A March on London

end the day with Ursula, under the escort of her brother and Edgar. They were to have fe

uld be obtained from the king, who was surrounded by evil councillors, and that, since they would not allow him to trust himself among the people, the people must take the matter into their own hands. They had remained quiet long enough; now was the time that they should show their stre

be together. This morning my lord was saying that if these knaves ma

out with the city force, and to maintain the law against this rabble; but it is clear to us that the majority are on the other side. They have taken into their heads that if these fellows gain rights and privileges f

against rebellion, we are powerless to do aught. Even among those who talk the loudest against the rabble, there are many, I fear, who send them secret encouragement, and this not because they care aught for their grievances, but because the people are set against the Flemings, who are ill-liked by many of the merchants as being rivals in trade, and who have in their hands the gre

d 'tis hard to see what is for the best. Howe

the merchant

it, Master Gaiton?" Dam

heard report that there is sore discontent among them because their pay is greatly in arrear, owing to the extravagance of the Court. It were well, perhaps, that you should mention this to Sir Ralph, and, above all, I pray you to remember, madam, t

e in the afternoon. He

k us, fight to the end. It seems to me that all have lost their heads-one gives one counsel, and one gives another. Never did I see such faint hearts. The lord mayor has been with the king. He speaks bravely as far as he himself and the better class of citizens are concerned, but they are overborn

l did you gi

city until help could be gathered. The king himself was willing that this should be so, but the council said that were I to do this, the gatherings from Essex, Hertford, Suffolk, and Cambridge would march hither and be joined by the rabble of

e room and gazed out.

smoke mingled with

is it,

prisons of the Marshalsea and King's Bench. The malefactors there have joined them; a

is morning, and have not returned. Ah!

have you?" Sir Ralph aske

nd what is to be done, but they have no force at their command. The Flemings are in great fear. Some have betaken themselves to the churches, where they hope that their lives may be respected, but without, as it seems to me, any good warrant; for, as the rabble at Canterbury did not respect even the cathedral, it is not likely that they will hold churches here as s

bled, "when the son of a knight cannot walk with safety i

boys enter the city su

said, a

ews of what is doing there that may help us. I have obtained the use of a chamber in the Tower for you and Aline. My place, of course, will be by th

ld gladly do so. There will be muc

d to raise its head and to deem itself master of everything. All this evil has been brought about by the cowardice of the garrison of Rochester Castle. Had they done their duty they could have defended the place for weeks against those knaves, even if not strong enough to have sallied out and defeated them in t

me, and they had not gained confidence in themselves. And even if we had deemed them too strong to attack in the field, we might have thrown ourselves into Rochester and aided the garrison to hold the castle. I have seen troubles in Flanders, and have lear

irit and courage, the counsels of those men who surround the king would be overborne; but she was so alarmed, as she well might be, at her meeting

wer. I will give you a quarter of an hour to pack up your belongings. The men will carry them for you. As to you, boys, you can safely remain here until daybreak, then put on your citizen dresses and make your way quietly into the city, as soon as the gates are open. Put them

se of Albert and Edgar had been packed. The men-at-arms took up the valises,

at the streets were already filled with people. It was Corpus Christi, at that time kept as a general holiday, and, regardless of the troubles, many were flocking out to enjoy a holiday in the country. The boys h

ion. The bridge itself was crowded, partly with holiday-makers and partly with armed men, while the windows of the houses were occupied by spectators, who were looking down with evident apprehension at what was about to take place. Gradually making their way forward the two friends rea

abitants, breaking open the cellars and besotting themselves with liquor, they have opened the doors of the prisons, and have been joined b

orward from the

or the citizens to go out to the fields to enjoy themselves on a

berties!" The mayor took counsel with those around him. It was manifestly impossible that some twenty or thirty men could successfully oppose an infuriated mob, an

therefore, if you wish it, we must open the gates, but many of you will reg

iumph the mob rushed to the gates, removed the bars and opened

n the two friends had quietly made

we best

It would not be a fight, but a massacre. Had these gentlemen been in armour, they might have sold their lives dearly, and perc

d follow. In a short time they saw the holiday-makers come pouring back over the bridge in evident terror, and close on their heels were a great mob. At their head, on horseback, rode Wat Tyler and three or four other leaders. Behind

