Essex and Sir John Harlestone rush suddenly upon them kill and take them The King meaning to visite Essex in his own person comes to Havering at the bouâ—e a Mannour of his own domain of the sacred Patrimony and from thence to Chelmsford where he appoints Sir Robert Tresilian chief Justice of his Bench of Pleas of the Crown to sit and inquire of the Malefactours and Troublers of the Country and to punish the offendours according to the customs of the Realm known and visible Five hundred of these wretched peasants who had no mercy for others heretofore cast themselves down before the King bare footed and with heads uncovered implore his pardon which he grants them on condition They discover the great Conspiratours the Captain Rogues The Jurors are charged by the chief Justices to carry themselves indifferently and justly in their Verdicts neither swayed by love or hatred to favour or prosecute any man Many upon the Evidence given in and the finding of the Jury were condemned to be drawn and hanged nineteen of them were trussed upon one Gallowes Heading had formerly been the execution of others in Essex Kent and London because of the numbers of the guilty which was now thought a death short of the demerits of the most foul and heynous offenders Wherefore according to the custom of the Realm It was decreed sayes the Monk that the Captains should be hanged The like was done in other Countries by the Justices in Commission where the King was in person Here the King with the advice of his Counsell revokes his Letters Patents the Charters granted to the Clowns Although so he speaks we have have in the late detestable troubles c. manumised all the Commons our Liege Subjects of our Shires and them c. have freed from all bondage and service c. And also have pardoned the same our Liege men and Subjects all Insurrections by Riding Going c. And also all manner of Treasons Felonies Trespasses and Extortions c. Notwithstanding for that the said Charters were without mature deliberation 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 appointed bring them a thousand pound and threaten to kill him if he refuse their oath He swears and performs what he had sworn 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 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 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 Barclaiâ— 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 condemne 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 thâ—â— reason and I judge the justice of this revocation by the Law of England by which as our old Parliaments such force is Treason The fruits of wch were here more justly plucked up than they were planted He who gives up hiâ— 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 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 theÌ„ 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 cnnsented to The King grants him a Commission and joyns with him Edward Benstude Geofrey Stukelyâ— and others of the Gently of that County The coming of these Commissioners was noysed at St. Albanes The fiâ—rcest 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
THE RUSTICK RAMPANT OR RURALL ANARCHY AFFRONTING MONARCHY In the INSURRECTION of VVAT TILER By J. C. Claudian Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum LONDON Printed for F. C. and are to be sold at Westminster-Hall and the Royall Exchange 1658. Vera et viva Effigies Johannis Cleaueland John of Lydgate lib. 4. ANd semblably to put it at a prefe And execute it by clere experience One the most contrarious mischiefe Found in this earth by notable evidence Is onely this by Fortunate violence When that wretches churlish of nature The estate of Princes unwarely doth recure A Crown of Gold is nothing according For to be set upon a knaves heed A Foltish clerk for to weare a Ring Accordeth nat who that can take hede And in this world there is no greater drede Then power â—â—e if it be well sought Vnto such one that first rose up of nought There is no manner iust convenience A royal Carbuncle Ruby or â—arnet Nor a chast Emeraâ—d of vâ—rtues exclence Nor Inde Saphirs in Copper to be set Their Kind'ly power in foule metal â—â— let And so the State of politike puysance Is ever lost where knaves have Governance For a time they may well up ascend Like windy smokes their fumes sprede A crowned asse plainly to comprehend Voyde of discretion is more for to drede Then is a Lyon for that one indede Of his nature is mighty and royall Voyde of discretion that other beastiall The gentle nature of a strong Lyon To prostrate people of kynde is merciable For unto all that fall afore him doun His royall puisaunce cannot be vengeable But churlish Wolves by rigour untreatable And foliyshe asses eke of beastialty Fâ—aying reason brayde ever on cruelty None is so proude as he that can no good The lâ—uder heed the more presumption Most cruelte and vengeance in lowe blode VVith malapertnesse and indiscretion Of Churle and Gentle make this division Of outhor of them I dare right well reporâ— Fro thens thei came thereto the wyl resorte To the Reader THe beginnings of the Second Richard's reign are turmoiled with a Rebellion which shoke his Throne and Empire A Rebellion not more against Religion and Order than Nature and Humanity too A Rebellion never to be believed but in the Age it was acted in and our owne in which we finde how terrible the overflowes of the common people ever delighted in the calamities of others untyed and hurryed on by their own wills and beastly fury must prove though Masanello is short of Tyler yet if we compare that Fisherman with our Hinde the Neapolitan Mechanicks and our Clownes we shall not finde them much unlike not in their sudden flourish and prosperity not in the mischiefs they did and the barbarous savage rudenesse in the doing them Masanello made a shew of foolish unseasonable Piety to the Prince and Archbishop which became not his part which made him the more imperfect Rebell the worse Polititian however he might seem the better man but these too might be but counterfeit reverences this might be his disguise and be might have come up to more according to the new lights which we may imagine were breaking in The continuance and mis-rule of these Worthies were much of a length in a few dayes the brands themselves had fired broke upon their own heads they were pluck'd up before their full growth like airy flitting clouds they were blown over ere they could pour down the storm they were big with The