angry countenance, knitting the brows, frowning and frothing and knawing on his lips, and so sat him down in his place; all the Lords much dismayed and sore marvelling of this manner of sudden change, and what thing should him ail. Then when he had sitten still a while, thus he began: 'What were they worthy to have, that compass and imagine the destruction of me, being so near of blood unto the King and Protector of his royal person and his realm?' At this question, all the Lords sat sore astonished, musing much by whom this question should be meant, of which every man wist himself clear. Then the Lord Chamberlain, as he that for the love between them thought he might be boldest with him, answered and said, that they were worthy to be punished as heinous traitors, whatsoever they were. And all the other affirmed the same. That is' (quoth he) 'yonder sorceress, my brother's wife and other with her,' meaning the Queen. At these words many of the other Lords were greatly abashed that favoured her. But the Lord Hastings was in his mind better content, that it was moved by her, than by any other whom he loved better. Albeit his heart somewhat grudged, that he was not afore made of counsel in this matter, as he was of the taking of her kindred, and of their putting to death, which were by his assent before devised to be beheaded at Pomfret, this self same day, in which he was not ware that it was by other devised, that himself should the same day be beheaded at London. Then said the Protector: 'Ye shall all see in what wise that sorceress and that other witch of her counsel, Shore's wife, with their affinity, have by their sorcery and witchcraft wasted my body.' And therewith he plucked up his doublet sleeve to his elbow upon his left arm, where he shewed a werish1 withered arm and small, as it was never other. And thereupon every man's mind sore misgave them, well perceiving that this matter was but a quarrel. For well they wist, that the Queen 1 Ill-shapen.

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was too wise to go about any such folly. And also if she would, yet would she of all folk least make Shore's wife of counsel, whom of all women she most hated, as that concubine whom the King her husband had most loved. And also no man was there present, but well knew that his arm was ever such since his birth. Natheles the Lord Chamberlain answered and said: 'Certainly, my Lord, if they have so heinously done, they be worthy heinous punishment.' 'What,' quoth the Protector, 'thou servest me, I wene, with ifs and with ands, I tell thee they have so done, and that I will make good on thy body, traitor.' And, therewith, as in great anger, he clapped his fist upon the board a great rap. At which token given, one cried treason without the chamber. Therewith a door clapped, and in come there rushing men in harness, as many as the chamber might hold. And anon the Protector said to the Lord Hastings: 'I arrest thee, traitor.' 'What, me, my Lord?' quoth he. 'Yea thee, traitor,' quoth the Protector. And another let fly at the Lord Stanley, which shrank at the stroke and fell under the table, or else his head had been cleft to the teeth for as shortly as he shrank, yet ran the blood about his ears. Then were they all quickly bestowed in diverse chambers, except the Lord Chamberlain, whom the Protector bade speed and shrive him apace, 'for by Saint Paul' (quoth he)' I will not to dinner till I see thy head off.' It boded him not to ask why, but heavily he took a priest at adventure, and made a short shrift, for a longer would not be suffered, the Protector made so much haste to dinner; which he might not go to till this were done for saving of his oath. So was he brought forth into the green beside the chapel within the Tower, and his head laid down upon a long log of timber, and there stricken off, and afterward his body with the head interred at Windsor beside the body of King Edward, whose both souls our Lord pardon.

Sir Thomas More.

WAT TYLER'S ENDING

HE Saturday the King departed from the Wardrobe in Bourchier the Royal, and went to Westminster and heard mass

THE

in the church there, and all his lords with him; and beside the church there was a little chapel, with an image of Our Lady, which did great miracles, and in whom the Kings of England had ever great trust and confidence. The King made his orisons before this image, and did there his offering; and then he leapt on his horse, and all his lords, and so the King rode toward London; and when he had ridden a little way on the left hand, there was a way to pass without London.

