The accession of Bolingbroke to the throne as Henry IV was marred by the muttering that he was a usurper.

The coronation of Henry IV in October 1399.

Despite the jollity at the coronation banquet, others were quietly bitching about Henry as they tucked into their venison. To them, he was not the rightful king, and they remained loyal to Richard II. The snarls of these malcontents were hidden by raised goblets.

‘A most angry, bitter faction!

But could idle, drunken chatter become sober, serious action?’

As 1399 drew to a close, Henry looked forward to 1400 and his first calendar year as King of England. However, it was not to be a happy year.

‘Those early years, for Henry, brought nothing but pain and tears!

 

(Problem 1)

Rebellion at New Year!

A number of Richard II’s supporters hatched a plot to murder Henry and his sons and restore the former king to the throne. It was known as the Epiphany Plot, because it was planned for January 6th 1400, at a jousting tournament. However, the plotters were betrayed and Henry was alerted to the danger, and with his sons escaped in the nick of time. The conspirators fled, but were hunted down and executed.

‘Oh! You, yes you, would come to murder the king and his sons on Twelfth Night!

For the cause of King Richard, you were determined to fight!

But your plot was betrayed and you were all put to flight!’

It had been a most unpleasant experience, but something of a salutary lesson. While Richard was alive, Henry’s place on the throne would remain insecure. Henry’s followers impressed upon him the gravity of the situation. Perhaps they said:

‘It’s time that dear Dick, the former king, becomes a trifle sick!

Because while he breathes!

you can never, on the throne sit at ease!’

Richard would die the following month, at the age of 33, in circumstances which remain shrouded in mystery.

 

(Problem 2)

Wales.

Henry’s attitude to the province was one of ill-concealed contempt.

‘When I think of Wales and the Welsh!

I simply wish to sit back, pat my stomach and loudly belch!’

Unfortunately, Henry would not be afforded the opportunity to become so inactive. Owen Glendower, a Welsh noble who had been educated at the Inns of Court in London, decided to rebel against Henry IV in September 1400. Proclaiming himself Prince of Wales, Glendower soon attracted substantial Welsh support and his rebellion enjoyed a number of early military successes.

‘It is news from Wales concerning Owen Glendower!

His actions, your majesty, are calculated to make you glower!’

Owen Glendower

Glendower soon gained control over most of Wales. In 1404, he had himself crowned Prince of Wales and had called a Welsh parliament. His cause was aided by the Percy family’s decision to revolt against Henry in 1403.  Glendower even managed  to enlist support from the French, who sent an armed force to Wales.

Wales for the Welsh!

Never before or since had an independent Welsh nation become so close to being a reality. However, after Glendower’s defeat at the battle Pwll Melyn in 1406, his forces never regained the initiative and were forced into a constant retreat. Eventually, Glendower became a fugitive in his own land and despite the offering of a huge reward for his capture, he was never betrayed by his people. He was probably dead by 1416, but his ultimate fate remains unknown.

(Problem 3)

The Percy revolt of 1403.

Given his problems with Glendower from 1400 onwards, the last thing that Henry wanted was a fight with a powerful baron. However, in July 1403, this was exactly what happened. When  Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland rebelled in July 1403, the king’s worst nightmare came to pass. Percy had been a loyal supporter of Henry against King Richard and had since protected the northern border against Scottish incursions. However, the Percys maintained that they had been starved of funds with which to protect the borders from attack.  There had been a dramatic confrontation at Westminster in late 1402, when Percy’s son, known as Hotspur, demanded additional funds in the presence of King Henry. The king was furious at such impertinent conduct.

‘That upstart hound, Hotspur!

Hath proven himself, an insufferable common cur!’

The Percys agreed to make common cause with Owen Glendower. In the summer of 1403, an army led by Hotspur and the forces of Owen Glendower were due to meet at Shrewsbury. King Henry was determined to avoid the prospect of meeting their combined armies on the field of battle. The king moved fast and managed to engage Hotspur at Berwick on July 21st, before he could  team up with Glendower. At first, Hotspur gained the initiative, but all was lost when he was felled by an arrow despatched by a royal archer.

The death of Hotspur at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

King Henry had successfully defeated his opponents, and this particular threat to his throne had been thwarted.

