Compare 1577 edition: 1 With which words Wat Tiler taking indigna|tion, drew out his dagger, menacing to strike the knight, calling him therewith traitor: the knight dis|daining to be misused at the hands of such a ribald, told him that he lied falselie, and with that plucked foorth his dagger. Wat Tiler being among his men, shewed that he would not beare that iniurie, and foorthwith made towards the knight to run vpon him. The king perceiuing the knight in danger, bad him alight from his horsse, and deliuer his dagger to Wat Tiler: but when that would not pacifie his proud and high mind, but that he would néeds flée vp|on him, the maior of London William Walworth, and other knights and esquiers that were about the king, told him that it should be a shame for them all,William Wal|worth maior of London [...] stout coura|gious man. if they permitted the knight in their presence before the eies of their prince so to be murthered: wherfore they gaue counsell to succor him foorthwith, and to apprehend the vile naughtie ribald. The king though he was but a child in yeares, yet taking courage to him, commanded the maior to arrest him. The maior being a man of incomparable boldnesse, foorthwith rode to him and arrested him, in reaching him such a blow on the head, that he sore astonied him there|with: and streightwaies other that were about the king, as Iohn Standish an esquier, and diuers more of the kings seruants drew their swords,The death of Wat Tiler capteine of the rebels. and thrust him through in diuerse parts of his bodie, so that he fell presentlie from his horsse downe to the earth, and died there in the place.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 When the commons beheld this, they cried out
Our capteine is traitorouslie slaine, let vs stand to|gither and die with him: let vs shoot and reuenge his death manfullie:and so bending their bowes, made them readie to shoot. The king shewing both hardi|nesse and wisedome at that instant, more than his age required, set his spurs to his horsse, and rode to them, saieng; What is the matter my men, what meane you? Will you shoot at your king? Be not troubled nor offended at the death of a traitor and ribald; I will be your king, capteine and leader,The king persuadeth the rebels. fol|low me into the fields, and you shall haue all things that you can desire. This did the king, to the end he might appease them, least they should haue set fire on the houses there in Smithfield, and haue attempted some further mischéefe, in reuenge of the displeasure which they tooke for the death of their chéefe leader. They mooued with these the kings words, followed him and the knights that were with him, into the o|pen fields, not yet resolued whether they should set vpon the king and slea him, or else be quiet, and re|turne home with the kings charter.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the meane time, the lord maior of London was returned into the citie, with one man onelie attend|ing vpon him, and cried to the citizens;Uehement words of the maior of Lo [...]don to the [...] crieng for aid against the rebels. Oh yée good and vertuous citizens, come foorth out of hand, and helpe your king readie to be slaine, & helpe me your EEBO page image 433 maior standing in the same perill; or if yée will not helpe me for some faults committed by me against you, yet forsake not your king, but helpe and succour him in this present danger. When the worshipfull ci|tizens and other, that in their loiall hearts loued the king, had heard these words, incontinentlie they put themselues in strong and sure armor,An armie without a capteine. to the number of a thousand men, and gathering themselues togi|ther into the stréets, tarried but for some lord or knight that might conduct them to the king: and by chance there came vnto them sir Robert Knolles, whome all of them requested that he would be their leader, least comming out of arraie and order, they might the sooner be broken, who willinglie led one part of them, and certeine other knights led other of them, clad in faire bright armour vnto the kings pre|sence. The king with the lords, knights and esquires, not a little reioised at the comming of those armed men, and streightwaies compassed the commons a|bout, as they had béene a flocke of sheepe that should haue béene closed within some fold, till it pleased the sheepheard to appoint foorth, which should be thrust into pasture, and which taken to go to the shambels.