colours of these tumults were fair and taking such as their Architects Baal and Straw the Priests had layd such as the Masters of these Schooles have delivered in all ages The Weal publick the liberty of the free-born people pilled and flâ—yed by the Kings taxes and the cruell oppression of the Gentryâ— Justice Reformation or Regulation of Fundamentall Laws long subverted considerable names if we may believe them set them on The King his Glory his Honour his Safety The King and the Commons are cryed up But the King was compassed with Traitours and Malignants they will have it so and it is their care to remove them root and branch they will fire the house to cleanse it much other businesse they â—ad much was amisse much to be reformed but in the first salley all is not noysed what was not handsome what might give a fuller fright was lapped up in folds to be discovered as they â—ad thriven to be swallowed but gilded with a Victory We know crimes carried in a happy streame of luck lose their names in it are beautifull and must be thought so The Ordale of the Sword justified Caesar and condemned Pompey not his cause Adversae res etiam bonos detractant sayes Salust Good men if they miscarry doe not onely lose themselves but their integrity their justnesse their honesty they are what the Conquerour pleases and the silly multitude which ever admires the glitter of prosperity will hate them Providence preserved the English Nation from this blow The Lawrel of success crowned not the Rebels they crumble to their first dust again are ruined by their own weight and confusion They had risen like those Sons of the Dragons teeth in tempests without policy or advice Their leaders were meerly fantastical but gablins and shadows men willing to embroyl and daring whose courage was better then their cause and who to advance the design would not boggle at a peece of Honesty an Oath a Protestation or Covenant a Verse of St. Paul or St. Peter a Case of Conscience in the way of brave bold manly spirits yet without heads or wits to manage the great work which in so vast a body suddainly composed like the spawns of Nile of slime and dirt of so different parts so unequall members was fatall to the whole Tyler had no brains he could not plot not contrive and those about him were as heavy as very Asses as himself He is said to be a crafty fellow and of an excellent wit but wanting grace yet crafty enough he was not for the great and dangerous enterprise a Marius however impious for such he must be pace pessimus fitter to remove things to overturn overturns than for peace hut as Plutarch of him subtill faithlesse one who could overdo all men in dissembling in hypocrisie practised in all the arts â—f lying and some of these good sleights Tyler wanâ—â—â— not one who had sense and judgement to carry things on as well as desperate confidence to undertake had become this part incomparably had gone through with it how easily under such a Captain if we look upon the weaknesse of the opposition and the villainous baseness of the Gentry had the frame of the ancient building been rased the Modeâ—â— must have held Richard whose endeavours of defence or loyalty alone should have been killing had not fallen by the sword of Lancaster he had found his grave on Tower-hill or Smithfield where the faithfull lieges of his Crown were torn in pieces
Gods Judgments pluck them down upon their heads which themsâ—lves explain if ye faile if ye and your Officers give not obedience freely to the Protector we will send out 20000 men 20000 of our Locusts who shall burn the Towns of the children of disobedience Those of S. Albanes and Barnet whose famous deeds challenge a place in this story by themselves struck with the thunder of this edict haste to London in their journey thither at Heibury a retiring house of the Lo Prior of S. John neere Islington they finde 20000. or thereabouts casting downe the firmer parts of the house which the fire could not consume Jack Straw Câ—ptain of this hâ—rd calls these new comers to him and forces them to sweare to adhere to King Richard and the Commons How long this Oath will be sworne to we shall see and how much the safer the King will be for it We shall see too what is lost by this new Union of King and Commons by the new fellowship to observe the horrible irreligious hypocrisie of these Clownes who onely would be thought the Protectors of his Crown and Person They alâ—ne had decreed his ruine who sweare thus often to prâ—vent it to guard him from it A Treason not to be bâ—lieved by some then till it had taken The Commons were then divided into three Bodies this with Jack Straw the second at Mile end under the Eâ—sexian Princes Kiâ—kâ—y Treder Scot and Rugge the third on Tower-hill where the Idoll and Priest Baal were in chiefe This last crue grew horribly rude and haughty the Commons there were not contented to be the Kings Tasters and no more they snatch the Kings provision violently from the Purveyours he is to be starved for his own good and after Harpies or Vultures choose you whether strike high like brave birds of prey they will kill no more Flies this was the way to secure their smaller mischiefs Polydores conceit that the Archbishop and Lord Prior of S. John were sent out by the King to allay their heat is not probable Walsingham relates it thus That they demanded these two with full cryes no doubt of Justice Justice with some others Traitours by their Law a Fundamentall never to be found or heard of before to be given up to them by the King with all the earnestnesse and violence imaginable They give him his choice bid him consider of it they will either have the blood of these their Traitours or his they making all those Delinquents who attended on him or executed his lawfull commands whom say they The King with an high and forcible hand protects will not be appeased unlesse they be delivered up conjuring him to be wise in time and dismisse his extraordinary guards his Cavaliers and others of that quality who seem to have little interest or affection to the publike good Whether the Tower doores flew open at this fright or the Man-wolfes crowded in at the Kings going out to appease the party at Mile-end as Sir John Froissart tells it Wat the Idol with Priest Baal are now masters of the Tower into which on Friday the 16 of June they entred not many more than 400 of their company guarding them where then were commanded six hundred of the Kings men of Armes and six hundred Archers a Guard not so