‘By his many actions so base, senseless and awful!

King Richard sowed the seeds of his own ignominious downfall!’

Richard now embarked upon a policy which he believed would secure him his coveted position as absolute monarch. In fact, it would bring about his own dramatic fall from power and ultimately his untimely death, aged just thirty three. He introduced a series of new laws and inflicted heavy fines on the areas of the country which had been loyal to the Duke of Gloucester.

The people howled! Oh how they howled!

‘You punish us for being faithful to your uncle, our overlord!

You hit us with heavy, horrible taxes that we can ill- afford!

Things came to a head when John of Gaunt died in February of 1399. Richard refused to allow his son, Henry Bolingbroke to inherit the duchy of Lancaster. In fact, he had Bolingbroke exiled from the realm of England for life. Richard’s actions would have the effect of reducing Bolingbroke’s status to that of a pauper.

Henry Bolingbroke.

Bolingbroke’s anger knew no bounds:

‘King Richard has turned me out to live my life as a beggar on foreign soil!

I have a friend in the king of France, so Richard’s dastardly plans, I will foil!

Bolingbroke took refuge at the French court and coolly plotted his revenge on Richard. A good many people in England were aghast at Richard’s action, and sympathy for Bolingbroke was growing throughout the country. If the king could deprive one noble of his rightful inheritance, he might do it to others. King Richard, loftily oblivious of the mounting discontent amongst the nobility, departed for Ireland in June 1399. Richard left his uncle, the Duke of York, in charge whilst he was away. Bolingbroke saw his chance and that July, landed in Yorkshire with three hundred followers. With Richard away in Ireland, many people took the opportunity to join Bolingbroke’s army and force the king from his throne. Even the Duke of York threw his lot in with Bolingbroke.

‘While the cat’s away, the mice will play!

Oh wicked King Richard, you have had your day!’

The city of London declared their allegiance to Bolingbroke and in the west, his supporters captured Bristol. When Richard landed in Wales in late July, his own soldiers were deserting him in droves. His cause was lost, but after entertaining  initial delusions of victory, he accepted defeat. Captured at Conwy castle in Wales, the king was taken to Flint castle to meet with Henry Bolingbroke.

King Richard and Bolingbroke at Flint castle

Henry then escorted King Richard to London where he was lodged in the Tower to await his fate. From his chamber, he was probably able to hear the raucous jeers and insulting slogans shouted by the local people. His misery must have been almost unbearable for a man so thin-skinned and proud. Great pressure was brought to bear on Richard to abdicate the throne and this he did on September 29th.

King Richard abdicates in favour of Henry Bolingbroke.

It is clear that he was threatened with death if he did not agree to do so. On September 30th, Richard’s cousin, Henry Bolingbroke was proclaimed king as Henry IV. However, Richard’s supporters staged an uprising against Henry in late 1399 and early 1400, which was defeated. The rebellion probably convinced Henry that while Richard lived, his own hold on power was threatened. In any case Richard died on or around February 14th 1400. The precise details of his death have never been revealed, although murder remains the most likely explanation.

‘Well, ain’t life just really swell!

All’s well that ends well!’

King Richard II

On the surface, the king and their lords Appellant maintained a veneer of friendliness. But inside, Richard was seething with resentment. Nevertheless, there was a certain chumminess in the air when John of Gaunt returned from Castile in November 1189. The old warrior had managed to extract a large fortune during his time in Spain, and had left his daughter Catherine there as Queen consort. King Richard welcomed his uncle warmly and they embraced:

‘Oh welcome back from Spain, dear uncle Jack!

It is so good to have you back, running around on your old familiar track!

John of Gaunt

In fact, John of Gaunt became a loyal supporter of Richard’s policy of making peace with France.

But in 1394, tragedy struck when Queen Anne died of the plague at Sheen Palace, leaving Richard devastated. Queen Anne was truly the great love of his life. Richard was engulfed by an all-consuming grief, which occupied his mind to the exclusion of any other consideration. In his sorrow, the king ordered that the palace be destroyed, because it reminded him of his terrible loss. A huge funeral for which no expense had been spared was held at Westminster Abbey. The Earl of Arundel interrupted the solemnities by arriving late, and then telling the king that he had to leave early. An infuriated Richard struck the unfortunate noble with a staff and then had him carried off to the Tower of London.

