Richard II

r's Insu

. 1

which they suffered in the early part of King Richard's reign is commonly called Wat Tyler's insurrection, as if

me of W

y tiles for the roofs of houses, according to the custom of roofing prevailing in those days. So he was ca

f the c

alter's co

leaders of it; there were however, several other leaders. The names by which the principal of them were known were Jack Straw, William Wraw, Jack Shepherd, John Milner, Hob Carter, and John Ball. It is supposed that many of these names were fic

er of t

orians is not conclusive on this point, for they belonged to, and wrote in the interest of the upper classes, their enemies. The

hand, far more commonly the violent, the desperate, and the bad that are first goaded on to assume this terrible responsibility. It is, indeed, one of the darkest features of tyranny that it tends, by the reaction which follow

he lower class

ually become enlightened in respect to their natural rights; and now, when the class immediately above them were so grievously oppressed and harassed by the taxes which were assessed upon them, and stil

s pro

e used to make speeches to the people in the market-place, representing to them the hardships which they endured by the oppressions of the nobility, and urging them to combine together to petition the king for a redress o

r or

n the resentment and anger of their audiences in the highest degree, and produce the greatest possible excitement. These orators, having begun with condemning the extravagant wealth, the haughty pretensions, and the cruel oppressions of

disc

ight have one set of men to make another set their slaves? What right have they to compel us to toil all our lives to earn money, that they may live at ease and spend it? They are clothed in velvets and rich stuffs, ornamented with ermine and furs, while we are half naked, or clothed only in rags. They have wines, and spices, and fine bread, while we have nothing but rye, and the refuse of

h and error in

and goaded by the oppressions which they suffered almost to despair, will, of course, be extravagant in their complaints. None but thos

inequality

y personal liberty, and are paid the fair wages which they earn by their labor, and are treated with kindness and consideration by those whose duties are of a higher and more intellectual character, and whose position in life is superior to theirs, they are, almost without exception, satisfied and happy. It is only when they are

octrine of

of rights, that is claimed for man. All men-the doctrine is simply-have an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Even when all are in the full enjoyment of their rights, different men will, of course, attain to very different degrees of advancement in the objects of their desire. Some will be rich and some will be poor; some will be servants and some masters; some will be the employers and s

at Tyler's

miles about London was in a very sullen and angry mood, ready for an outbreak the moment that any incident should occur to p

erer in Walt

rable

gatherer

a house nearby. The only persons that were at home were his wife and a young daughter just growing to womanhood. The tax-gatherer said that the girl was full-grown, and that they must pay the higher tax for her. Her mother said, "No, she is not full-grown yet; she is only a child." The tax-gatherer then said he would soon find out whether she was a woman or not, and went to her to take hold of her, offering her rudeness and violence of the worst possible character. The poor girl screamed and struggled to get away from him. Her mother ran to the door, and made a great outcry, calling for help. Walter, hearing the cries, seized for a club a heavy imple

surgents to ma

ad their daughters maltreated in the same way by the tax-gatherers, but had not dared to resist or to complain. They now, however, flocked around the house of Walter, and

have pity upon us, and be just to us.

nced their march toward London. They were joined on the road by large companies that came from the villages and towns on th

OF LONDON, AS SE

lt on the banks of the river, in the lower part of London. A number of the nobles who had most cause to fear the mob went with him, and shut themselves up there. The Princess of Wales, Richard's mother, happened to be at Canterbury at the time, having gone there on a pilgrimage. She immediately set out on her return to Lon

ements by

admini

towns along the road to join the insurgents, the lead

faithful and tru

John. This was aimed at the Duke of Lancaster, who

upon to do so, and always to be ready to march themselves,

he obnoxious taxes, and never to sub

ishop of

of the government which they passed on the way; and many persons, whom they supposed to be their enemies, they killed. At Canterbury they pillaged the palace of the archbishop. The Archbishop of Canterbury, then as now,