The same proper morning, Wat Tyler, Jack Straw, and John Ball had assembled their company to common together, in a place called Smithfield, whereas every Friday there is a market of horses; and there were together all of affinity more than twenty thousand, and yet there were many still in the town, drinking and making merry in the taverns, and paid nothing, for they were happy that made them best cheer. And these people in Smithfield had with them the King's banners, the which were delivered them the day before; and all these gluttons were in mind to overrun and to rob London the same day, for their captains said how they had done nothing as yet: 'These liberties that the King hath given us is to us but a small profit; therefore let us be all of one accord, and let us overrun this rich and puissant city, or they of Essex, of Sussex, of Cambridge, of Bedford, of Arundel, of Warwick, of Reading, of Oxford, of Guildford, of Linne, of Stafford, of Germany, of Lincoln, of York, and of Durham do come hither; for all these will come hither. Wallyor and Lyster will bring them hither; and if we be first lords of London, and have the possession of the riches that is therein

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Bourchier we shall not repent us; for if we leave it, they that come 1523 after will have it from us.' To this counsel they all agreed. And therewith the King came the same way unaware of them, for he had thought to have passed that way without London, and with him a forty horse; and when he came before the abbey of St. Bartilmeus, and beheld all these people, then the King rested and said how he would go no farther till he knew what these people ailed, saying, if they were in any trouble, how he would repease1 them again. The lords that were with him tarried also, as reason was when they saw the King tarry. And when Wat Tyler saw the King tarry, he said to his people: Sirs, yonder is the King, I will go and speak with him; stir not from hence without I make you a sign, and when I make you that sign, come on, and slay all them, except the King; but do the King no hurt; he he is young, we shall do with him as we list, and shall lead him with us all about England, and so shall we be lords of all the realm without doubt.'

And there was a doublet maker of London called John Tycle, and he had brought to these gluttons a sixty doublets, the which they wore; then he demanded of these captains who should pay him for his doublets; he demanded thirty marks. Wat Tyler answered him and said: 'Friend, appease yourself, thou shalt be well payed ere this day be ended; keep thee near me, I shall be thy creditor.' And therewith he spurred his horse and departed from his company, and came to the King, so near him that his horse's head touched the croup of the King's horse. And the first word that he said was this: Sir King, seest thou all yonder people?' 'Yea, truly, said the King; wherefore sayest thou?' 'Because,' said he, 'they be all at my commandment, and have sworn to me faith and truth to do all that I will have them.' 'In a good time,' said the King, 'I will well it be so.' Then Wat Tyler said, as he that nothing demanded but riot:

1 Appease.

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thou, King, that these people, and as many more as be in Bourchier London at my commandment, that they will depart from thee thus, without having thy letters?' 'No,' said the King; 'ye shall have them, they be ordained for you, and shall be delivered every one each after other; wherefore, good fellows, withdraw fair and easily to your people, and cause them to depart out of London, for it is our intent that each of you by villages and townships shall have letters patent, as I have promised you.'

With those words Wat Tyler cast his eyes on a squire that was there with the King, bearing the King's sword. And Wat Tyler hated greatly the same squire, for the same squire had displeased him before for words between them. What,' said Tyler, 'art thou there? Give me thy dagger.' 'Nay,' said the squire, 'that will I not do. Wherefore should I give it thee?' The King beheld the squire, and said: 'Give it him, let him have it.' And so the squire took it him sore against his will. And when this Wat Tyler had it he began to play therewith, and turned it in his hand, and said again to the squire: 'Give me also that sword.' 'Nay,' said the squire, 'it is the King's sword; thou art not worthy to have it, for thou art but a knave; and if there were no more here but thou and I, thou durst not speak those words for as much gold in quantity as all yonder Abbey.' 'By my faith,' said Wat Tyler, I shall never eat meat till I have thy head.' And with those words the Mayor of London came to the King with a twelve horses, well armed under their coats, and so he brake the press, and saw and heard how Wat Tyler demeaned himself, and said to him: Ha! thou knave, how art thou so hardy in the King's presence to speak such words? It is too much for thee so to do.' Then the King began to chafe, and said to the Mayor: 'Set hands on him.' And while the King said so, Tyler said to the Mayor: A God's name, what have I said to displease thee?' 'Yes, truly,' quoth the Mayor, 'thou false stinking knave, shalt thou speak thus in the presence

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