‘From you, ungracious earl, with this staff, I have drawn a little blood!

Were it  for the fact that we are in church, it would not have been a mere trickle, but an almighty flood!

However, despite his sense of loss, Richard’s status as a widower was short lived. In 1396 he married Isabella, the daughter of King Charles VI of France. Richard, who considered the Hundred Years War to have been a terrible waste of lives and money, wished for better relations with France.

King Charles VI of France.

 

There was a considerable age difference between bride and groom. King Richard was twenty seven and Isabella was six years old.

 

However, Richard was becoming almost imperial in his style of kingship. His sense of majesty was so great that it had to focussed upon and acknowledged with the utmost deference by all.

‘Oh King Richard of England, superstar!

All will applaud your majestic Highness, whether they be near or from afar!’

Richard’s haughtiness recognised no limits amongst these temporary, worldly confines. He deferred only to God Almighty and did so with great piety. Richard endowed religious abbeys and churches with large amounts of gold and silver, so they might provide for a greater reflection of God’s glory against the backdrop of this dreary, temporal existence.

In the summer of 1397, Richard moved against those whom he considered to be his enemies.

‘Oh vengeance is mine!

Oh, how sweet, indeed almost divine!’

Arundel, Gloucester, the king’s uncle and Warwick were arrested. Gloucester had made himself particularly unpopular by complaining about Richard’s extravagances and the level of taxation levied to pay for them. Richard had Gloucester sent to Calais and it is claimed that he was smothered or strangled whilst preparing for dinner.

The murder of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester.

Gloucester’s murderers then placed his body in bed and maintained that that was how they had discovered him dead. The official explanation for Gloucester’s death was that he had died of natural causes. Arundel’s demise was effected by a more familiar, traditional method of despatch. On September 20th 1397, he vociferous duke had his head severed from his body on Tower Hill in front of a large crowd. Warwick was stripped of his lands and exiled to the Isle of Man.

‘Justice has been done to ye three!

If you cross me, then this is how it will be!’

Richard, constantly surrounded for protection by a large body of archers, watched the events with great satisfaction. He then pondered his next move and thereby his own downfall.

‘

King Richard was not prepared to meekly accept parliament’s intrusion into his affairs. The king declared:

‘I may be, but a fledging, not yet twenty-one!

But, I am the anointed king and therefore, my will, can, must and will be done!’

Almost at once the young king began sounding opinion and canvassing support from various quarters. In August of 1387, he declared that henceforth, he would rule with the assistance of his own handpicked advisers. Richard was supported by a number of judges, who ruled that those who had restricted the powers of the king could be tried as traitors and punished accordingly. This was simply too much for Gloucester and Arundel. They and their supporters, dubbed the ‘Lords Appellants’ exclaimed;

‘Do they expect us like sheep to the scaffold, quietly go!

And suffer, without complaint, not a murmur, the axeman’s blow!’

The Lords Appellants rose in revolt.

A royalist army under William de Vere, Duke of Ireland, confronted a force commanded by Lancaster’s son, Henry Bolingbroke at Radcot Bridge in Oxfordshire in December 1387. Here, Bolingbroke shattered de Vere’s army and the unfortunate duke was forced to flee the field in the most humiliating fashion. De Vere took off his armour and swam along the river until he found woodland in which he took shelter for the night.

The Battle of Radcot Bridge.

‘Oh, dear Robert de Vere at Radcot Bridge was forced to strip off his gear!

He dived into the water and swam away from  the battlefield in a frenzy of fear!’

Robert de Vere depicted in a boat departing Radcot Bridge. He did not leave in such a convenient and dignified manner, for naked, he swam the whole way.

News of de Vere’s ignominious defeat soon reached London. King Richard was asked:

‘Pray sire, what are you to do?

I’m going to cower in the Tower!’

That is exactly what he did do. Following their victory, Bolingbroke and the other ‘Lords Appellants’ marched to London and confronted King Richard as he cowered in the Tower of London. Bolingbroke, just like his father John of Gaunt, did not mince his words:

‘You said that you were the sovereign king and that your will must be done!

