The shamefull spoile which they there made was wonderfull, and yet the
zeale of iustice, truth, and vpright dealing which they would seeme to
shew, was as nice and strange on the other part, speciallie in such
kind of misgouerned people: for in that spoiling of the dukes house,
all the iewels, plate, and other rich and sumptuous furniture which
they there found in great plentie, they would not that any man should
fare the better by it of a mite, but threw all into the fire, so to be
consumed; and such things as the fire could not altogither destroie, as
plate and iewels, they brake and crashed in péeces, throwing the same
into the Thames. One of them hauing thurst a faire siluer peece into
his bosome, meaning to conueie it awaie, was espied of his fellowes,
who tooke him, and cast both him and the péece into the fire; saieng
they might not suffer any such thing, sith they professed themselues to
be zealous of truth and iustice, and not théeues nor robbers.
[Sidenote: The lawiers lodgings in the temple burnt by the rebels.]
There were 32 of them, that being gotten into the celler of the Sauoie,
where the dukes wines laie, dranke so much of such swéete wine as they
found there, that they were not able to come foorth, but with stones &
wood that fell downe as the house burned, they were closed in, so that
out they could not get. They laie there showting & crieng seuen daies
togither, and were heard of manie, but none came to helpe them, and so
finallie they perished. Now after that these wicked people had thus
destroied the duke of Lancasters house, and done what they could deuise
to his reproch; they went to the temple, and burnt the men of lawes
lodgings, with their bookes, writings, and all that they might lay hand
vpon. Also the house of saint Iohns by Smithfield they set on fire, so
that it burned for the space of seuen daies togither. On Friday a great
number of them, estéemed to 20 thousand, went to the manor of Heiburie
that belonged vnto the lord of saint Iohns, and setting fire on it,
sought vtterlie to destroie the whole buildings about it.
[Sidenote: The lord chancellor and the lord treasuror drawne out of the
tower and put to death by the rebels.
_Thom. Wals._]
They were now diuided into thrée parts, one vnder the leading of Iacke
Straw, tooke in hand to ruinate that house, and an other number of them
lay on mile end greene, and the third companie kept vpon the tower
hill, and would not suffer anie vittels to be conueied into the tower,
where the king at that time was lodged, and was put in such feare by
those rude people, that he suffered them to enter into the tower, where
they sought so narowlie for the lord chancelor, that finding him in the
chappell, they drew him foorth togither with the lord treasuror, and
on the tower hill without reuerence of their estates and degrees, with
great noise and fell cries, they stroke off their heads. There were
also beheaded at the same time by those rude people, one of the kings
seruants that was a sergeant at armes |739| called Iohn Leg, who had
vsed himselfe somewhat extremelie in gathering vp of the pole monie, as
by one writer it appeareth. Also to make vp the messe, they beheaded
a Franciscane Frier, whom they had taken there at the same time, for
malice of the duke of Lancaster, bicause he was verie familiar with
him. ¶ Some write that this frier was confessor, and other say that he
was physician to the king; but whatsoeuer he was, the commons chopped
off his head, to beare the other companie, not sparing for anie respect
that might be alledged in any of their behalfes.
[Sidenote: The raging rebels make a pastime to kill men.