On this Day in History ... 15th June

Annals of Flodoard. [15th June 923] In contempt of the truce granted by Robert to the Lorrainers, Charles crossed the Meuse with them and came to Attigny; then, before Robert could gather his troops, he arrived on the banks of the Aisne near Soissons, where he knew that this prince was encamped. The next day, Sunday afternoon, the French were expecting no battle; several were even taking their meal. Charles crossed the Aisne and fell upon Robert with his Lorrainers. Robert hastily armed those of his party and marched to the battle. The action began; many men were killed on both sides; King Robert fell, pierced by lance-thrusts. However, Hugh, his (son), and Herbert, with the others, having gained the victory, turned Charles and his Lotharingians into flight; but, because of the death of their king Robert, they ceased to pursue them, yet they gained the field, and the spoils were carried off by them, chiefly, however, by peasants and by those who came together from the suburb of the city of Soissons. The Lotharingians, having lost many of their baggage-trains, which Count Roger¹ took and brought into the fortress of Laon, and Charles being left within the kingdom of Francia, returned to their own lands.

Au mépris de la trève accordée par Robert aux Lorrains, Charles passa la Meuse avec eux, et vint à Attigny; puis, avant que Robert eût pu rassembler ses troupes, il arriva sur les bords de l'Aisne, auprès de Soissons, où il savait que ce prince était campé. Le lendemain, jour de dimanche, après-midi, les Français n'attendaient pas de combat, plusieurs même prenaient leur repas; Charles franchit l'Aisne, et tombe sur Robert avec ses Lorrains. Robert fait armer à la hâte ceux de son parti, et marche au combat. L'action s'engage; beaucoup d'hommes sont tués de part et d'autre; le roi Robert tombe percé de coups de lance. Cependant Hugues, son lius ipsius et Heribertus cum cæteris victoria potiti, Karolum cum suis Lothariensibus in fugam verterunt : sed, ob mortem regis sui Rotberti, eos persequi destiterunt campum vero obtinuerunt, spoliaque ab eis, maxime autem rusticanis et ex Suessionicæ urbis suburbio confluentibus direpta sunt. Lotharienses denique, perditis multis angariis quas Rotgarius comes accipiens in Laudunum castrum abduxit, relictoque infra regnum Franciæ Karolo, revertuntur ad sua.

Note 1. Count Roger aka Rotgarius is later described as a kinsman of King Rudolf and 'having carried out an embassy to William, prince of the Northmen, on behalf of King Louis, died there.'

History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. But before the year was over, Charles fought against the usurper of the kingdom at Soissons [15th June 923] and, with God's help, defeated and killed him. But as he was returning victorious from the battle, the wicked Count Herbert met him, and under the pretense of peace, forced him to turn aside to lodge at the castle of Péronne, and there, by treachery, took him prisoner and kept him until his death¹. Now Duke Robert had taken Herbert's sister as his wife, by whom he begot Hugh the Great. When Charles had been captured, the nobles of the Franks, with Charles' approval, elevated to the kingship Rudolf², the noble son of Richard, duke of Burgundy, whom Charles had held from the sacred font at baptism. Meanwhile Ogiva, the wife of Charles and daughter of King Æthelstan of the English, terrified by the misfortunes of her husband, fled with her son Louis to her father in England, greatly fearing the hostility of Herbert and Hugh the Great.

Carolus vero antequam annus compleretur, contra regni invasorem Suessionis pugnavit, ipsumque Deo adjuvante vincens peremit. Sed ei, dum a bello victor reverteretur, nequissimus comes Herbertus occurrit, et sub ficta pacis simulatione ad Parronam castrum hospitandi gratia divertere compulit, et ibi eum dolo captum usque ad mortem retinuit. Robertus enim dux sororem Herberti in conjugio habuit, ex qua Hugonem magnum genuit. Carolus autem ubi captus est, Rodulphum filium nobilem Richardi Burgundionum ducis, quem de sacro fonte susceperat, consilio procerum Francorum in regnum sublimavit. Ogiva vero conjux Caroli, filia Elstanni regis Anglorum, infortuniis mariti sui territa, ad patrem suum cum Ludovico filio suo in Angliam fugit, animositatem Herberti et Hugonis magni nimium metuens.