But King Dick, after Radcot Bridge, you are right back to square one!’

A new parliament was summoned in February 1388 to tie up the loose ends. It was aptly named the ‘Merciless Parliament’ as it ordered the executions of so many of Richard’s allies.

An example of the Merciless Parliament conducting essential business.

This could have meant the end of Richard’s reign, but his crown was saved by the intervention of his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke. Their Lord’s Apellants judged that Richard, having learnt his lesson, would now rule in accordance with their view of how things should be done. On this occasion, they had in fact, misjudged the young monarch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘A medieval literary interlude!

A good yarn puts everyone in a better  mood!

Whether they be of gentle tone, or even a little lewd!’

Geoffrey Chaucer

The man writing the yarns in the latter part of the 14th century was Geoffrey Chaucer, a man of many talents. He was a soldier, diplomat, administrator, Member of Parliament, gardener and a poet. Many would be impressed by this compelling man, including the royal family, especially King Edward III. Chaucer would remain in royal favour, with the ascension to the throne of Richard II and also under his successor, Henry IV in 1399 . To enjoy the pleasure of three kings over a period of forty years, during times of dangerous political intrigues in which many heads rolled, was an achievement in itself.

Chaucer was born in London around 1443 into a prosperous family of vintners.

‘Life is simply divine when you are partaking of the fruit of the vine!’

The Chaucer family’s connection to wine would continue in an unexpected vein, later in Geoffrey’s career. Chaucer would gain a fan in King Edward III, who admired his poetry. In recognition of his literary talents, the king in 1374, granted Chaucer a gallon of wine a day for the rest of his life.

King Edward III.

‘My dear Chaucer, thou dost write many a fine poetic line!

So I am rewarding you with a daily ration of  delicious vintage wine!’

Geoffrey Chaucer

In fact, Chaucer had caught the eye of King Edward III as a teenager, long before his literary career had borne fruit. In 1359, he sailed to France as a soldier in one of Edward’s military expeditions. However, he was captured by French forces at the siege of Rheims and held for ransom.

The siege of Rheims.

The king happily paid the princely sum of £16 (more than £11,000 in today’s money) for young Geoffrey’s safe return. The king remarked:

‘Oh yonder Geoffrey, a lad so fair and handsome!

For his safe return, I will gladly pay the requested ransom!’

It is likely that the king considered the ransom fee as money well spent. Chaucer would go on to serve the crown as a diplomat, travelling to France, Italy and Spain during the 1360’s. He must have made an impression, as King Edward awarded Chaucer a pension of 20 marks for services rendered.

Geoffrey Chaucer married the politically connected Philippa Roet, the two having met as children in the household of Elizabeth of Ulster. They probably had four children and Philippa died around 1387.

To be a pilgrim.

‘You know, life can at times, be a trifle grim!

Well, liven it up by going forth and becoming a pilgrim!’

There was no such thing as a holiday in medieval times, because few people left the area in which they were born. Although the term holiday is derived from ‘holy days’ when people would meet to enjoy sports and a little feasting with their neighbours at the local church. However, some people would be lucky enough to travel on a pilgrimage to one of England’s many holy shrines. The pilgrimages gave rise to an industry rather like today’s commercial tourism. The places where they were located would of course offer accommodation and food to the pilgrims, as well as souvenirs to take home. One of the most famous and frequently visited places of pilgrimage was the shrine of Thomas Beckett at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Canterbury Tales.

Chaucer decided that a pilgrimage to Canterbury was a basis for a good story and the result was The Canterbury Tales.

The Canterbury Tales is undoubtedly Chaucer’s most well known work. It is a story of a group of pilgrims who set off from the Tabard Inn in London for their destination, the shrine of Thomas Beckett at Canterbury Cathedral.

Medieval pilgrims en route to a shrine.

‘

In his masterpiece, Chaucer vividly describes the characters, and their stories give a lively insight  into a slice of late medieval life. Pilgrimages were an important aspect of the medieval kaleidoscope and were undertaken for a variety of reasons. One might embark on a pilgrimage in order to atone for past sins and therefore receive a shorter sentence in purgatory.

‘My pilgrimage is a holy mission!

A journey of abject and sincere contrition!’

The Pardoner.