extraordinary as was necessary then all so faint-hearted so unmanned at the apparition at the sight of these Goblins they stood like the stones of Medusa remembred not themselves their honour nor what they had been The Clownes the most abject of them singly with their Clubs or Cudgels in their hands venture into all the rooms into the Kings Bed-chamber which perhaps had been his Scaffold had he been there sit lie and tumble upon his Bed they presse into his Mothers Chamber where some of the merry wanton Devills offer to kisse her others give her blowes break her head She swownes and is carryed privately to the Wardrobe by her servants Some revile and threaten the noblest Knights of the Houshold some stroke their beards with their uncleane hands which beyond the Romane patience in the same rudenesse from the Gauls is indured and this to claw and sweeten they meant it so they glose with smooth words and bespeak a lasting friendship for the time to come they must maintain the injuries done to themselves must not disturbe the usurpers of their Estates and Rights must not shew any sense of generosity of faith of honour it concerned Tyler that they should be the veryest fools and cowards breathing if they stir make any Claimes they shall be reputed seditious turbulent and breakers of the publick otherwise and plainly Tylers peace It was never heard sayes the Emperour Charles in Sleidan that it should be lawfull to despoile any man of his estates and rights and unlawfull to restore him Our Tyler and his Anabaptists thought otherwise As Walsingham they went in and out like Lords who were varlets of the lowest rank and those who were not Cowherds to Knights but to Bores value themselves beyond Kights Here was a hotchpotch of the rabble a mechanick sordid state composed as those under Kettes One of Reformation after Of Countrey gnooffes Hob Dick and Hick with Clubs and clouted shoon A medley or huddle of Botchers Coblers Tinkets Dâ—aymen of Apron men and Plough joggers domineering in the Kings Palace and rooting up the plants and wholsome flowers of his Kingdome in it This place was now a vile and nasty sty no more a Kings Palace who will value a stately pâ—le of building of honourable title or Antique memory since Constantine when it is infected with the plagu haunted by Goblins or possessed by Theeves The knights of the Court were but knights of the Carpet or Hangings No man seemed discontented all was husht and still White hall was then a Bishops Palace the Tower was to be prepared for Tylers highnesse and his Officers but the Cement of the Stratocratie of the Government by Sword and Club Law could not be well tempered with vulgar blood a servant of the Arch-bishops who had trusted himselfe to these Guards and Walls is forced to betray his Lord He brings them into the Chappell where the holy Prelat was at his prayers where he had celebrated Masse that morning before the King and taken the sacred Communion where he had spent the whole night in watching and devotion as presaging what followed He was a valiant man and pious and expected these Blood-hounds with great security and calmnesse of mind when their bellowing first struck his ears He tels his servants that Death came now as a more particular blessing where the comforts of life were taken away that life was irkesome to him perhaps his pious feares for the Church and Monarchy both alike indangered and fatally tied to the same chain might make him weary of the World and that he could now die with more quiet of conscience than ever a quiet which these
Commons hearing of his coming poure themselves out in heaps to meet him He alights strikes the Penon into the Earth and bids them keep close and incircle it like a Standard He intreats them to continue about it and expect his return and the Lieutenants who were resolved with all speed to treat with the Abbot and would suddenly bring them an answer to their propositions Which said he and they enter the Church and send for the Abbot to appeare before them and answer the Commons onely sacred then and to whom all knees were to bow The Abbot was at first resolute to die for the liberty of his Church a pious gallantry which will be admirable but overcome with the prayers of his Monkes who told him as things stood his death could advantage nothing that these stinking Knaves these Hell-hounds were determined to murder the Monkes and burne the Monastery if they had the repulse and that there was no way of safety but to fall downe before these Baals he yeilds After he was come to the Church and a short salutation past Wallingford reaches out to him the Kings Letter or Writ as Walsingham calls it in these words as I have rendred them out of the barbarous French of that age BEloved in God At the Petition of our loved Lieges of the Towne of St. Albane we will and command you That certaine Charters being in your custody made by our Progenitour King Henry to the Burgesses and good People of the said Towne of commune of pasture and fishing and of certain other commodities expressed in the said Charters in what they say you doe as Law and Reason requires So that they may not have any matter to complaine to us for that Cause Given under our Signet at London the 15. day of June the fourth yeare of our Reigne Here certainly againe is a mistake of the day for till Friday the 16. of June the Clownes of Saint Albanes as is observed stirred not Thus is the King forced to be the Author of other mens injustice to consent to those insolencies and wrongs which must undoe all those those who are faithfull to him to please a base rable ingaged to turn in the end their destroying hands upon himselfe and his royall Family The Abbot receives the Letter with due reverence and reads it then thinking to worke upon the consciences of these Hel-hounds he begins a discourse of Law Reason Equity and Justice Law and Reason were the princely bounds betwixt which the Kings commands ran He tells them whatsoever was demanded by them had beene long agoe determined in the Courts of Justice by the publick Judges persons knowing and honourable sworn to doe equall right That the Records were kept amongst the Kings Rolls at Westminster whence he inferred That according to the Lawes antiently in use they had neither right nor claime left he addes the usurpation upon anothers propriety is tyranny in the abstract it is the greatest injustice the very heathens will have it unnaturall to inrich our selves to make our advantage from Spoyle and robbery but