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 theÌ„ 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 Gâ—ntlemen the wealthiest and honestest part of the Citizâ—ns then to have pillaged their Houses and fiâ—ed the City in foure parts they â—…ended this hast to avoid odiâ—us partneâ—shâ—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 fâ—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 â—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 aâ— 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
motion tired with the mischiefes of the day drunk and asleep without Guards or Watch the Earle of Salisbury and the Nobility against whose Lives Honours and Fortunes these beasts had conspired desire the King to try all faire and gentle wayes of appeasing them which counsell he approves They were not so kind to themselves many lost their lives by the hands and swords of their companions every pettyd scontent or grudging being enough to provoke them Thirty two of them being drunk in a Cellar of the Savoy were immured there finding in the same place Death and the Grave together Some of them threw Barrels of Gunpowder which was little known then into the fire and are blown up with part of the Palace Proclamations were formerly made in Tylers name not in Strawes as Polydore wâ—uld have it Straw was this while busied elsewhere Thâ— Country about was by these Proclamations summoned to repaire to London with all speed to spoyle this Babylon The close menaces leâ—t they provoke Gods Judgments pluck them down upon their heads which themselves 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 Wals in their journey thither at Heibury a retiring house of the Lo Prior of S. John neere Istington they finde 20000. or thereabouts casting downe the firmer parts of the house which the fire could not consume Richard Jack Straw Captain of this herd 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 alone had decreed his ruine who sweare thus often to prevent it to guard him from it A Treason not to be believed 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 Essexian Princes Kirkby 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 Wals alias scirâ—… semetipsum vita privaÌ„dum 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 gâ—ve 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 Oke of Reformation after Of Countrey gnooffes Hob Dick and Hick with Clubs and clouted shoon Nevilli kettus A medley or huddle of Botchers Coblers Tinkers Draymen 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 pile of building of honourable title or Ant que memory since Constantine when it is infected with the plague 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
least signes The same frâ—…siâ—s are againe acted by other Lunaticks the Lawyers or Apprentices of the Law as the Monke and their houses are the first objâ—ctâ— of their spight they doe not onely cut off them but fire their nests Lâ—… John Cavendish chiefe Justice of the Kings Bâ—nch who had beene one of the most able Serjeants of this Kings Grand-fathers Reigne and was made chiefe Justice by him they intercept and behead Orpheus Traâ—ie Nero the Romane Bâ—lgabred the Brittaine excellent in the sweetnesse of a voyce and skill of Song with John of Cambridge Prior of Saint Edmunds lose their lives in the same manner as they unluckily fell in to their hands The cause of the Priors death is made this He was discreet and managed the affaires of his Monastery faithfully and diligently he was taken neare Mildenhall a Towne then belonging to Saint Edmund of the demaine of the Abby the Vassalls Hindes Villeins and bond-men of the house sentenced him murthered him by Vote His body lay five dayes naked in the field unburied In Saint Edmunds-bury these cut-throats compasse the Priors head round as in a procession after they carry it upon a Lance to the pillory where that and the chiefe Justices head are advanced Their next worke was the levelling a new house of the Priours After they enter the Monastery which they threaten to fire unlesse John Lakinhethe Gardian of the temporalities of the Barony in the vacancy then were delivered to them which the Towns-men mingled in the throng put them upon the Gardian stood amidst the croud unknown This man out of piety to preserve the Monastery it was piety then though it may be thought impiety now discovers himselfe he tells them he is the man they seeke and askes what it is the Commons would have with him They call him traitor it was capitall to be called so not to be so drag him to the Market-place and cut off his head which is set upon the Pillory to keepe company with the Priors and chiefe Justices Walter of Todington a Monke was sought for they wanted his head but he hid himselfe and escaped Our hacksters errant of the round Table Knights of industry would be thought Generall redeemers to take care of all menin distresse For the Burgesses sake they command the Monkes threatning them and their walls if they obey not to deliver up all the obligations of the Towns-men for their good behaviour all the antient Charters from the time of King Cnut the Founder any way concerning the liberties of the Town besides they must grant and confirme by Charter the Liberties of the Towne which could not be done in the vacancy for so it was Edmund of Brumfield Abbot in name by provision of the Pope was a prisoner at Notingham nor had any election beene since