Note 1. Charles was captured by Herbert II, Count of Vermandois, sometime during the summer of 923. He was held in captivity for over six years, dying on 7th October 929.

Note 2. King Rudolph of France, ~890-936, was King of West Francia from 923 until his death in 936. He was a son of Richard, Duke of Burgundy, and Adelaide of Auxerre. He married Emma, daughter of King Robert I of France. His claim to the Kingdom of West Francia being by right of his wife. Her younger brother Hugh the Great had been offered the crown following the Battle of Soissons but refused it.

Historia Congressus Gallorum by Richerus Book 1. [15th June 923] When each side saw the other at close quarters, with very great shouting the two armies, with hostile standards, rushed together. And having joined battle, countless men on both sides fell. And King Robert, since in the fight he was unknown, and, raging over the whole field, striking on every side, was noticed by the conspirators and was asked whether he was indeed himself. But he, fearless, immediately uncovered his veiled beard and showed that he was he, hurling his weapon with great force at Count Fulbert. But he, having received a mortal blow, swerved to the right from him. And thus, through the sleeve of the hauberk, the lance wounded him in the side with a most grievous stroke, and pierced through the liver and the lung and the hypochondrium of the left side, and the blade passed even into the shield; and being surrounded by others, pierced by seven lances, he fell headlong, struck down, and stiffened; and Fulbert, soon drained of much blood and gasping between life and death, fell dead. But when Robert had been slain, with such force of slaughter did each army rage that, on his side eleven thousand, and on the side of Charles seven thousand one hundred and eighteen, perished by the sword, as the priest Flodoard has written.

Quibus utrimque visis comminus, cum maximo clamore utrique exercitus signis infestis concurrunt. Congressique, innumeri hinc inde corruunt. Et Rotbertus quidem rex cum in certamine ignotus esset, et hinc inde feriendo toto campo fureret, a conjuratis conspeclus, an ipse esset interrogatur. At ille intrepidus mox barbam obvelatam detegit, seseque esse monstrat, multa vi in Fulbertum comitem ferrum vibrans. llle vero lœtali ictu accepto, ab eo in dextram obliquatur. Et sic per loricæ manicam lancea eum in latere gravissimo ictu sauciat, necnon et per epar atque pulmonem et sinistri lateris ypocundriam ferrum usque in clipeum transigit, et circumseptus ab aliis, septem lanceis confossus præcipitatus corruit, diriguique; multoque Fulbertus mox exhaustus sanguine et intercertans , mortuus cecidit. Interempto vero Rotberto, tanta vi cædis uterque deseviil exercitus, ut in parte ejus undecim milia, in parte vero Karoli septem milia centum duodeviginti a Flodoardo presbitero ferro interiisse descriptum sit.

On 15th June 1215 King John of England (age 48) met with his Baron's at Runnymede [Map] where he agreed to the terms of the Magna Carta which attempted to reduce the King's authority through political reform. Those who signed as surety included:

Roger Bigod 2nd Earl Norfolk (age 71)

his son Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk (age 33)

Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford (age 39)

Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford (age 62)

his son Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford (age 35)

William "The Younger" Marshal 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 25)

William Mowbray 6th Baron Thirsk (age 42)

Saer Quincy 1st Earl Winchester (age 45)

Robert Ros (age 43), Richard Percy 5th Baron Percy Topcliffe (age 45)

Robert de Vere 3rd Earl of Oxford (age 50)

Eustace Vesci (age 46)

John Fitzrobert 3rd Baron Warkworth (age 25)

John Lacy Earl Lincoln (age 23).

William de Albini (age 64), Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 24)

Robert Clare Fitzwalter

William Forz 3rd Earl Albemarle

William Hardell

William Huntingfield

William Llanvallei

William Malet 1st Baron Curry Mallet

Roger Montbegon, Richard Montfichet

Geoffrey Saye (age 60) signed as surety the Magna Carta.

Ranulf de Blondeville Gernon 6th Earl Chester 1st Earl Lincoln (age 45) witnessed.

