Jack passed into the City from Southwark, over the bridge, and entered
it in triumph, giving the strictest orders to his men not to plunder.
Having made a show of his forces there, while the citizens looked on
quietly, he went back into Southwark in good order, and passed the
night. Next day, he came back again, having got hold in the meantime of
Lord Say, an unpopular nobleman. Says Jack to the Lord Mayor and
judges: ‘Will you be so good as to make a tribunal in Guildhall, and
try me this nobleman?’ The court being hastily made, he was found
guilty, and Jack and his men cut his head off on Cornhill. They also
cut off the head of his son-in-law, and then went back in good order to
Southwark again.
But, although the citizens could bear the beheading of an unpopular
lord, they could not bear to have their houses pillaged. And it did so
happen that Jack, after dinner—perhaps he had drunk a little too
much—began to plunder the house where he lodged; upon which, of course,
his men began to imitate him. Wherefore, the Londoners took counsel
with Lord Scales, who had a thousand soldiers in the Tower; and
defended London Bridge, and kept Jack and his people out. This
advantage gained, it was resolved by divers great men to divide Jack’s
army in the old way, by making a great many promises on behalf of the
state, that were never intended to be performed. This _did_ divide
them; some of Jack’s men saying that they ought to take the conditions
which were offered, and others saying that they ought not, for they
were only a snare; some going home at once; others staying where they
were; and all doubting and quarrelling among themselves.
Jack, who was in two minds about fighting or accepting a pardon, and
who indeed did both, saw at last that there was nothing to expect from
his men, and that it was very likely some of them would deliver him up
and get a reward of a thousand marks, which was offered for his
apprehension. So, after they had travelled and quarrelled all the way
from Southwark to Blackheath, and from Blackheath to Rochester, he
mounted a good horse and galloped away into Sussex. But, there galloped
after him, on a better horse, one Alexander Iden, who came up with him,
had a hard fight with him, and killed him. Jack’s head was set aloft on
London Bridge, with the face looking towards Blackheath, where he had
raised his flag; and Alexander Iden got the thousand marks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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