprisoned and forced is said by Aldenham to be voyd upon thls reason and I judge the justice of this revocation by the Law of England by which as our old Parliaments such force is Treason Exil Hugle de Spencer pat fil The fruits of which were here more justly plucked up than they were planted He who gives up his money to Thieves according to his oath may lawfully take it away from them however they are bound to make restitution Nor can any prescription of time establish a right of possession in him Rei furtiva ●…terna authoritas esto who makes his seizure upon no other title but Plunder and Robbery The 5th of this King the Parliament declares these Grants to be forced and voyd Enough to clear the honour of King Richard as to this part At Chelmsford the King is informed of the whole History of mischiefs done at St. Albanes and resolved in person with all his Guards and Cavalry to ride thither and sentence the Malefactors with his own mouth but Sir Walter Leye of Hartfordshire fearing the much impoverishing the Country if the King should make any long stay there with such numbers as then attended him beseeches him to make a tryal wehther things might not be composed without him and offers to reconcile the Abbot and Townsmen if the King would which was c●nsented to The King grants him a Commission and joyns with him Edward Benstude Geofrey Stukelye and others of the Gentry of that County The coming of these Commissioners was noysed at St. Albanes The fiercest of the Clowns knowing what they had done was condemned by the Law and not to be defended but by force which now they had not began to shake and take fright are plotting to get out of the way Grindecob Lieutenant of the late Idol comforts them he perswades to goe to Horse Let us meet the Knight sayes he and see whether his looks promise Peace or not if not the Towns about us have engaged they have associated and are of our League we are rich and cannot want good fellows who will assist us while our monies last On St. Peters day this ill advised crue meets the Knight upon the Rode who was ignorant of their resolutions and conduct him honourably according to their fashion to the Town Sir Walter had with him fiftie Lances and some Companies of Archers listed at random many of them being of the Churles and confederates with them The Knight cites the Towns-men and their Neighbours to appear before him in Derfold to hear the pleasure and commands of the King They fail not There he tells them what Forces the King had assembled how rigorously those of Essex were sentenced That the King was highly incensed at the troubles and seditions of this place of which he was the Patron and Defender That with great difficulty he had procured of the King a Commission by which himself and others not Strangers or Enemies but their Friends and Neighbours were authorised to do Justice in the Kings stead he concludes if they will appease the King they must find out and deliver up the beginners of these broyls and make satisfaction to the Lord Abbot an holy and a just man for the wrong they had done him This many of the hearers approve and promise to obey The Knight charges a Jury to be made ready the next morning and make what discovery they can and gives the people leave to depart Towards night he sends for the Jury to his Chamber intending to have apprehended the Lieutenants by the assistance of the Jury with out any noyse These good men and true