Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Fabian. Wil. Paruus. Matt. Paris. Ran. Higd. William Fitz Osbert.At the same time there was another person in London called William with the long beard (aliàs Fitz Osbert) which had likewise informed the king of certeine great oppressions and excessiue outrages vsed by rich men against the poore (namelie the wor|shipfull of the citie, the Maior and Aldermen) who in their hoistings, when any tallage was to be gathe|red, burdened the poore further than was thought rea|son,The [...]oule dis|order in the citizens of London. to ease themselues; wherevpon the said William being a seditious person, and of a busie nature, ceas|sed not to make complaints. Now bicause the king gaue eare vnto him at the first, he tooke a boldnesse thereof, & drawing vnto him great routs of the poo|rer sort of people, would take vpon him to defend the causes of those that found themselues greeued with the heauie yoke of richmen and gentlemen. He was somewhat learned, and verie eloquent: he had also a verie good wit, but he applied it rather to set dissenti|on betwixt the high estates and the low, than to anie other good purpose. He accused also his owne brother of treason, who in his youth had kept him to schoole, & beene verie good and beneficiall brother vnto him, bicause now he would not still mainteine him with monie to beare out his riottous port.The vnnatu|rall ingrati|tude of Fitz Osbert. Moreouer, he declared to the king that by extortion and briberie of certeine men of great wealth, he lost manie forfeits and escheats.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Manie gentlemen of honour sore hated him for his presumptuous attempts to the hindering of their purposes: but he had such comfort of the king, that he little passed for their malice, but kept on his intent, till the king being aduertised of the assem|blies which he made commanded him to ceasse from such dooings, that the people might fall againe to their sciences and occupations, which they had for the more part left off at the instigation of this William with the long beard,Why he ware his long berd. Matth. Paris. so named of the long heare of his [...]eard, which he nourished of purpose to seeme the more graue and manlike, and also as it were in despite of them which counterfeited the Normans (that were for the most part shauen) and bicause he would resemble the ancient vsage of the English nation. Fabian. The kings commandement in restraint of the peoples resort vnto him, was well kept a while, but it was not long yer they began to follow him againe as they had doone before.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then he tooke vpon him to make vnto them cer|teine collations or sermons, taking for his theme, Haurietis aqu [...] in gaudio de fontibus saluatoris,His oration to the people. that is to saie: Ye shall draw in gladnesse waters out of the founteins of your sauiour. And hereto he added,

I am (said he) the sauiour of poore men; ye be the poore, and haue assaied the hard hands and heauie burdens of the rich: now draw ye therefore the healthfull wa|ters of vnderstanding out of my wels and springs, and that with ioy. For the time of your visitation is come: I shall part waters from waters, by waters I vnderstand the people, and I shall part the people which are good and méeke, from the people that are wicked and proud, and I shall disseuer the good and euill, euen as light is diuided from darkenesse.