force is odious to God and man that aggravates the sinne violence is a more heynous crime than theft This was ridiculous wisdome considering who they were the good Abbot spake to he had forgot perhaps how Antigonus armed to invade and seize the Cities and Countries of other Princes laughed at the serious grave folly of one who presented him with a tractate of Justice Wallingford with his hand upon his Sword takes him off pertinently as reflecting upon the manners of men whose treasons prosper and practise of the times In which new men did not advance themselves by Vertue by Learning by Justice or Valour but by Murder and Robbery My Lord sayes he every story is not â—rue because it is eloquently told you indeavour here to inveigle and deceive us in a long discourse of equity of Law and Justice we come not hither for words but things we pretend not to refute your reasons which are but injust defences of your oppression but cunning subtilities but colours to paint ore the wrongs you doe us nor can we the rudenesse of our education must disable us for this part we have beene borne and bred under your Dominion slaves and Villens to you under a Dominion so unmanly cruell you have alwayes kept us deprived not onely of all meanes of learning or knowledge but would willingly have taken away our very reason and common understanding that we might grone under our miseries with the feeling of beasts but be Masters neither of sence nor language for a complaint It is time now that we of the Commonalty as you call and range us should take ouâ— turne of command however of Liberty Nor is this to be wondered at if you consider our strength and the happinesse of the new Modell the eminency of the Commons is visible to â—very eye theirs is the present theirs is the Supreame Power we are armed and we will not thinke of the Lawes not regard them they onely submit to Lawes who want power to helpe themselves Besides these Lawes you tell us of are but the will of our enemies in forme and rule they were made by them they favour them And our Captaine Generall Tyler who has conquered a sad unhappy word where it is used of one part of a Nation against another and of Benjamin against Israel by the worst and least against the better and greater the makers of them the Law-givers was so become above the Lawes themselves your reasons when these Lawes were backed with force when your King could protect you before our successe might have served well enough Now we expected them not nor will we accept them He concludes in perswasion not to exasperate the godly party the righteous Commons who sayes he will not be appeased will not give over not lay downe Armes till they be Masters of their desires The Abbot entring into a new speech is againe stopped and told the thousand before the doores of his Monastery sent for him not to pâ—rly but consent which they looke he should be sudden in if not we sayes Wallingford the Lâ—eutenants chosen by the Captaine representatives of the people will deliver up and resigne the powers to him which we received of him We have voted if you comply not to send for the Captaine Generall Tyler and twenty thousand of his Militia to the danger of this place and of the Monkes heads The Abbot here recites his good deeds how often in their necessities he had relieved them he had beene he sayes their spirituall Father thirty two yeares in all which time no man had beene grieved or oppressed by him this giving â—mplyedly the lie to Wallingford they grant but will not be denied The Obligations and Charters which they require are delivered them which they burne in the Markerplace neare the Crosse This did not content them they aske for an ancient Charter concerning the Towne Liberties the capitall Letters
vanished sneaked off the stage They tell him Sir John you must be our Captaine and which shewes the power of his Commission you shall do what we will have you The Knight likes not their company he tries his best wit language to be rid of them but could not prevaile they reply downright Sir John if you will not doe what we will have you you dye for it we will not be denied but at your perill Enough was said the Knight yeelds but his charge of Captaine Generall is forgotten we shall see hereafter what use they make of him and in what manner he must be imployed This example is followed in the other Countries The Gentry did not onely lose their Estates and honour but their courage and gallantry their blouds were frozen feare had stifled their Spirits The Clownes as the Knight had brought them into such obeysance that they caused them to go with them whether they would or not they fawned on them humbled themselves to them like Dogs groveling at their feet The Lord Molines Sir Stephen Hales Sir Thomas Guysighen this Sir John Moton and others were Attendants and vassales to the Idoll Every day new heaps of men flock to them like Catilines Troops all that were necâ—ssitous at home unthrifts broken fellowes such as for their misdeeds feared the Justice of the Lawes who resent the dangerous and distracted state of the Kingdome alike and will no doubt hammer out an excellent reformation they will mend their owne condition which will be enough we must expect no more and now the confidence in their strength made them bold enough to throw off their maske of Hypocrisie they began to open the inside They departed from Rochester sayes Froissart and passed the River he sayes the Thames at Kingstone and came to Brentford where I thinke he leads them out of their way beating downe before them and round about the places and Houses of advocates and procurers and striking off the heads of diverse persons Walsingham tells us who those advocates and procurers were All men sayes he were amused some looked for good from the new Masters others feared this insurrection would prove the destruction of the Realme The last were not deceived All the Lawyers of the Land so he goes on as well the Apprentices Counsellours as old Justices all the Jury-men of the Countrey this was Priest Balls charge they could gripe in their clutches had their heads chopped off It was a maxime of the Cabal That there could be no liberty while any of these men were suffered to breathe From little to great they fell upon things which they never thought of in their first overflow which Guicciardine observes in civill discords where the Rebellion is fortunate and mens mindes are puft up with successe to be ordinary The statue of Cumaean Apollo weeps for the destruction