He was determined to driue off the king and his councell (bicause
he was of greater force than they) with cauils and shifts till the
next daie, that in the night following he might the more easilie haue
compassed his resolution, which was, hauing all the poorer sort of
the citie on his side, to haue spoiled the citie, and to set fire in
foure corners of it, killing first the king and the lords that were
about him: but he that resisteth the proud, and giueth his grace to the
humble, would not permit the vngratious deuises of the naughtie and
lewd lozzell to take place, but suddenlie disappointed his mischeefous
drift. For whereas diuerse formes of charters had béene drawne
according to the effect of the agréement with the Essexmen, and none of
them might please this lordlie rebell, at length the king sent to him
one of his knights called sir Iohn Newton, to request him to come to
him, that they might talke of the articles which he stood vpon to haue
inserted in the charter, of the which one was to haue had a commission
to put to death all lawiers, escheaters, and other which by any office
had any thing to doo with the law; for his meaning was that hauing made
all those awaie that vnderstood the lawes, all things should then be
ordered according to the will and disposition of the common people.
It was reported in deed, that he should saie with great pride the day
before these things chanced, putting his hands to his lips, that within
foure daies all the lawes of England should come foorth of his mouth.
The wretches had vtterlie forgotten all law, both diuine and humane;
otherwise they would haue béene content to liue vnder law, and to doo
vnto others as they would be doone vnto, as the verie law of nature
(than which there cannot be a better guide) teacheth,
Quod tibi vis fieri mihi fac, quod non tibi, noli,
Sic potes in terris viuere iure poli.
[Sidenote: Arrogant and proud words of a villen.]
When therefore the said sir Iohn Newton called vpon him to come awaie
to the king, answered as it were with indignation: “If thou (saith he)
hast so much hast to returne to the king, thou maist depart, I will
come at my pleasure.” When the knight therefore was come from him, he
followed indéed, but somwhat slowlie. And when he was come néere to
the place in Smithfield where the king then was, with certeine lords
and knights, & other companie about him, the said sir Iohn Newton was
sent to him againe, to vnderstand what he meant. And bicause the knight
came to him on horssebacke, & did not alight from his horsse, Wat Tiler
was offended, & said in his furie, “that it became him rather on foot
than horssebacke to approach into his presence.” The knight not able to
abide such presumptuous demeanour in that proud and arrogant person,
shaped him this answer: “It is not amisse that I being on horssebacke,
should come to thée sitting on horssebacke.”
[Sidenote: William Walworth maior of London a stout couragious man.