e expense of foreign wars, and that now was the time for all honest men to rise against their oppressors. Many of the lower class joined their ranks. None ventured to enter into dispute with them. Some of the mob were dressed

their success. Look at Wat the Tyler. I believed he was an honest workman, and, as all said, a clever one. I do not blame him that in his wrath he slew the man who had insulted his daughter; but look at him now-he rides as if he were a king. He i

the Duke of Lancaster, which was said to be the fairest and most richly furnished of any in the kingdom. With shouts of triumph they broke into it and scattered through the rooms, smashing the furniture and destroying everything they could

s noticed by another as he thrust a silver cup into his dress. He was at on

cellars. Their shouts for help were heard for seven days, but none came to their assistance, for the ruins of the house had fallen over them, and they all perished. Thence the crowd went to the Temple, where they burnt all the houses o

e great manor-house of which belonged to the Order of St. John,

ass of citizens had all shut themselves up in their houses and every door was closed. On knocking at the door of the mercer the two

give us some assistance in men-at-arms and archers, and that we should then give battle to the rabble. But I found few of my opinion. All were thinking of the safety of their families and goods, and said that were we defeated, as we well might be, seeing how great are thei

his strait, I see not that peaceful citizens are called upon to take the whole brunt of it upon their own shoulders. However, I have little hope that the rioters will content themselves with destroying palaces and attacking lawyers. What you tell me of the execution of one of their number, who stole a silver cup, shows that the bulk of them are at present really desirous only of red

risen, and that from Winchester in the south, to Scarborough in the north, they have taken up arms, and that the nobles are everywhere shut up in their castles, so they, being cut off from each other, are in no position to gather a force that could bring aid to the king. You can tell

rioters had already began their work. Thirty Flemings, who had taken refuge in the churches, were dragged from the altar and were beheaded, thirty-two others were seized in the vintry and also slain. Then parties broke in

y replied, and they were allowed to pass on. They were traversing Bread Street when they heard a scream behind them, and a girl came flying along, pursued by a large number of the rioters, headed by a man in the dress of

the door opened. Edgar and Albert stepped back

the way to secure your rights and liberties, by attacking women

the man whom Edgar ha

you were a Fleming yourself,

e is one of the Flemings who bought the taxes, and

dgar said, contemptuously, "if they need

ough the throat. With a yell of rage the crowd now strove furiously to enter, but the position of the two lads standing back a couple of feet from the entrance rendered it impossible for more than two or three to attack them

down their guard; but they still fought on, retiring a step or two up the stair when hardly pressed, and occasionally making das

s when you can. Where you see me standing a

, Albert, and

on him, and hurled him against those behind, while Albert at the same moment ran an opponent through the body. Then, turning, they sprang up th

ion for that," she

nelled, and one of the

owed her

s indeed of great weight, the wood being backed with brick, the

e could not see that the panel opens, and, being backed with brick, i

they must be below the level of the cellars. She opened a door, and entered an apartment some twenty feet square. It was lighted by four candles standing on a ta

ached to bring down my wife, who, as you see, is grievously sick. Her two maids were very nearly distraught with terror, and, if left to themselves, would never have carried their mistress below

ed his compani

uld seem by your attire,

ble to traverse the streets without interruption. May I ask how i

My wife was taken worse this morning, and the leech not having sent the medicine he promised, my daughter, thinking that there could be no danger to a young girl, went to get it,

the girl said, "had we not met a b

s he who led the party here. When these troubles

sir," Edgar said, "for I slew

him, telling him that in the first place, she was too young to think of marriage, and that, in the second, I liked him not, and would never give my consent to her having him, and lastly, that she liked him as little as I did. He answered insolently, and I then expelled him from the house, when he threatened me that I should erelong regr

ers. Methinks they would have said naught, but Bierstadt, whom I had not noticed, suddenly grasped me by the arm, saying, 'This is the daughter of the Fleming to whose house I am taking you, one of the chief oppressors of the poor.' Johann struck him in the face, and as he loosened his hold of me I darted away. Looking back, I

afe. During the last two days I have brought down a provision of food, wine, and water sufficien

ar is that when they cannot discover where

counterpoise, and when it is lowered," and touching a spring, it began to descend, thus closing the stairway, "not only would it baffle them did they find the entrance abov