the poysoned Common-wealth must perish Whosoever loved not the Cause was a Reprobate hatefull to God and damned Body and Soule John concludes with an exhortation that in order to the security and preservation of Religion and Liberty of the Subject they will never consent to the laying downe of armes so long as the evill Councellors and Prelates arming or in open warre shall by force of armes be protected against the justice of the Commons John addes of long time there hath beene and now is a traiterous plot for the subversion of us and the liberty of the Subject No wonder when Peter the Hermits Goose was believed to be the Holy Ghost that John amongst as very Ninnyhammers could stroke up for a Prophet The base crew prick up their Eares and wonder at the new truths which their Pastor held forth they applaud him he is †Archbishop elect and Chancelour the true Archbishop must be called a Traitour * a Traitour of the Commons and the Realm to make him roome is voted so to be apprehended wheresoever he could be found in England and his Head to be cut off Here was a new Treason and a new way of triall and sentence But though Baalâ—â—â— more of the Spirit there were other adventurers not to be robbed of their honours other Worthies precious men called to doe the Worke of the Lord Who put to their hands and brought Trowels and Morter toward the raising this Babel Jack-Straw another Priest full of life and vigor the Consellour and Bosom-chaplein of Tyler more inward with him his speciall Councellour acquainted with all his plots in the contrivance of which he had a great part bestowed his paines upon the Cause and for action next Tyler the Idoll carryed the name which may be one cause why Polydore kills him in Tylers stead with the Mayors Sword the most eminent stickleâ—s of the Laity of the prophane stie where Wat the Tyler a Tyler by Trade not by Name his Name was Helier an ungracious Patron as Proissart was * King of the Ribauldes the Idoll of the Kentish Clownes John Kirkby Alan Treder Thomas Scot and Ralph Rugge a Magnifico who gave freely away amongst his fellow Scoundrels the spoiles of his Conquests were princes of the separation of the Tribes in Kent and Essex Robert Westbâ—ome Wraw his Chaplaine refusing to set * Crowne upon Crowne and contented to be the Arch priest of the Province was King of Suffolke and the parts adjacent St. Edmunds-bury once the Palace of the East Angle Kings and Mildenhalle were the seats of his Soveraignty John Litster a Tanner usurps the Name and power of a King at Northwalsham in Norsolk I may say the power and more never was any English King so absolute nor can any just and legall Principality be so large and Arbitrary Law of the Land with which the old Englishman was free enough and contented was here to be thrown out of dores The Heptarchy of the Saxons seemed to revive againe but prodigiously the blaze of these Comets must have been fatall to the Nation to keep an order in the History of these Ruffians who abhorred it I will give the Van to the Idoll of the Clowns it is due to him he is the first who lifts up his Head in the confusion among the Brethren and deserves the first chaire He was the Dragon and no question in the Conclusion had swallowed up or clipped the rest Litster Westbrome and the others merited highly but they must have been taken down some pins Tyler must have elbow-roome he must have been Lord Paramount and one such Comet would have been more than enough for one Horizon Besides Kent and Essex were the puddle the Lerna which bred this Hydra with the many Heads which poysoned most of the Counties and in the conjunction of these two Provinces Tyler the Idoll swayed all and here I must observe this that however Walsingham hatches the cause in Essex yet his owne relations of Baal and the Letters and Sermons of this seducing Prophet bring this into question and by him if Kent be not the Mother yet are the Treasons of her and Essex Sister-twins of the same birth Essex onely started first The fire kindled from a small sparke The Clownes of two Villages not named in the Chronicles contrive the Conspiracy there They send Warrants to the smaller Townes about and rather command then intreat all men of what age soever without any stay or deliberation to repaire to a Rendezvouze set downe The conclusion was terrible It threatned plundering of Goods Burning Plucking downe Houses and cutting off the heads of those who disobey the present Power The summoned Villages are frighted into Obedience which is to rebell They leave their Ploughs their Fields their Wives and Farmes and in their first rising no lesse than 5000 of the sink oâ— the people meet ill armed some with Staves some with rusty Swords some with Bowes and Featherlesse Arrowes few knowing any cause of their assembling gazing upon one another and not finding any enemies of their own peace and good but themselves Not one of a thousand was provided like a Souldier but their number supplyed all things they were highly conceited of themselves and believed they were invincible not to be resisted To confirme their steps Baal watching to catch wâ—o had long waited for such an opportunity of imbroiling drives them head-long forward he writes to them his Letters exhortatory where to consecrate the enterprise Gods name is brought in He is made to owne the Cause composed of a jâ—rgon a canting gâ—orâ—dge fit for the designe to abuse and cheat the innocent pâ—asant who cannot pry into things cannot look farther than the bait fuller of Ridles than sense one of them found in the sleeve of one of these wretched men condemned and undâ—r the Gallowes was this John Schep sometimes St. Mary Priest in Yorkn and now of Colchester