‘I beg your pardon!

Purgatory sure ain’t no rose garden!’

One of the characters in Chaucer’s epic work was the pardoner in the Pardoner’s Tale. The Catholic Church was the only religion of any significance in medieval times and it exercised great influence over the people. It taught people to think of the next world rather than the present one and the importance of doing good and avoiding sin. Priests would regale their congregations about the sublime rewards of heaven and the agonies of the fires of hell.

Purgatory was a half way house where the dead would suffer unspeakable torments before being admitted to heaven. However, a sinner might avoid a long stint in purgatory if they were to pay for the privilege. This is where the pardoner came in.

The Pardoner.

‘Today, people might call the pardoner, a cynical old religious freak!

But in those days, they simply marvelled at his amazing selling technique!’

The Pardoner was authorised by the Church to sell ‘indulgences’, a fee for spending less time in purgatory. The service raised huge sums of money for the Church as well as making people feel better about themselves..

Others would go in order to ask for divine intervention in the case of a loved one being afflicted by a terrible illness. Another reason for becoming a pilgrim would be to give thanks to God for deliverance from sickness. The Canterbury Tales was written towards the end of Chaucer’s life and remained unfinished at his death in 1400. Nevertheless, it is regarded as a truly great work of English literature and is studied in educational establishments all over the world to this very day.

Chaucer died in London in October, 1400 and is interred in what is now known as Poets Corner in Westminster Abbey.

 

 

‘Richard now had to contend with his uncle, Thomas, the Duke of Gloucester!

Good relations between uncle and nephew, were becoming increasingly difficult to foster!’

Gloucester and his supporters were angry with the calibre of the men who advised the king. One reason for this was unadulterated snobbery on their part. The nobles objected to them because they were of low birth. To Gloucester, if a man was not born into the aristocracy, he should not be elevated to the king’s side. Gloucester and his allies were particularly critical of Richard’s chancellor, Michael de la Pole. To Gloucester’s grumblings, Richard retorted:

‘You shout and rage about de la Pole and condemn him as a low born slob!

For no other reason than you are an insufferable old snob!’

In October 1386, parliament met at Westminster and demanded among other things, the removal of de la Pole. Richard, who had refused to leave Eltham palace to visit Westminster, replied:

‘I would not even remove a scullion from my kitchen at your request!

You may complain all you want, be my guest!’

Richard’s rather highhanded attitude did not sit well with their lordships at Westminster. Gloucester and another powerful noble, Richard FitzAlan, the earl of Arundel confronted the king at Eltham. They did not mince their words.

Richard receives Gloucester and Arundel at Eltham palace.

‘We demand the dismissal of that rogue, Michael de la Pole!

If you refuse, be warned, the result will be an own goal!’

The two nobles told the king that he was governing in a most unjust fashion and this had to stop forthwith. They even had the gall to remind him of the horrible fate of his great-grandfather, Edward II, some 60 years earlier. The king, a fledgling of 21 years, folded before the magnates and agreed to their demands. Michael de la Pole was dismissed as chancellor, and a commission was established to look into the affairs of both the government, and the royal household. The commission’s investigation was to last for a year.

‘Our intention, your majesty is not to cause you any unnecessary pain!’

However, necessity demands that you be kept on a tighter rein!’

Parliament now exercised unprecedented power over the monarch and Richard winced at what he regarded as its intrusions. In the meantime, Richard had no choice but to wait and bide his time.

 

 

‘France and Scotland, in the year of 1386 did conspire to put an end to King Richard’s reign!

But by the year’s end, it was a case of  something ventured, but absolutely nothing gained!’

Scotland.

In 1385 the Scots, encouraged by the French who were planning an invasion of England, began to raid the northern counties. What was most worrying from Richard’s point of view, was the presence of French knights amongst the the Scots army. In retaliation, Richard assembled an army and along with his uncle, Lancaster, marched north. However the Scots, feeling that discretion was the better part of valour, refused to engage the English in open battle.

Richard II

‘With his great army, Richard was intent on showing the Scots that he was a man to be feared!

But when he came to the Lowlands, the Scots retreated to the Highlands and disappeared!’