of Cumae we shall here reade of men without sense or apprehensions both the stories will seem as incredible The stupid Nobility and Gentry sleep in their Houses till they are roused by these bloud-hounds that they might seem to deserve the calamity â—umbling upon their heads They were becomming tenants at will in Villeinage to their vassalls under their distresse their Taske and Taxes more by the Sottish basenesse of themselves than any vertue in these Rascals Scorned and sleighted by every tatter'd Clunch Their Lands continually upon any Vote or Information to be sold or given away upon any information of loyalty or faithfulnesse the antient vertues of the Gentleman not to be found in that age and serving onely for a pretence to ruine no one could form an expectation of more than this to be the last man borne what was Polyphemus his kindnesse to Vlisses to be devoured lest all which they were contented to hazard and indure to preserve a shred or jagge of an incertaine ragged Estate for the health or mistresses sake subject ever to the violence of the same lawlesse spoiling force which maimed and rent it before Next to returne to this riffraffe their cruelty reaches to Parchment Deeds Charters Rolles of Courts Evidences are cast by them into the fire as if they meant to abolish all remembrance of things this was to defeat their Lords in the Claims of any antient Rights and to leave no man more title than themselves had to their Sword and power The Kentish and Essexian rout were joyned sayes the Monke but he tells us not where and approached neere London at Black heath they made an halt where they were neare 200000 strong Thither came two Knights sent by the King to them to inquire the cause of the Commotion and why they had amassed such swarmes of the people They answer they met to conferre with the King concerning businesse of weight they tell the Messengers they ought to goe back to the King and shew him that it behoves him to come to them they would acquaint him with their desires we shall quickly discover why his presence was required upon return of the Knights it was debated in Councell by the Lords about the King whether he should goe or no some of the Table more willing to venture the King than themselves willing to throw him into the gulph or perhaps not senting the designe of the Clownes perswade him to see them Your Majesty thus they must make a tryall of these men necessity now must be looked on above reason if any thing can give the check to the uprores it must be your presence there can be no safety but in this venture it is now as dangerous to seeme not to trust as to be deceived fate is too much feared if it be imagined that this tree of your empire which has flourished so many ages can fall in an houre The Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Theobald of Sudbury Lord Chancellour of England the most Eloquent most Wise and most pious Prelate of the Age faithfull to his Prince and therefore odious to those who conspired against his Majesty and authority likes not the advise The King ought not sayes he to venture his person among such hoselesse ribaulds but rather dispose things so as to curbe their insolence Sir sayes he your sacred Majesty in this storme ought to shew how much of a King you can play what you will goe for hereafter by your present carriage you will either be feared for the future or contemned If you seriously consider the nature of these rough hewne savages you will finde the gentle wayes pernitious your tamenesse will undoe you mercy will ever be in your power but it is not to be named without the sword drawne God and your right have placed you in your throne but your courage and resolution must keep you there your indignation will be justice good men will thinke it so and if they love you you have enough you cannot Capitulate not treat with your rebells without hazarding your honour and perhaps your royall faith if you yeild to the
will not rule in fetters his will his violence shall be called Law and grievous slâ—very under that will falsly peace Had those whom no government never so sweet and gâ—â—cious will pleaâ—e unlesse the Supreame pâ—wer be given the people seen the confusions and dangers the câ—uelty and tyranny of these few dayes they would quickly have changâ—d this opinion The Knight performes his Embassy he uâ—ges the Idol with great earnestness to see the King and speedily He answers if thou beest so much for hast get thee back to the King thy Master I will come when I list yet â—e followes the Knâ—ght on Horse back but slowly In the way he is met by a Citâ—zen who had brought sixty doublets for the Commons upon the Publique Faith This Citizen askes him for his mony he promises payment before night presses on so near the King that his horse touched the croupe of the Kings horse Froissart reports his discourse to the King Sir King sayes the Idol seest thou yondâ—r people The King answers yes and askes him what he meanes by the question He replyes they are all at my command have sworne to mâ— Faith and Truth to doe what I will have them He and they had broke their Faith and truth to their Pâ—ince and he thinkes these men will be true to hâ—m Here though it be a digrâ—ssion too much I cannot omit a passage of the late Câ—vâ—ll Warres of France begun and continued by the Jesuitâ—d party to extirpâ—â—â— the royall Family therâ— Vilâ—ers Governour of Râ—üâ—n for the holy League tells the Duke of Mayen Captainâ— Gâ—nerall of the Rebellion That he would not obey him they were both companions and spoilers of the State together The King being levelled all men else ought to bâ—â—quâ—ll The Idoll as he that demanded so the Kâ—ight nothing buâ— Riot continues his discourse â—hu Believeâ—t thou King that these people wâ—ll depart without thy Lâ—tters The King tells him Hâ— means faâ—rly that he will make good his woâ—d his Letters are neare finished and they shall have them But the glory of the Idoll which was merely the benefit of fortune begâ—n to fade his principally was toâ— cruell too violent to be lasting Vengeance here hovered over his head and he who had been the destruction of multitudes hastens nay precipitates his own fate and ruins himself by his own fury he puts himself into the Kings power who should in his first towring had he been wisely wicked like a Vulture of the Game have flown at his throat * The judicious polit que will not begin to give over However will never venture himself in the Pâ—inces hands whom he has justly