The Story of LondonWheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
History
The Story of London
Wheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
London (England) -- History
Mr. James Tait, the author of the excellent life of Wat Tyler in the
_Dictionary of National Biography_, mentions 'a Proclamation in Thanet
Church, on the 13th June, [which] ran in the names of Wat Tyler and John
Rackstraw, but the St. Albans insurgents who reached London on Friday
the 14th were divided as to which was the more powerful person in the
realm, the King or Tyler, and obtained from the latter a promise to come
and shave the beards of the abbot, prior and monks; stipulating for
implicit obedience to his orders.'
The men of Essex were outside Aldgate in great numbers, and as the day
advanced the leaders became fearful as to their condition. They had no
means of breaking into the city, and if they remained long where they
were they would inevitably have been starved.
'Walworth guarded the bridge, and sent to the peasants, bidding them, in
the name of the King and the city, come no nearer to London.'[41] If
there had been no treachery it would have been easy to keep the rebels
outside till they were forced by hunger to desist from their endeavours
to enter, for time was on the side of the besieged, but the peasants had
friends and well-wishers within, and the city being divided against
itself, fell.
Mr. Trevelyan writes: 'A committee of three aldermen rode out to
Blackheath to deliver [Walworth's] message. Two of them, Adam Carlyll
and John Fresh, faithfully performed their mission. But the third
alderman, named John Horn, separated himself from his two colleagues,
conferred apart with the rebel leaders, and exhorted them to march on
London at once for they would be received with acclamation into the
city. After this treachery he did not fear to return to the city, and
brought some of the peasants with him and lodged them in his house. He
even advised Walworth to admit the mob.'[42]
The rioters burnt the Marshalsea prison, situated in the High Street,
Southwark, and set the prisoners free. Others gutted Lambeth Palace to
show their hatred of the archbishop, but he was not there.
On Thursday morning, 13th June, Horn, the disaffected alderman, rode out
to Blackheath to confer with the rebels, and he urged them to come to
the bridge, where they would find friends. He had an ally in Walter
Sybyle, alderman of Bridge Ward, who in virtue of his office took
command on the bridge, and he announced that he would let the rebels in
by the bridge gate in spite of all opposition. Then Walworth, the Mayor,
finding that he was powerless, gave leave to Wat Tyler's followers to
enter the city on condition that they paid for everything they took, and
did no damage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account