Moreouer, to make their part the stronger, these Essexmen sent ouer into Kent, aduertising the people there of their enterprise, and therefore willed them to make them readie to ioine with them for their obteining of libertie, and reforming of the euill customs of the realme. Whether the Kentishmen through persuasions of their neighbors of Essex, by occasion of that which had chanced at Dertford (as before yée haue heard) or (as it may be) the same chancing at that selfe time, they being mooued as well by the one as the other, vp they got (as yée haue heard) and gathering their power out of the next quarters adioining by the like policie which had béene practised by the Essexmen, they stirred vp the most part of the countrie to ioine with them, and foorthwith stopping the waie that led to Canturburie, and arresting all such as passed by the same, they caused them to swere that they should be true to king Richard, and to the commons, & neuer to receiue anie king that should be called Iohn. And this was for the enuie which they bare to Iohn |737| of Gant the duke of Lancaster, who in right of his wife Constance, that was daughter to king Peter of Castile, did name himselfe king of Castile. [Sidenote: The commons of other shires hearing of the stur in Kent & Essex, rise in like maner. Lawiers, iustices & iurors brought to blockam feast by the rebels.] Also they caused them to sweare that they should be readie to come to them whensoeuer they sent for them, and induce all their neighbours to take part with them. And further, that they should neuer yéeld to anie tax to be leuied on the realme, except a fiftéenth onelie. Thus it came to passe, that after it was spred abroad what stur these Essex and Kentishmen kept; the commons also in the counties of Sussex, Hertford, Cambridge, Suffolke, and Norffolke, and other shires about, bustled vp and ran togither on heapes, so that the number of those vnrulie people maruellouslie increased, in such wise as now they feared no resistance, and therefore began to shew proofe of those things which they had before conceiued in their minds, beheading all such men of law, iustices, and iurors, as they might catch, and laie hands vpon, without respect of pitie, or remorse of conscience, alledging that the land could neuer enioy hir natiue and true libertie, till all those sorts of people were dispatched out of the waie. [Sidenote: The next way to extinguish right. An huge number of y^e rebels. _Fabian._ Capteins of the Essex and Kentish rebels. The rebels send to the K. to come speak with them.]