offended by treasons against his government †Charles of Burgundy confesses this to be â— great folly his Grandfather Philip lost his life at Montereau upon the Yonne by it and our Idoll shall not escape better Sir John Newton the Knight imployed to fetch him delivered his message on horseback which is now remembred and taken for an high neglect besides it seemeth the carriage and words of the Knight were not very pleasing Every trifle in omission was treason to the Idols person and new state He railes foulely drawes his Dagger and bellowing out Traitor menaces to strike the Knight who returnes him in exchange the lie and not to be behinde in blowes drawes his This the Idol takes for an intolerable affront but the King fearfull of his servant cooles and asswages the heat he commands the Knight to dismount and offer up his Dagger to the Idol which though unwillingly was done This would not take off his edge The Prince who yeilds once to a Rebell shall finde heaps of requests and must deny nothing The King had given away his Knights Dagger now nothing will content Tyler but the Kings Sword with which the Militia or power of Armes impliedly was sought This he askes then againe rushes upon the Knight vowing never to eat till he have his Head When the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome whom neither necessity nor misery could animate lie downe trampled on by these Villaines without Soule or motion In comes the Major of London Sir William Walworth the everlasting honour of the Nation a man who over did ages of the Roman Scaevolae or Curtii in an hours action snatches the King Kingdome out of these flames He tells the King it would be a shame to all posterity to suffer more insolencies from this Hangman this lump of bloud This the rest of the Courtiers now wakened by their owne danger For he who destroyes one man contrary to Law or Justice gives all men else reason to feare themselves and take heed are echoes to This puts daring into the young King he resoâ—ves to hazâ—rd all upon this chance This way he could not but die kingly at least lâ—ke a Gentleman with the Sword which God of whose great Mâ—jesâ—y he was a beam gave him in his hand The onely way left to avoid a shâ—mâ—full death was to run the dangâ—r of a brave one and a wise coward I will not say an honourable one considering the incâ—rtainty of things under that Iron socage Tenure wâ—uld think so The King commands the Major to arrâ—st the Buâ—cher This was charge enough and rightly understood indeed there was then no time for forme nor tryall the suspension oâ— the Courts was Tylers act his crime aâ—d he ougâ—t not to look for any advantagâ— from it an Historian sayes the Duke of Guyse's power was so much that the ordinary formes of Justice could not be observed faire Law is handsome but it is not to be given to Wolves and Tygers Tyler was a traytour a common enemy and against such sayes a Father long â—gone every man is a Souldier whosoevâ—r struck too struck as much in his owne defence in his owne preservation as the Kings and the safety of the King and People made this course necessary besides Tylers crimes were publick and notorious The generous Lord Major obeyes the sentence which was gâ—ven by the same power by which the Judges of Courts sate and acted when Justice flâ—wed down from the fountaine in the ordinary channell and which the damme head being thus troubled by this Wâ—lfe could flow no otherwise which was authority sufficient by this power Richards Captaines must fight when he has them and kill those whom the Courts of Justice connot deal with Tylerâ—aints and shâ—inkes to what he had beene he was as cowardly as cruell and could not seem a man in any thing but that he was a theef and a rebell he askes the brave Major in what he was offended by him This was a strange question to an honest man he finds it so The Major sayes Froissart calâ—s him false stinking knave and tells him he shall not speake such words in the presence of his naturall Lord the King The Major answers in full upon the accursed Sacrilâ—gious Head of the Idol with his Sword He
could give light into the mid-night darknesse of Tylers steps through all the close windings of his labyrinths of Treasons is urged the Major promising with some honest Citizens to be at the charge of Masses for his soule the good of which they desire him to consider to declare his full knowledge of the Counsells and votes passed and to what end they had conjured up the wicked spirits of those Garboyles John was obstiuate at the first and would confesse nothing but gained by these promises and a little penitent which was much to be believed of one possessed with Legions he tells them because I have hopes of help from your suffrages after my death and because this discovery may be advantageous to the Common-wealth I will confesse truly to you what we intended when we met at Black-heath and sent for the King by our Captaine Generalls Order we purposed to have massacred all the Nobility and Gentry with him then to have lead the King with us respected and treated Kingly from place to place to baite the vulgar by the authority of his presence into our League whom they might so have taken for the head of our Commotion he being by these meanes likely to have beene supposed by his owne party too to have trusted us when by the confluence of all the Counties our companies had been full and the supreame Executive power wholy ours we meant to have purged the Nation to have destroyed the Gentry and first the Knights of Saint Johns of Jerusalem with all the ragges of royalty which by this time had been but a ragge it selfe Afterwards to have killed the King whose Name could then have been of no use to us Their Oath to preserve him could not last longer then their conveniency and opinions which had then changed We meant so once but we meane otherwise now had beene a satisfactory excuse They had often sworne and Covenanted that they neither meant nor had power to hurt the Kings Prerogative that they intended to maintaine the Kings authority in his royall dignity the free course of Justice and the Lawes of the Land with infinite expressions and protestations of this kind They might answer The time was when all this was reall when they would not have subverted the government not have destroyed the antient family to which sayes a Statute which we hope it can be no treason to Tylers Ghost to recite the dominions and rights of the realme of England c. Ought by inhaerent birth-right