King Richard had to content himself with sacking Edinburgh and destroying  some abbeys. Richard and Lancaster now disagreed upon how to proceed. Lancaster, a seasoned veteran of Scottish campaigns, favoured following the Scots into the Highlands, but Richard demurred. Pursuing the Scots into their home territory was a tricky proposition and he doubted that they would be successful. It was at this point that Richard showed his more humanitarian instincts. He told Lancaster that a long campaign with inadequate supplies would condemn the ordinary soldiers to death by hunger. This was something that he could not countenance.

‘You and I uncle, can fill our bellies with wine, lamb and pork!

But the poor foot soldier is without a morsel to place on his fork!’

If we make an invasion of the Highlands, our goal!

It will mean for many of  our men, the separation of body and soul!’

Overall, Richard deemed the idea foolhardy and they returned south.  Lancaster was furious and complained:

‘ Richard bears no resemblance either to his father or his grandfather, Edward III!

They would have fought the Scots, but he flies south like a frightened little bird!’

 

Memories of dad and granddad in more heroic times!

France.

The following year 1386, witnessed great panic within the realm, due to rumours of the long anticipated French invasion. It failed to materialise, because France lacked the funds to sustain such an undertaking. England’s borders were safe!

Domestic trouble.

Then to Richard’s delight, John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, decided to relocate to Castile, Spain in order to press his claim for the throne there. The king was so pleased that he gave his uncle a golden crown as a going away present.

‘Good riddance to John of Gaunt, my unloved uncle!

He’s nothing more than a greedy, irritating old carbuncle!’

Although my uncle John often made me frown!

I sent him on his way with a splendid golden crown!’

Richard’s troubles did not evaporate with Lancaster’s departure. Another uncle of the king, the Duke of Gloucester undertook the role of royal enemy number one.

Thomas, Duke of Gloucester.

A status which he adopted with great, undisguised relish. Gloucester’s main target was Richard’s favourite, Michael de la Pole, whom he and his allies in parliament wanted removed as Chancellor. Gloucester wanted rid of de la Pole and another of Richard’s advisers, Robert de Vere, as they wished for a policy of peace towards France. This was not acceptable to Gloucester, who wanted to take a harder line against the French.

‘Richard and his men, in their thoughts of France, were akin to doves!

They wished to handle the French with pleasant, velvet gloves!

Gloucester’s attitude to France was like that of a hawk!

He demanded action and disdained gentle, soft, syrupy talk!’

 

Deep divisions had emerged at Richard’s court and such a situation could do no other than bode ill for the future.

As 1381 drew to a close, King Richard II, supping his yuletide wine, reflected on the horrors of the Peasants Revolt and sighed:

‘My God, those two devils, Tyler and Ball, causing a diabolical commotion in the pursuit of making everyone equal!

With a bit of luck, its dismal failure and the subsequent executions will preclude a hideous sequel!

I am so glad that the ghastly year of 1381 is over and done!

I am getting married in January, so 1382 promises to be a lot more fun!’

The year which followed the Peasants Revolt was a rather more happy one for King Richard. In January of 1382, he married Anne of Bohemia, whose late father, Charles IV had been, the Holy Roman Emperor.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV.

Richard was greatly looking forward to his marriage to Anne, despite the fact that he had never met her.

King Richard II and his Queen consort, Anne of Bohemia.

‘Anne saw her man, and of him, she became an instant fan!

Richard eyed his girl, and decided that she was worth more than a simple twirl!’

When the two fifteen year olds did meet, Anne must have been impressed at what she saw. Like his ancestors, Edwards I, II and III, Richard was tall and fine looking. The king would eventually reach a towering, six feet in height, which he bore with a regal air. Richard loved to adorn himself in the finest of garments and without doubt, he had spared no expense in tailoring when preparing to meet Anne for the first time. Richard and Anne were kindred spirits and the marriage would prove to be a happy one. The king was inconsolable when Anne died in 1394.

‘For Richard and Anne, it was pretty much love at first sight!

And in their time together, never a harsh word, let alone a fight!’