Sir John

found in it, and compelled him to go with them to London. The knight was very unwilling to go with them,

th us at once, and in every thing do exa

f his children with them also, to hold as securi

ay of men of rank and family, and compelled them to ride at the head of

s sent as an emba

o villages below London, farther down than the Tower, and near the bank of the river. Here they halted, and determined to

t to the river, and, taking a boat, he crossed over to the Tower. The guards

court. They were all in a state of great suspense and anxiety, awaiting tidings. They knew that the whole country

Sir John and the

ll the courtiers. He fell on his knees as soon as he entered the king's presence, and beg

id he, "that I come not vol

hing to fear, and directed him to pr

d wished to see the king, and he urgently requested t

ys respected you, and they will continue to respect and honor you as their king. They only wish to tell you some things which they say it is very necessary that

wer if he could, or at least to allow him to return to them with such a reply as

ldren as hostages, and unless I retur

be done. There was much difference of opinion, but it was finally concluded to send word to the men that the king would come down the river on

turns to th

river in his boat, went back to the camp of the insurge

There were sixty thousand men on the ground, it is said, and, of course, they were very insufficiently provided with food, and not at all with shelter. They, h

down to meet t

ew. About ten thousand of the insurgents had come to the spot, and when they saw the barge coming in sight with the royal party on board, they burst out into such a terrific uproar, with yells, screams, shouts, outcries, and frantic gesticulations, that they seemed to the king and his party like a compan

he bank of

from the shore, and to address the people from the deck. The king resolved to do so. So the barge lay floating on the river, the oarsmen taking a few strokes from time to time t

uest," said he, "to hear

his way on the deck of a boat, within speaking distance of the shore, might, with a rifle, or even with a musket, have been killed in a moment by any one of the thousands on the shore. In

th the in

g to speak, they became in some measure calm; and when he asked again what they wished for, the leaders replied by saying t

out the king replied t

re not properly dressed, nor in a fit condition, i

ing r

he scene truly terrific. The counselors of the king insisted that it was not safe for the king to remain any longer on the river, so the oarsmen were ordered to pull their oars, and the barge immediately bega

s resolve to

complaints was soon spread among the whole multitude, and the cry was raised, To London! To London! So the whole mighty mass began to put itself in motion, and in a few hours all the roads that led toward the metropolis were thronged with vast crowds of ragged an

br

side of the river. This bridge was on the site of the present London Bridge, about half a mile above the Tower. There was a gate at the end of the br

d destroy the houses outside. Now it happened that many of these houses were handsome villas which belonged to the rich citizens of the town. These

a while, but they will soon get tired and go away; whereas, by opposing

he common people of London that sympathized

redress for grievances which we suffer as well as they. Their ca

SA

ent in

ates

ying the suburbs, and they declared that if the Londoners did not open the gates, they would, after ravaging every thing without the walls

occupy the st

adful shouts and outcries, and brandishing their pikes with great fury. The citizens, in hopes to conciliate them, brought out food for them, and some gave them wine. On receiving these provisions, the insurgents built fires in the streets, and encamped around them, to partake of the food and refreshments which the citizens had bestowed. They were rendered more good-natured, perh

as has been said, being engaged in military operations on the frontiers of Scotland. The

the Duke of Lan

g movable that would burn. The plate, and other such valuables as would not burn, they broke up and threw into the Thames. They strictly forbade that any of the property should be taken away. One man hid a silver cup in his bos

d righteousness, to execute judgment upon a crimina

OF THE

re to the building, and burned it to the ground. A portion of the walls re

ion of t

them. They hung all the lawyers that they could get into their hands, and after burning the Savoy they went to the Temple, which was a spaciou

ion of Ric

es of

the time that he received these injuries Walter had no redress, but now the opportunity had come, he thought, for revenge. So he led a gang of the most desperate and reckless of the insurgents to Lyon's house, and, seizing

ad made themselves particularly obnoxious to the insurge

uac near

king and his court had shut themselves up in great terror, not knowing what to do to escape from the dreadful inundation of poverty and misery which had so suddenly poured in upon them. The