the death of Abbot John Brivole and therefore the Jewels of the house are pawned to the Townsmen as a gage that Edmund of Brumfield whom they would suppose Abbot and whom they intended to set free should Seale which Jewels were a Crosse and Calice of Gold with other things exceeding in value one thousand pounds these were restored againe in time of peace but with much unwillingnesse Upon the brute of the Idols mishap and the suppression of his Legions at London these Caterpillers dissolve of themselves Wraw the Priest Westbrome the rest of the capitall villeins in the generall audit or doomesday for these hurliburlies shall be called to a reckoning for their outrages Cambridge suffered not a little in these uproars the Towns-men with the Country peasants about confederated together breake up the treasury of the University tear and burn its Charters they compell the Chancelour and Schollars under their common Seals to release to the Major and townsmen all rights and Liberties all actions and to be bound in 3000l not to molest the Burgesses by suits of Law concerning these things for the time to come The Mayor and Bailiffs were fetched up by writ to the next Parl. where the deeds were delivered up and Cancelled the Liberties of the towne seizâ—d into the Kings hand as forfeited new ones granted by him to the University all which they owe yet to the piety of this King and his Parliament a Court which the Idol never names had he set up one of his owne begetting it must have had nothing else but the name it would have beene as destroying as the field Norfolkâ— the Mother of the Kets would not loyter this while nor sit lazily and sluggishly looking on John Litster a Dyer of Norwich King of the Commons there infuses zeale and daring into his Country-men he had composed out of his owne Empire and the borders an Army of fifty thousand Men. This upstart Kingling would not wholly move by example he makes presidents of his owne and tramples not like a dull beast the road beaten by others He had heard what was done by the London Congregations he had a stock of traditions from the Elders there which he was able to improve and although I know not how he could exceed the Idol with his councell yet so the Monk exceede them he did he presumed greater things Tyler lost his life before things were ripe was watched and undermined by the King and Nobility he could not spread his full sailes else for his presumption he far out-goes Litster Litster the Norfolke Devil begins with plunder and rapine the onely way to flesh a young Rebellion The Malignants of the Kings party the rich and peaceable goe under that notion are made a prey no place was safe or priviledged Plots were laid to get the Lord William of Vfford Earle of Suffolke at his Mannor oâ— Vfford neer Debenham in Suffolke into the company out of policy That if the cause succeeded not then the Rebels might cover themselves under the shadow of that Pâ—ere The Earle warned of their intention rises from Supper and disguised as a Groom * Garcion of Sir Roger of Bois with a Port-mantue behind him riding by-waies and about ever avoiding the routs comes to St. Albanes and from thence to the King The Commons failing here possesse themselves of the places and houses of the Knights neare and compell the owners to sweare what they list and for greater wariness to ride the Country over with them which they durst not deny among those inthralled by this compulsion were the Lords Scales and Morley Sir John Brews Sir Stephane of Hales and Sir Robert of Salle which last was no Gentleman borne but as full of honour and loyalty as any man Knighted by the Kings Grand-father for his valour he was layes Froissart one of the biggest Knights in England a man not supple enough who could not bend before the new Lords He had not the solidity of judgement as some more subtle than honest call it to accommodate himselfe to the times Like Messala he would be of the Justest side let the fortune bâ— what it would he would not forsake Justice
Peers as yet they speak no higher whom he would have brought to Repentance Then the Lawyers Justices Judges Jury-men †Quoscunque nocivos communitatis de terra sua tollerent all the enemies of the commonalty were to be swept from the Earth there could not else so he concludes be any peace or security for the future * Si sublatis Majoribus aequa libertas c. lopping off the Heads of those which were too tall which over-topped too much equall Nobility equall Liberty Dignity and Power this was his old Doctrine were the onely antidotes without which 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 In the Croisade for holy land that John amongst as very Ninnyhammers could strike 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 †Ut aâ—…lamaâ—ert cum Archiepiscopum Archbishop elect and Chancelour the true Archbishop must be called a Traitour * Communium regni proditorem 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 Baal had 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 Confessour 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 sticklers of the Laity of the prophane stie where Wat the Tyler a Tyler by Trade not by Nâ—me his Name was Helier an ungracious Patron as Froissart was * Wals Rex ribaldorum Idolum rusticorum 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 Westbrome Wraw his Chaplaine refusing to set * Wals 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 Norfolk 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 than 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 Pucking 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 of 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 Wals 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 who 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 jargon a canting gibridge fit for the designe to abuse and cheat the innocent peasant 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 under 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 Pierse Plowman goe to his werk and chastice Hob the robber and take