Anne was a gentle girl and possessed a warm sense of humanity. Indeed, this was shown when she persuaded Richard to call a halt to the executions of those involved in the Peasants Revolt. So, Anne proved to be something of a restraining influence on her husband, seeking to curb his wilder impulses. Nevertheless, her husband was of a highly strung disposition, as he had inherited the famous Plantagenet temper. King Richard’s fury was truly terrible to behold. Courtiers and household staff alike lived in constant fear of his anger, which turned him into a ranting, stammering and incoherent maniac. On a later occasion, he actually drew his sword on the Archbishop of Canterbury and would have used it, but fortunately he was prevented from doing so.

The early years of his reign had seen him learning his kingly craft in the shadow of his two uncles, Thomas of Woodstock, and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. This would change in 1383, as he sought to break free from their orbit, and seek the advice of others. The two noble brothers greatly resented their young nephew’s decision to spread his royal wings and to draw new blood into his inner sanctum.

‘Dear uncles, John and Tom, my greatest thanks for your service, from you both, I have learned a great deal!

But now, it is time that I look to others for advice before on any piece of parchment, I place the royal seal!’

Uncles John and Thomas, feeling somewhat piqued, glumly departed Richard’s court to spend their time brooding at their huge estates. They felt that they had taught King Richard everything that he knew.

‘Ungrateful young cur!

It seems that it is the company of others that he doth prefer!’

Thomas of Woodstock, later Duke of Gloucester.

1382 had been a wonderful year for Richard and he looked forward to a long and successful reign. Would fortune smile upon his regal head and grant his ambitions? Surely God would protect his anointed person against those who seek to do evil ? But what if Richard were to do wrong and be seen to be doing so!

‘After a peaceful slumber, Wat Tyler awoke, his cloak covered with the morning dew!

Having arisen early, he was focussed on the day and what he had resolved to do!’

Tyler had received word that the king wished to speak with him again. This pleased the rebel leader because he was intent on pressing his advantage. Tyler had some more demands he wished to put to the king. Still, what of yesterday?

‘Cor, what a day was yesterday! Me, a poor roof tiler talking man to man with the king! All those lords dressed in their finery and gold never uttered a dicky bird the whole time. Father John Ball was dead right! Stand up to the over fed rogues and they will fold like a tent!  Swallowing too much venison and wine after a jousting session is all they ever do and it’s all they are good for! Us working peasants perform backbreaking labour on a diet of bread, a sup of small beer and perhaps a little pork! Tis a life that puts iron in your blood!’ Oh, there’s reverend John Ball.’

Morning Father Ball!

Good morning dear Wat! Yesterday was a great day for the common people!

And today, dear father, will be even better! Just wait and see! The king and his worthless gang of lackeys are coming to see us! We don’t have to go bow and scraping to him in his gorgeous palace surrounded by a crowd of simpering hounds! He is coming to us! 

Father John Ball preaching to the rebels in 1381.

True to his word, Richard and the royal entourage, appeared in Smithfield at the appointed time. What the rebels did not know, was that many in the royal retinue were carrying weapons concealed beneath their garments.

‘This was a meeting intended to end the recent sorrow, pillage and strife!

But King Richard’s retainers secretly carried weapons, such as sword and knife!’

Tyler rode out to meet the king and began to converse with him. The rebel leader asked for further concessions, including the right for peasants to hunt in the forests and the abolition of tithes, to which Richard appeared to agree. What happened next is not entirely clear. It seems that William Walworth, the mayor of London, objected to what he considered Tyler’s disrespectful attitude towards the king. Walworth is said to have cried:

‘False stinking knave!

Tis time that you were laid in your grave!’

Walworth then struck Tyler with his short sword, knocking him from his horse. Tyler was fatally wounded and died soon after. The rebels, furious at this turn of events, began to reach for their bows and it appeared that a pitched battle was about to begin. The day was saved by the fourteen year old King Richard. Showing immense presence of mind and great courage, the king rode to the rebel lines and told them:

‘I am your one true leader, so dear men please be at peace!

Everything that you have asked for will be granted piece by piece!

One and all will now follow me to the city gate!

From there you will depart London in a spirit of  great love, not vicious hate!’

King Richard exhorts the rebels to follow him.

The thoroughfares out of London that day were filled with gleeful peasants whooping with rapturous excitement. Their bright, laughing eyes glinting in the moonlight, and from their tongues came notes of pure joy. Tomorrow would be a better day, great hopes were about to be realised.

