The Peasants Revolt of 1381 – Part Two.
‘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.