This talke liked well the eares of the common vplandish people, and
by the lesse conueieng the more, they purposed to burne and destroie
all records, euidences, court-rolles, and other minuments, that the
remembrance of ancient matters being remooued out of mind, their
landlords might not haue whereby to chalenge anie right at their hands.
Their number still increased: for all such as were in debt or danger
of law for their misdemeanors and offenses, came out of all coasts
vnto them, so that when the Essexmen, and other of the hither side
the Thames, were passed ouer and ioined with the Kentishmen, & those
that were assembled on that side the riuer vpon Blackeheath; they were
estéemed to be an hundred thousand, hauing diuerse capteins besides the
said Iacke Straw, as William Wraw, Wat Tiler, Iacke Shéepheard, Tom
Milner, and Hob Carter. Whilest they were lodged on Blackheath, the
king sent to them certeine knights, to vnderstand of them the cause
of their gathering thus togither, to whom answer was made, that they
were come togither to speake with the king about certeine causes and
businesse, & therefore they bad the messengers returne, and declare to
the king that there was no remedie but he must needs come and speake
with them.
[Sidenote: Ill counsell.]
When this tale was told to the king, there were some that thought
it best that he should go to them, and know what their meaning was:
but Simon de Sudburie the archbishop of Canturburie, that was lord
chancellor, and also sir Robert Hales lord of S. Iohns, and as then
lord treasuror, spake earnestlie against that aduise, and would not
by anie meanes that the king should go to such a sort of barelegged
ribalds; but rather they wished that he should take some order to abate
the pride of such vile rascals. After the commons vnderstood that the
king would not come to them, by reason of the contrarie aduise giuen to
him by those two persons, the lord chancellor and the lord treasuror,
they were maruellouslie mooued against them, and sware that they would
not rest till they had got them, & chopped off their heads, calling
them traitors to the king and realme.
[Sidenote: _Froissard._