‘God protect dear Richard our sovereign king!

His praises, all of us here, do stand and sing!’

These happy sounds were soon replaced by howls of despair, and the cries of the peasant leaders as they were executed. King Richard soon broke every single promise that he made to the peasants that summer’s day in 1381. John Ball, who had fled to Coventry was captured, and after a show trial suffered the agonising death of being hanged drawn and quartered. The unfortunate priest was hanged for a short time and then castrated, before having his internal organs slowly cut from his abdomen and burnt before his eyes. Ball suffered this terrible punishment whilst still alive. To the authorities, he had become a figure of the utmost odium and had therefore to suffer accordingly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘In the month of June, like wildfire the revolt did spread.

Thus  filling the minds of the English nobility with terrible, unholy dread!’

In June the rebels of Kent, now having elected a leader, one Wat Tyler, entered Maidstone jail and freed the inmates being held there. One of these newly freed prisoners was a priest, named John Ball.

Father John Ball

Ball was a roving priest who preached the gospel of social equality, and his sermons had greatly offended the church authorities. Later in London, Ball would make speeches to the rebels assuring them of the justice of their cause.

From Maidstone, the rebels marched on Canterbury, entering the city on June 10th and proceeded to pillage the palace of Archbishop Simon Sudbury. Sudbury was detested, because as Chancellor, he had introduced the poll tax.  The rebels were fortunate in their timing, as John of Gaunt was in the north conducting a campaign against the Scots.

The scale of the uprising was truly frightening and London was of course the final destination of the rebels. From the north came the men of Hertfordshire, from the east, marched the discontents of Essex and from Kent, peasants led by Tyler strode forth. An orgy of destruction, murder and pillage was now beginning to characterise a popular uprising, caused by a multitude of genuine grievances. By June 12th, Tyler had established a base of Kentish men at Blackheath and proceeded to attack selected targets in London. Their task was made easier, because sympathetic Londoners had opened the city gates to them and in they poured. Gaunt’s palatial residence, the Savoy, was plundered and torched.

They marched through the city and burnt the tax records at Lambeth. Elsewhere, a number of royal officials were murdered. The Fleet gaol was stormed and the inmates released. It is said that the homes of the Flemings and Lombards were attacked, the unfortunate residents seized and put to the sword. The city of London had never endured such carnage. King Richard, a mere teenager, and his court were forced to take refuge in the Tower of London. Was the English feudal order, so carefully created and crafted by his ancestor, William the Conqueror about to collapse?

‘King Richard, safely ensconced in the Tower, from the battlements pondered the chaotic view!

The city and indeed the entire kingdom is in peril, what am I to do!’

On June 14th, King Richard, showing considerable courage, travelled from the Tower of London to Mile End to meet with the rebels.

‘The king, a mere boy in his fifteenth year!

Sallied forth to meet the  baying mob, showing not a hint of fear!’

 

King Richard meets with the rebels at Mile End, June 14th 1381.

At Mile End, King Richard listened as Wat Tyler told him what the rebels wanted. Amongst the demands was the abolition of serfdom and compulsory unpaid labour for the lords of the manor. They also asked that many of his advisers be put to death. Richard immediately agreed to the demands, but refused to hand over his officials for execution. The king granted a charter, and this was seen as a solemn guarantee of his good faith regarding his promises. So happily satisfied, a number of the rebels departed for home. The King had left Simon Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury behind in the Tower. This fact did not go unnoticed by some of the rebels who proceeded to the Tower, howling for Sudbury’s blood.

‘Deep behind the stout walls of the Tower!

The hated Archbishop and his despised lackeys, did cower!’

The Tower of London in medieval times.

Sudbury had to die for introducing the poll tax, because it was an unforgivable offence against the common people of England. Finding Sudbury deep in prayer in the White Tower, they dragged him out to Tower Hill where he was beheaded. Sudbury’s death that summer’s day was neither clean nor swift. It took a good many strikes of the axe to sever the unfortunate Archbishop’s head from his neck. A number of other royal officials were similarly despatched and from the rebels point of view, it had been a good day’s work. Wat Tyler and his men retired to Smithfield, confident that the events of June 14th had ended with ‘mission accomplished’ as far as their objectives were concerned.