against the Emperour Hen. the IIII. is called by the Germanes a Tyranne upon this score A full Tyrannie sayes one of our Chiefe Justices speaking of the Papall power in Church causes here has two parts without right to usurp and inordinately to rule and the Statute 28 of King Henry the 8. against the Papall Authority calls it an usurped Tyranny and the exercise of it a Robbery and spoyling of the King and his people The Statute 31 Henry 6. adjudging John Cade another Impe of Hell and successour of Wat to be a traitour which are the words of the title and all his Indictments and Acts to be voide speakes thus The most abominable Tyrannie horrible odious and arrant false Traytour John Cade naming himselfe sometime Mortimer he and Tyler had two Names taking upon him Royall power c. by false subtile and imagined language c. Robbing Stealing and spoyling c. And that all his Tyranny Acts Feats and false opinions shall be voyded and that all things depending thereof c. under the power of Tyranny shall be likewise voide c. and that all Indictments in times comming in like case under power of Tyranny Rebellion c. shall be voide in Law and that all Petitions delivered to the King in his last Parliament c. against his minde by him not agreed shall be put in oblivion c. as against God and conscience c. To proceed The King because all thâ—se risings were by the Ring leaders protested to be made for him and his Rights and that the forces then raised were raised by his Authority and all their actions owned by him issues out a Proclamation from London to this effect RIchard c. To all and singular Sheriffes Majors Bayliffs c. of our County of N. c. Because we are given to understand That divers of our Subjects who against our Peace c. have raised and in diverse Conventicles and Assemblies c. Do affirme That they the said Assemblies and Levies have made and doe make by Our will and Authority c. We make knowne to all men That such Levies Assemblies and Mischiefes from Our Will and Authority have not proceeded He addes they were begun and continued much to His displeasure and disgrace to the prejudice of His Crowne and dammage of the Realm Wherefore he injoynes and commands c. To take the best care for the keeping of his Peace opposing of all such Levies with a strong hand Farther He commands every man to leave such Assemblies and return home to his own house under penalty of forfeiture of Life and Member and all things forfeitable to the King c. These Clowns charge not the King to be transported Furiously and Hostilely to the destruction of the whole people which can never happen where the King is in his wits But what is fully as mad they will suppose him to Arme against his own life and power against his own peace and the peace of all that love him This Proclamation put life into the Royalists into all honest hearts and dismayes as much the Rebels yet after this the Essex Traitors gather again at Byllericay near Hatfield Peverell and send to the King now at Waltham to know whether he intends to make good his Grants of Liberties and require to be made equal with their Lords without being bound to any Suits of Court view of Frank pledge only excepted twice the year The King and his Counsell are startled at this impudence The King answers the Agents Wals That if he did not look upon them as Messengers he would hang them up Return sayes he to your fellow Rebels and tell them Clowns they were and are and shall continue in their Bondage not as hitherto but far more basely trampled on While we live and rule this Kingdom by Gods Will we will imploy all our Means and Power to keep you under So that your misery shall frighten all villeins hereafter And your posterity shall curse your memory At the heels of the Messengers the King sends his Unkle Thomas of Woodstock Earl of Buckingham and Sir Thomas Piercy with a body of Horse to quell them The Rebels weâ—… intrenched according to the manner of Litsters Camp in the midst of Woods Tâ—n Lances of the Avant Currours rout them the Lords when they were come up inclose the Woods round five hundred are killed eight hundred Horses for carriage taken the broken remainders of the defeat escape to Colchester Wals a Town ever honest and faithfull to the Prince where the loyal Townsmen would not be gotten to stir they sollicite the Townsmen saies the Monk with much intreaty great threats and many arguments neither intreaties nor threats nor arguments would move them From thence they get to Sudbury making every where such Proclamations as of old they had used where the Lord Fitzwalser whose seat was at Woodham Walters in 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 boure a Mannour of his own demain 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 Wals 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