Thomas Walsingham [~1422]. [15th June 1381] Upon hearing this, the King, although he was but a boy and of tender age, was seized with boldness and ordered the Mayor of London to arrest him. The Mayor, a man of incomparable courage and boldness, immediately and without hesitation arrested him, striking his head with a blow that greatly disoriented him. Soon after, he was surrounded by other royal officers and pierced with swords in various parts of his body. Falling from his horse to the ground, he became the first to show that resistance to the commons was possible, restoring hope to the nearly defeated English nobility. Immediately, when the commons saw his fall, they cried out in grief over his death, saying: "Our captain is dead! Our leader has been treacherously killed! Let us stand together! Let us die with him! Let us shoot our arrows and manfully avenge his death!" So they readied their bows to shoot. But the King, displaying a mind and courage beyond his years, spurred his horse and rode toward them, circling their ranks, and said: "What is this, my people? What are you doing? Would you shoot at your King? Do not stir trouble, nor grieve over the death of a traitor and a knave. I will be your King. I will be your captain and leader. Follow me into the field, and you shall have whatever you wish to ask for."

Quibus aunditis, Rex, quanquam puer esset et tenerioris ætatis, concepta audacia, jussit Majori Londoniarum ut eum arestaret. Major autem, vir incomparabilis animositatis et andaciæ, indubitanter eum illico arestavit, librato ictu ejus capiti, qui eum plurimum perturbavit. At mox ab aliis ministris regiis circumclusus, gladiis diversis in locis corporis transverberatur ; corruensque de equo in terram, primum dedit spem Anglicaniæ militiæ, fere mortuæ, communibus posse resisti. Statimque, ut communes viderunt ejus ruinam, præ dolore mortis clamaverunt;—"Mortuus est capitaneus noster, proditiose peremptus est ductor noster. Stemus simul, moriamur cum ipso, sagittemus et vindicemus viriliter mortem ejus." Tensis ergo arcubus, sagittare pararunt. Rex vero ultra ætatem mirabiliter ingenio præventus, et andacia concitus, calcaribus urgens equum ad eos accesgit, et in circnitu eorum equitans, dixit eis;—"Quid est hoc, homines mei? Quid agitis? Nunquid sagittare vultis Regem vestrum? Non causemini, nec sitis tristes de morte proditoris et ribaldi. Ego enim ero Rex vester, ego capitaneus et ductor vester; sequimini me in campum, habituri omnia quecunque vos petere delectabit."

Froissart Book 10: 1380-1382. [222] [15th June 1381] At those words, he spurred his horse, on which he was mounted, and separated himself from his companions, coming directly toward the King—so close that the tail of his horse was over the head of the King's own horse. The first thing he said, he addressed the King and said: "King, do you see all these people over there?" "Yes," said the King. "Why do you ask?" "I ask because they are all under my command, and they have all sworn loyalty and obedience to do whatever I want." "Very well," said the King. "I am content with that." Then Tyler, who was looking for trouble, said: "And do you think, King, that all those people here—and just as many in London—who are under my command will leave without carrying letters from you? No! We will carry them all with us before us." The King replied: "It has been arranged, and they will be given, one after another. Friend, go back peacefully to your men and lead them back to London. Be calm and think of yourselves, for it is our will that each of you, by village and town, shall have letters as agreed." At these words, Wat Tyler turned his eyes toward a royal squire who stood behind the King and bore the King's sword. Tyler hated this squire greatly, for they had once exchanged angry words, and the squire had insulted him. "Ah, so you're here," said Tyler. "Give me your dagger." "I will not," said the squire. "Why should I give it to you?" The King looked at his squire and said: "Give it to him." The squire gave it reluctantly. Once Tyler had it, he began to play with it and turn it in his hand. Then he said to the squire again: "Give me that sword." "I will not," replied the squire. "It is the King's sword. You are not worthy to have it, for you're just a rogue. And if you and I were alone in this place, you wouldn't say such things—not for all the gold as great as the church of Saint Paul." "By my faith," said Tyler, "I will not eat again until I have your head." At this point, the Mayor of London, William Walworth, arrived, mounted on horseback and armed under his coat. He forced his way through the crowd, saw how Tyler was behaving, and said: "Fellow, how dare you speak such words in the presence of the King? That's far too much for you!" The King grew angry and said to the mayor: "Mayor, lay hands on him." While the King was speaking, Tyler turned to the mayor and said: "And what I say and do—what's it to you?" "Indeed!" said the mayor, who was devoted to the King. "Filthy scoundrel, you speak like that in the presence of my natural lord? I swear, you'll pay for it." Then the mayor drew a large baselard (a kind of long dagger) he was carrying and gave Tyler such a powerful blow to the head that he knocked him to the ground at his horse's feet. As soon as Tyler fell, he was surrounded on all sides so he could not be seen by the assembled crowd—his own followers—who were standing nearby. Then a royal squire named John Standwich dismounted, drew his fine sword, and stabbed Tyler in the stomach—there he died. When the rebel crowd realized their captain had been killed, they began to murmur and cry out: "They've killed our captain! Let's go! Let's kill them all!" With that, they formed into battle ranks on the field, each man who had one placing his bow before him. At that moment, the King performed a great and bold act, which turned out for the best. For as soon as Tyler was brought down, the King rode away from his companions alone, saying: "Stay here. Let no one follow me." He rode straight toward the angry crowd, who were forming to avenge their captain, and said: "Good people, what is it you want? You have no other captain but me. I am your King. Remain in peace." And so it happened that most of the crowd, when they saw the King and heard him speak, were overcome and began to flee—for they were the peaceful ones. But the more violent ones did not retreat; rather, they held their ground and made it seem as though they would attack. Then the King returned to his men and asked what should be done next. He was advised to move toward the open fields, because flight or delay would do them no good. And the mayor said: "It is best we do this, for I believe we will soon receive great support from the good people of London, who are prepared and armed with their friends, waiting in their homes."