greeteth well John namelesse and John the Miller and John Carter and biddeth them that they beware of guile in Borough which Stow by a notable mistake calls Gillinborough and stand together in Gods Name and biddeth Pâ—erse Plowman goe to his work and chastice Hob the robber and take with you John Trewman and all his fellowes and no moe John the Miller hath yground smal smal smal The Kings Sonne of Heaven shall pay for all Beware or ye be woe Know your friend from your foe Have ynough and say hoe And doe well and better and flee sinne and seek peace and hold therein And so biddeth John Trewmâ—n and all his fellows A List of Sanctity does well in these Cases but his seeking of Peace chastising the Robber and flecing of Sinne I must leave as mysticall This shewes the industry carefulnesse and vigilancy of the Prophet in his preparations and his willingnesse to hurt He disperseth other Letters of this kinde in one he chargeth all men in the Name of the Trinity c. to stand
of which Priest Straw was after drawne from his hiding holes and laid hold of by the Kings Officers What became of them we shall see below in the visitation made by the King and his Ministers through the Provinces in uproare The Commons of Kent now scatter and dissolve the heads of the Archbishop Lord Prior and the rest are taken down from the bridge and the Idols advanced there That Baal should now be taken in an old house is an errour of the Knights Baal must take his turn but he shall have a longger runne for it That the dagger should now be given in honour of Sir William Walworth as an addition to the City armes is Fabulous this dagger is the Sword of St. Paul and was borne by the City when Tyler was living The King now rides to Westminster where he gives God thankes for his deliverance and presents his offering to the Virgin Mary in her Chappell of the Piew next he visits the Princesse mother in the Tower Royall called the Queenes Wardrobe and bids her rejoyce for sayes he this day I have recovered mine heritage the Realme of England near lost the Lords returne to their owne houses The other Countries now in combustion and upon their march to London make halt they were thunder-strucken at the disaster of the Idol they hated the fortune not the wickednesse of that monster And tarry to poure out those plagues at home if they be not checked which before they intended to carry farther off The example and successe of the Idol had moved with many but his invitation and sollicitation by the Emissaries of this confederacy and spirit more The Sectaries or ringleaders of the hurden rustick raggamuffins in the severall Provinces of the association while Tyler was thus busied in the chiefe seat of his new Dominions promote the cause and pursue the instructions of the Prince of Divells they were all to tread his steps as we shall finde in what followes I have before spoken of the Summons of the I of to fetch the bordering rogues into the Line of Communication who were to serve as Auxiliaries onely to strengthen Tyler rather than to inrich themselves and likely to be casheered and cast off when he had perfected his Worke amongst these rake hells were the Towns-men of Saint Albane with the Abbots servants shuffled in the throng of purpose to oversee and awe the Clownes from the new fangles of our fanaticks These as is related were sworne to the Ingagement at Heibury whence they come to London whither they are no sooner got but the Towns men separate from the servants of the Monastery and in St. Mary bow Church does their profane Conventicle consult how to make advantage of the tumult And what pretences of revolt from their Lord Abbot would seem most faire and taking Here they make not the causes of their disobedience they were hatched secretly amongst themselves they deliberate how to perfect things how to come to effects The inlarging the bounds of their common free fishing hunting in certaine places when they pleased and Hand-mills that the Baily of the Liberty shall no more meddle within the Precincts of the Towne the revocation of Charters prejudiciall to the Free-borne Burgesses cancelling the Bonds of their Fore-fathers made to Abbot Richard are the Propositions first voted One who would be wiser than the rest perswades them not to attempt things rashly and giddily without authority he tells them that Wat Tyler Protectour and Captaine Generall of the Clownes was near that the Protectour was a righter of wrongs raised and inspired by providence to redeeme the faithfull Commons from the thraldome of the wicked At the suite of the godly party sayes he Tyler has accepted the Government he is to govern the two Nations The Supreame executive Power resides in him from him sayes he and from the keepers of the liberties let us seek for remedy Let us make our addresses to him let us seeke to his Highnesse for power and Commission This he said as Walsingham writes supposing a greater than Tyler should not be seene in the Kingdome that Tylers greatnesse for the time to come would onely be eminent That the Lawes of the Land the most antient English Saxon Lawes would be of no force of no validity because the most of the Lawyers were already murthered and the rest in their account not long lived the Axes edge was turned towards them He concludes let us returne home and in the puissance of Wat and our selves force the Abbot to reason If he deny our requests we will awe hm with burning and demolishing the Monastery with killing the Monkes we will threaten not to leave one stone upon another Others conceive it more safe to petition the King who might be spoken with by every man and durst refuse nothing for his Letters under the Privy Seale commanding the