The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The Essexmen satisfied with the kings promises, immediatlie departed homeward; howbeit they ap|pointed certeine of their companie to remaine still and tarie for the kings charters. The Kentishmen al|so remained, and were as busie in maner the next day being saturdaie, in all kind of mischiefous dea|lings, as they had béene before, to wit, in murthering of men, ouerthrowing and burning of houses. The king therefore sent vnto them such as declared in what sort their fellowes were gone home well satisfi|ed, & from thencefoorth to liue in quiet, and the same forme of peace he was contented to grant to them, if it liked them to accept the same. Herevpon their chéefe capteine Wat Tiler, a verie craftie fellow, and indued with much wit (if he had well applied it) said, that peace indeed he wished, but yet so, as the conditions might be indited to his purpose.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 He was determined to driue off the king and his councell (bicause he was of greater force than they) with cauils and shifts till the next daie, that in the night following he might the more easilie haue com|passed his resolution,The wicked purpose of the rebels. which was, hauing all the poorer sort of the citie on his side, to haue spoiled the citie, and to set fire in foure corners of it, killing first the king and the lords that were about him: but he that resisteth the proud, and giueth his grace to the hum|ble, would not permit the vngratious deuises of the naughtie and lewd lozzell to take place, but suddenlie disappointed his mischeefous drift. For whereas di|uerse formes of charters had béene drawne accor|ding to the effect of the agréement with the Essex|men, and none of them might please this lordlie re|bell, at length the king sent to him one of his knights called sir Iohn Newton, to request him to come to him, that they might talke of the articles which he stood vpon to haue inserted in the charter,The rebels would haue all law abo|lished. of the which one was to haue had a commission to put to death all lawiers, escheaters, and other which by any office had any thing to doo with the law; for his meaning was that hauing made all those awaie that vnderstood the lawes, all things should then be ordered according to the will and disposition of the common people. It was reported in deed, that he should saie with great pride the day before these things chanced, putting his hands to his lips, that within foure daies all the lawes of England should come foorth of his mouth. The wretches had vtterlie forgotten all law, both di|uine and humane; otherwise they would haue béene content to liue vnder law, and to doo vnto others as they would be doone vnto, as the verie law of nature (than which there cannot be a better guide) teacheth,

Quod tibi vis fieri mihi fac, quod non tibi, noli,
Sic potes in terris viuere iure poli.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Arrogant and prou [...] words of a villen.When therefore the said sir Iohn Newton called vpon him to come awaie to the king, he answered as it were with indignation:

If thou (saith he) hast so much hast to returne to the king, thou maist depart, I will come at my pleasure. When the knight there|fore was come from him, he followed indéed, but somwhat slowlie.
And when he was come néere to the place in Smithfield where the king then was, with certeine lords and knights, & other companie about him, the said sir Iohn Newton was sent to him a|gaine, to vnderstand what he meant. And bicause the knight came to him on horssebacke, & did not alight from his horsse, Wat Tiler was offended, & said in his furie, that it became him rather on foot than hors|backe to approach into his presence. The knight not able to abide such presumptuous demeanour in that proud and arrogant person, shaped him this answer:
It is not amisse that I being on horssebacke, should come to thée sitting on horssebacke.

Previous | Next