and lawfull and undoubted succession descend and come This we being bounden thus speake the members heretofore thereunto by the Lawes of God and man doe recognise c. The answer we say might have beene easy they would not have done it some time agon they swore and Covenanted and Covenanted againe they would not now they will Tyler is still Tyler but his Liberty false cheating liberty is every where free both to will and dislike as the safety of the Common-wealth shall require and carry him on This was the faith and honesty of that age by which we may guesse at the cause and men who acted for it who were the undertakers what trust is to be given to such perfidious knaves whose protestations and Covenants of one day are wiped out by an inspiration of the next We may say by an inspiration It was wondrous fit for these changes Our Proteus should bring inspiration in All those of Estates and Possessions Bishops Canons Parsons of Churches Monkes we would have rooted out of the earth onely the begging Fryers should have been preserved who would have served such sheep such Shepheards well enough for Church-duties which we may wonder after all these pranks that they should thinke of here would have beene a very plaine church Questionlesse after all these actions the devotion of these Reformers could not have beene much By that time our publick Theeves had cast lots for the Kings Churches Nobilities and Gentries Revenues what Boores of others Countries could have compared with the riches of our Peasants and their Captaine Tyler When there should have beene so Straw goes on none left more great more strong or more wise then our selves then we had set up a Law of our owne forging at our pleasure by which our Subjects should have beene regulated Necessary it was the old Law should be voted downe It condemned them in every line Then had we created us Kings Tyler for Kent a part too small for the Archtyrant and others for other Shires Here was to be Monarchy still not evill in it selfe but where it ought to be of right onely the Family was to be changed the antient Saxon Norman stemme for an upstare dunghill brood of Vipers Tyler to be advanced upon the ruines of Richard the Cedar to be torne up to make the Bramble roome enough while any of the royall off spring had beene in being to claime the right to have involved the miserable perjured foolish people in an everlasting civill Warre never to have ceased while there had beene a veine of blood to run The mainteinance of Tylers wrong his usurpation not to looke farther than the present World would have beene more fatall then ten plagues John addes no man thwarted these ends of ours more than the Archbishop therefore we hated him to death and made all the hast possible to bring him to it In the evening of that Saturday in which Wat perished because the poorer sort of the Londoners favoured us we intended to have fired the City in foure places and to have divided the spoyles So the faithfull Citizens as forward as they were had at last paid for their love he calls God to witnesse these truths The confessions of many others of the ingagement agreed with this of Straw The Lawyers and those as one who fled from the tyranny of the time durst now show their faces Here is tyranny of the rout tyranny of a savage Clown their bouteâ—eu whose few dayes of cruell usurpation were more bloody more destroying then the yeares of any Caligula any Nero any Domitian whatsoever A Civill Warre sayes a noble Frenchman makes more breaches as to a Country as to Manners Lawes and Men in six Moneths then can be repaired in six yeares What then can be thought or said of those Monsters who against all ties of nature and piety shall raise a desperate civill Warre meerely with the intent to overthrow Religion the Church the Government Lawes and Humanity out of a cursed divelish ambition to advance themselves Tylers and Sons of the Earth before to an height which God as some love to speake never called them to For though power is of God it is onely so when the comming to it is by lawfull meanes He that ordaines the power allowes not the usurpation of it Tyler had the power to doe mischiefe the power of rebellion the power which must have ruined the church common wealth but whether this be the power which
bee uselesse whatsoever else is They lay the blame of their obstinacy upon the Inhabitants of Barnet and Watford who threaten so they would have it believed to burn their Town if they deliver up their Liberties Which Inhabitants of Barnet and Watford had humbly surrendred theirs before and submitted to the Kings mercy Thus we find these Rebels of St. Albanes again swaggering in their old Rhodomontadoes An Esquire of the Abbots acquaints the King with these turnings who vows to sit personally in judgement upon these everlasting male-contents The Abbot full of pitty and charity who had saved some of these enemies of his House from the Axe by intercession at London continues his goodness still he sollicites Sir Hugh Segrave Steward of the Houshold and others of his friends to mitigate the Kings displeasure and hinder his journey thither which was not in their power Now again are the Townsmen dejected and seek by all means to keep off the tempest which threatned them They fee Sir William Croyser a Lawyer to make their defence and mediate with the Abbot where there was no danger an agreement is concluded the day of the King's entry by which they would bind the Abbot not to disclose them or inform against them He promises if they fail not in performance on their part not to make any complaints to the King of them that he would be a suiter for their peace if his prayers may be heard but that here he cannot assure them Pardons were Acts flowing meerly from the Kings Grace No man had any power or authoritie to pardon or remit treasons c. but the King and whether he could prevail for them he knew not This doubtfulness troubles them it seems to call their innocency too much into question They tell him his good will waâ— sufficient and that as to what belonged to the Royal Dignity they should satisfie the King After Vespers the King made his entry into the Town being met by the Abbot and Covent the Bels rang aloud and the Monks sang merrily his welcome He was followed by some thousands of Bowmen and Cavaliers In this train was Sir Robert Tresilian Chief Justice of the Kings Bench who the next day being Saturday the 13. of July and first of the Dog-dayes sate in judgement at the Moot-hall saies