Neuerthelesse there be that write, that the king (to cut off the
branches of such mischeefe now in the first budding thereof) to
satisfie in part the desire of those rude people, went downe the riuer
in his barge to Rethereth, and there néere the shore keeping himselfe
still on the water, talked with a great number of them that came downe
to the riuer side. But forsomuch as he would not come foorth of his
barge to them on land, which they seemed most to desire, they were in
a great rage, and so for that they could not haue him amongst them (as
they wished) in furious wise they ran to the citie, and at the first
approach they spoiled the burrough of Southwarke, brake vp the prisons
of the Marshalsea, & the Kings bench, set the prisoners at libertie, &
admitted them into their companie.
[Sidenote: The commons of London aiders of the rebels.
All rebels pretend reformation but indéed purpose destruction both of
king and countrie.]
This was on Corpus Christi daie, as the same authors write, that
the king should thus talke with them: but their first entring into
Southwarke, was on Corpus Christi euen, as Thomas Walsingham saith,
passing at their pleasure to and fro the bridge all that night: for
although the lord maior, and other of the best citizens would gladlie
haue closed the |738| gates against them, yet they durst not doo it,
for feare of the commons of the citie, who seemed to fauour the cause
of the rebels so apparantlie, that they threatned to kill both the lord
maior, & all other that would take vpon them to shut the gates against
the commons. The Londoners liked better of the commons, for that they
protested the cause of their assembling togither, was not but to seeke
out the traitors of the realme, and when they had found them foorth,
and punished them according to that they had deserued, they ment to be
quiet. And to giue the more credit to their saiengs, they suffered none
of their companie to rob or spoile, but caused them to paie for that
they tooke.
[Sidenote: The Sauoie the duke of Lancasters house burnt by the rebels.]
On the morrow being Corpus Christi day, on the which day it is reported
that the king should talke with them at Rethereth (as before ye haue
heard) after that they saw that they could not haue him to come and
talke with them on land, as they wished, and that now they had filled
their heads full with the fume of such wines as they dranke in euerie
mans cellar that was set open for them, enter who would: they fell in
talke with the Londoners of manie lewd deuises, as of the apprehending
of traitors, and speciallie concerning such misliking as they had of
the duke of Lancaster, whom they hated aboue all other persons. And
herevpon agréeing in one mind, after diuerse other of their outragious
dooings, they ran the same day to the said dukes house of the Sauoie,
to the which in beautie and statelinesse of building, with all maner of
princelie furniture, there was not any other in the realme comparable,
which in despite of the duke, whom they called traitor, they set on
fire, and by all waies and means indeuoured vtterlie to destroie it.
[Sidenote: Strange dealing of the rebels.