[222] A ces mos, il esperonne un cheval sur quoi il estoit montés, et se part de ses compaignons, et s'en vient droitement au roi et si priès de li que la queue de son cheval estoit sus la teste dou cheval dou roi. Et la première parolle qu'il dist, il parla au roi et dist enssi: "Rois, vois tu toutes ces gens qui sont là?" —"Oïl, dist li rois, pourquoi le dis tu?"—"Je le di pour ce que il sont tout à men commandement, et m'ont tout juré foi et loiauté à faire che que je vaurai." —"A le bonne heure, dist li rois, je voel bien qu'il soit enssi." Adont dist Tieulliers, qui ne demandoit que le rihotte: "Et quides tu, di, rois, que cils peuples qui là est, et otant à Londres, et tous en men commandement, se doie partir de toi enssi sans porter ent vos lettres? Nenil; nous les emporterons toutes devant nous." Dist li rois: "Il en est ordonné, et il le faut faire et delivrer l'un apriès l'autre. Compains, retraiiés vous tout bellement deviers vos gens et les faites retraire à Londres, et soiés paisieule, et pensés de vous, car c'est nostre entente que cascuns de vous par villages et maries ara se lettre, enssi comme dit est." A ces mos, Wautre Tieullier jette ses ieus sus un escuier dou roi qui estoit derière le roi et portoit l'espée dou roi, et haoit cils Tieulliers grandement cel escuier, car autrefois il s'estoient pris de parolles, et l'avoit li escuiers vilonné: "Voires, dist Tieulliers, es tu là? Baille moi ta daghe."—"Non ferai, dist li escuiers, pour quoi le te bailleroie je?" Li rois regarde sus son vallet, et li dist: "Bailles li." Chils li bailla moult envis. Quant Tieulliers le tint, il en commencha à juer et à tourner en sa main, et reprist la parolle à l'escuier et li dist: "Baille moi celle espée." —"Non ferai, dist li escuiers, c'est li espée dou roi; tu ne vaulx mies que tu l'aies, car tu n'ies que uns garchons, et, se moi et toi estièmes tout seul en celle place, tu ne diroies ces parolles ne eusses dit, pour ossi grant d'or que cils moustiers de Saint Pol est grans." —"Par ma foi, dist Tieulliers, je ne mengerai jamais si arai ta teste." A ces cops estoit venus li maires de Londres, li dousimes montés as chevauls et tous armés desous leurs cottes, et rompi la presse, et veï comment cils Tieulliers se demenoit; si dist en son langage: "Gars, comment es tu si ossés de dire tels parolles en la presence dou roi? C'est trop pour toi." Adont li rois se felenia et dist au maieur: "Maires, mettés le main à li." Entrues que li rois parloit, cils Tieulliers avoit parlé au maieur et dit: "Et, de ce que je di et fach, à toi qu'en monte?"—"Voire, dist li maires, qui ja estoit avoés dou roi, gars puans, parles tu enssi en la presence de mon naturel signeur? Je ne voel jamais vivre, se tu ne le comperes." A ces mos il traïst un grant baselaire que il portoit, et lasque et fiert che Tieullier un tel horion parmi la teste que il l'abat as piés de son cheval. Sitos comme il fu cheus entre piés, on l'environna de toutes pars, par quoi il ne fust veus des assamblés qui là estoient et qui se dissoient ses gens. Adont descendi uns escuiers dou roi, que on appelloit Jehan Standuich, et traïst une belle espée que il portoit et le bouta, ce Tieullier, ou ventre, et là fu mors. Adont se perchurent ces folles gens là asamblés que leur cappitains estoit ochis. Si commenchièrent à murmurer ensamble et à dire: "Il ont mort nostre cappitaine! alons! alons! ochions tout!" A ces mos, il se rengièrent sus le place par manière de une bataille, cascun son arc devant li, qui l'avoit. Là fist li rois un grant outrage, mais il fu convertis en bien, car, tantos comme Tieulliers fu aterés, il se parti de ses gens tous seuls, et dist: "Demorés chi. Nuls ne me sieue." Lors vint il au devant de ces folles gens, qui s'ordonnoient pour vengier leur cappitainne, et leur dist: "Signeur, que vous fault? Vous n'avés autre cappitainne que moi: je sui vostres rois; tenés vous en pais." Dont il avint que li plus de ces gens, sitos comme il veïrent le roi et oïrent parler, il furent tout vaincu et se commenchièrent à defuir, et che estoient li paisiule; mais li mauvais ne se departoient mies, anchois se ordonnoient et monstroient que il feroient quelque cose. Adont retourna li rois à ses gens et demanda que il estoit bon à faire. Il fu consilliet que il se trairoient sus les camps, car fuirs ne eslongiers ne leur valloit riens, et dist li maires: "Il est bon que nous fachons enssi, car je suppose que nous arons tantos grant confort de ceuls de Londres des bonnes gens de nostre lés, qui sont pourveus et armés, eux et leurs amis, en leurs maissons."