Abbot to restore to the Towns-men the rights and Liberties which their ancestours injoyed in the time of King Henry the first as if the English Church had beene lately indowed the Monasteries founded their Royalties Liberties Priviledges granted by the Norman Princes than which nothing could be more false The most Christian Saxon Kings of blessed memory twelve of which died Martyrs of the Faith ten shine glorious Starres in the Calender of Saints were all nursing Fathers of the Church scarcely was there one in the illustrious rolle who gave not Lands and Possessions with Exemptions and Immunities to the Church who erected not Bishopricks or Monasteries into which thirty of our crowned heads Kings or Queenes entred the superstition of the ages then ought not to blemish their Prety The Mercian King Offa his Son Eâ—gfryd King Ethelred King Edward are the founders and donours of St. Albanes what King Henry the first did for the Towne I cannot say nor how ample its Liberties were then this is true he confirmes the grants of the Saxon Princes to the Monastery and addes the Norman seale to strengthen the Saxon Crosses this is all but truth is not necessary in such uproares the credulity of a light headed multitude is quickly abused their duty and obedience easily corrupted without it To keepe our way Both these Counsels are approved William Greyndcob an Hinde who had eaten the breade of the Monaftery for the most part of his life is elected with others and sent on this errand to the King before whom he kneeles six times out of zeale to prevaile This Lob too was made principall Prolocutor sayes our Monk or Speaker to the Idol before whose sordid Excellency and his uncleane Councell he complaines of the grievous tyranny of the Abbot and Prior some few Monks are thrust in to make up the number of the oppressures of the Commons of withholding the wages of poor Labourers the design was to rowze the Wolfe Tyler meant not to leave London yet he promises if need be to send twenty thousand of the Saints who shall not
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 Commens so their Chiefs or Captains would be called Here though the title of the Rebellion spoke fair was shown 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 possâ—ssions firing their houses cutting off their Heads violating of all Rights be thought Gods blessing any evidence of â—â— 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 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 â—an recite fully the mischiefs 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 nameâ— in the Chronicle What had been more had not been to any purpose Those were but types of Tyler the Idoll â—nd acted nothing but acrording to the Original according to his great example they were Wolves alike and he that reads one knowes all Thomas of Becket Simon of Montfort the English Catalinâ— Thomas of Lancastor Rebels and Traitors of the former years are Canonised by the Monks generally the enemies of their Kings miracles â—ake their Tombeâ— 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 RUSTICK RAMPANT OR RURAL ANARCHY THe Reign of King Richard the second was but a throw of State for so many years a Feaver to whose distempers all pieces of the home Dominions contributed by fits * the forraign part onely continuing faithfull in the fourth year of his reign and fifteenth of his age the dregs and off-scum of the Commons unite into bodies in severall parts of the Kingdome and form a Rebellion called the Rebellion of the Clownes which lead the rest and shewed the way of disobedience first Of whiâ—h 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 held back the hand the blow had faln the Government had broke into shivers then The young King at this time had few besides Thomas of Woodstock his Uncle 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 York with the Lords Beauchampe Botereaux Sir Matthew Gourney with others of the Nobility and Gentry had set saile for Portugall the Duke John of Lancaster another of his Uncles 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 Poll-mony sayes he imposed by Parliament a groat Sterling upon every head was intolerable It was justly imposed and so by some to whom Law and Custome of Engl. were intolerable not to be endured 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 a miserable sort of drudges frequentlâ—â— knowne here in the Saxon times excluded from any right of propriety sold and passed away with the Mannour or Lands to which they belonged bound to til the Lords ground cut downe and carry in his Corne cleanse his Ditches cover his Halle Qâ— These Fraissart make the first stirrers
force of one sedition your whole life and reigne will be nothing but a continuation of broyles and tumults if you assert your soveraigne authority betimes not onely these doults these sots but all men else will reverence you remember Sir God by whom lawfull Princes reigne whose vicegerent you are would not forgive rebellion in Angels you must not trust the face Petitions delivered you upon Swords points are fatall if you allow this custome you are ruined as yet Sir you may be obeyed as much as you please Of this opinion was Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of Saint John of Jerusalem newly Lord Treasurer of England a magnanimous and stout Knight but not liked by the Commons When this resolution was known to the Clownes they grow starke mad they bluster they swear to seek out the Kings Traitours for such now they must go for No man was either good or honest but he who pleased them the Archbishop and Lord Prior to chop off their Heads here they might be trusted they were likely to keep their words Hereupon