Walsingham at the Town-house Greyndcob Cadindon and John the Barber are fetched from Hartford and laid fast till Munday against which time new Jury-men are chosen and charged to be ready with their Verdicts Prophet Baal the Sergius of the new Alcaran the Priest of the Idol and his Calves the Martin of the yoak of pure discipline of the Eldership was taken by the Townsmen of Coventry brought to St. Albanes the day before and this Saturday condemned by the Chief Justice to be Drawn Hanged Beheaded Imbowelled and Quartered which was done on the Munday following He confessed to the Bishop of London to whose Christian Piety he ought the two last dayes of his life which were begged for his repentance that certaine hot and powerfull Pastours of the Separation Brethren of simple hearts called by the Spirit he named six or seven had covenanted and engaged to compass England and Wales round as Itinerant Apostles to propagate the Gospel beat down all abomination of the outward Man Antichristian Hierarehy and Tyranny of the Nimrods of the Earth to cry up the great and holy Cause and to spread the Law Principles and Heresies of Baal which Disciples saies this Rabbi unlesse they be prevented and taken off wil destroy the Realm in two years Hee might have said two moneths and been believed as to the Civility Humanity Order and Honour never intermitted but in the confusion of a barbarous impious age which made England glorious they had been destroyed and torn up in a less time A few licentious ill Acts easily beget a custom and an hundred ill customes quicklier grow and prevaile than one single good one there is a proneness in unruly man to run into deboshments and no wonder that the arrogant missed silly multitude capable of any ill impressions should deprave and disorder things where all ties of restraint are loosened nay where disorders are not onely defended by the corrupt wits of hirelings but bidden strengthened by a Law and Villainies made legal Acts Had the Idol King Tyler with his Council not gone on too far in the way of extermination but endeavoured to repair the breaches of his entrance it would have been no small labour to have restored things to any mean and tolerable condition If Presbyter VVicklief and his Classes by their pernitious Doctrines as they are charged to this day did first pervert and corrupt the people and broach that vessell with which Father Baal and Straw poysoned them they must have ruined themselves by the change sure enough they had been no more comprehended in any of Tylers Toleration than the Prelatical or Papistical party In the turmoiles and outrages of this Tyrannie had it taken Innocence Virtue Ingenuity Honesty Faith Learning and Goodnesse had been odious and dangerous The profit and advantage of the new Usurpers had been the measure of Justice and right The noble and ignoble had dyed Streets and Scaffolds with their blood not by Laws and Judgement but out of malice to their height and worth out of fury and covetousness to inrich publicke Theeves and Murtherers The jealousies too and feares of Tyler had made all men unsafe Yet the repute the renowne of the Founders could not have been much The glory of successe cannot be greater then the honesty of the enterprise there must be Justice in the quarrell else there can be no true honour in the prosperity Cato will love the conquered Common-wealth Jugurtha's fame who is sayd to bee Illustrious for his Parricides and Rapines will not make all men fall down and worship On Munday the fifteenth of July not of October as VValsingham is mis-printed The Chiefe Justice Tresilian calls before him the Jury for Inquiry who faulter and shamelesly protest they cannot make any such discovery as is desired The Chiefe Justice puts them in minde of the Kings Words to them upon the way promising pardon if they will finde out the offendors else threatning them with the punishment they should have suffered who through such silence cannot be apprehended Out they goe againe and the Chiefe Justice follows them He shewes them a Roll of the principall Offendors names tells them they must not thinke to delude and blinde the Court with this impudence and advises them out of a care to preserve wicked mens lives not to hazard their own Hereupon they Indict many of the Towne and Country which Indictments are allowed by a second Inquest appointed to bring in the Verdict and againe affirmed by a third Jury of twelve charged onely for the fairenesse of the Tryall So no man was pronounced guilty but upon the finding of thirty sixe Jurors Then were the Lieutenants Greyndcob Cadingdon and
Kings Charters which could not be got ready in time Farther the King offers them his Banners Some of the were simple honest people of no ill meaning 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 Dâ— populations 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 Gentlemen the wealthiest and honestest part of the Citizens then to have pillaged their Houses and fired the City in foure parts they intended this hast to avoid odious partnership 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 lofty feare 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 sufficiently 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 at 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 He fancied if those who were learned in the Law were knocked ith'head all things would be ordered by the common people either there would be no law or that which was should be declared by him and his subject to their will with which his expression the day before did well agree Then attributing all things to God the God of Warre and his conquering Armes and striking his Sword which shewed the present power on London stone The Cyclops or Centaur of Kent spake these words From this day or within four dayes all Law or all the Lawes of Engl. as others shall fall from Wat Tylers mouth The Kings indeed had bound themselves and were bound by the Lawes They were named in them Tyler was more than a King he was an Emperour he was above the Lawes nor was it fit the old overworn Magna Charta should hold him The supreme Authority and legislative power no one knowes how derived were to be and reside in him according to the new establishment Tyler like Homers Mâ—rs {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was a whirlewindâ— he wâ—s * Egâ—â—â—ius in Paterculus rather a Fencer a Swash buckler than a Senatour his right A me his bâ—uâ—sh force not Justice not reason must sway all things Tyler