without more consideration they advance toward London not forgetting to burne and rase the Lawyers and Courtiers houses in the way to the Kings honour no doubt which they will be thought to Arme for Sir John Froissart and others report this part thus which probably might follow after this refusall The Rebells say they sent their Knight * so they called him yet was he the Kings Knight for Tyler came not up to dubbing we finde no Sir John nor Sir Thomas of his making Sir John Moton to the King who was then in the Tower with his Mother his halfe brothers Thomas Holland Earle of Kent after Duke of Surry and the Lord Holland the Earles of Salisbury Warwick and Oxford the Archbishop Lord Prior and others The Knight casts himselfe downe at the Kings feet beseeches him not to looke upon him the worse as in this quality and imployment to consider he is forced to doe what he does He goes on Sir the Commons of this Realme those few in Armes comparatively to the rest would be taken for the whole desire you by me to speake with them Your Person will be safe they repute you still their King this deserved thanks but how long the kindnesse will hold we shall soone finde they professe that all they had done or would doe was for your honour For your glory your honour and security are their great care they will make you a glorious King fearfull to your enemies and beloved of your Subjects they promise you a plentifull and unparallell'd revenue They will maintaine your power and authority in relation to the Lawes with your royal person according to the duty of their allegeance their protestation their vow their solemne League and Covenant without diminishing your just power and greatnesse and that they will all the dayes of their lives continue in this Covenant against all opposition They assure you Sir That they intend faithfully the good of your Majesty and of the Kingdome and that they will not be diverted from this end by any private or selfe-respects whatsoever But the Kingdome has been a long time ill governed by your Uncles and the Clergy especially by the Archbishop of Canterbury of whom they would have an account They have found out necessary Counsels for you they would warne you of many things which hitherto you have wanted good advise in The conclusion was sad on the Knights part His Children were pledges for his returne and if he faile in that their lives were to answer it Which moved with the the King He allowes the excuse sends him back with this answer that he will speake with the Commons the next Morning which it should seeme the report of the outrages done by the Clownes upon his refusall this Message made him consent to At the time he takes his Barge is rowed downe to Redriffe the place nearest the Rebells ten thousand of them descend from the Hill to see and treat with him with a resolution to yeild to nothing to overcome by the Treaty as they must have done had not the Kings seare preserved him When the Barge drew nigh the new Councell of state sayes our Knight howled and shouted as though all the Devills of Hell had been amongst them Sir John Moton was brought toward the River guarded they being determined to have cut him in pieces if the King had broke his promise All the desires of these good and faithfull Counsellours contracted suddenly into a narrow roome they had now but one demand The King askes them what is the matter which made them so earnestly sollicit his Presence They have no more to say but to intreat him to land Which was to betray himselfe to them to give his Life and Soveraignty up to those fickle Beasts to be held of them during their good pleasures which the Lords will not agree to The Earle of Salisbury of the antient Nobility and illustrious house of Montacute tells them their equipage and order were not comely and that the King ought not to adventure amongst their troopes They are now more unsatisfied and London how true soever to the Cause and faithlesse to the Prince shall feele the effects of their fury Southwark a friendly borough is taken up for their first quarters Here againe they throw downe the Malignants Houses and as a grace of their entrance breake up the Kings prisons and let out all those they finde under restraint in them not forgetting to ransack the Archbishops house at Lambeth and spoyle all things there plucking downe the Stews standing upon the Thames banke and allowed in the former ages It cannot be thought but that the Idol loved Adultery well enough but perhaps these publick bawdy-houses were too uncleane and might stinke in his nostrils we cannot finde him anywhere quarelling with the Beares those were no Malignants They knocked not long at the City-gates which some say were never shut against them or as others quickly opened The Citizens fancyed themselves privy Counsellours borne inspired from their shoppes for affaires of State and would not suppose the Reformation could be effected without them they were rich by lyes and all the most sordid wayes of falshood and must be sage and knowing pride the first sinne the Devill taught man tickles them The Major Sir William Waleworth whose memory while truth and loyalty shall be thought virtues must be honourable and nine of the Aldermen held for King Richard in vaine a prosperous wicked chief shall never want wicked instruments Three Aldermen and the greatest part of the people for the King of the Commons the Idol and his Priests Those the confiders and well affected to Tyler forbid their Major to keep him out owne his actions as done for the good of the faithfull people of the Land and the Common-wealth his followers for their Brethren and Companions of the holy Cause They vow to live and dye with Tylar