Anonimalle Chronicle. [15th June 1381] The King gently replied that he would grant all that he could reasonably do, while keeping the dignity of his crown, and told Tyler to go quietly back to his lodging without further delay. During all of this, none of the lords or members of the King's council dared or wished to speak to the commons, only the King himself. At one point, Wat Tyler asked in the King's presence for a cup of water to rinse his mouth because of the great heat, and it was quickly brought. He rinsed his mouth rudely and shamefully before the King. Then he had a cup of ale brought to him, drank a great draught, and mounted his horse in front of the King. At the same time, a servant from Kent standing among the King's men asked to see Wat Tyler, the leader of the commons. When he saw him, he said publicly that Tyler was the greatest thief and robber in all of Kent. Wat Tyler, hearing this, ordered him to come forward, nodding his head toward him menacingly. But the servant refused, fearing Tyler's companions. Eventually, the lords made him go to Tyler, to see what he would do in front of the King. When Tyler saw him, he ordered one of his men, mounted on a horse and carrying a banner, to dismount and behead the servant. But the servant replied that he had done nothing to deserve death, that what he had said was the truth, and that he would not deny it. He also said that in the King's presence he could not fight by law without permission, except in self-defense—and that, he said, he would do if needed. Because of these words, Tyler attempted to strike him with his dagger and kill him in front of the King. For this act of violence and insult in the King's presence, William Walworth, the Mayor of London, confronted Tyler and arrested him. In response to the arrest, Tyler struck the Mayor with the dagger in great rage—but as God willed, the Mayor was armored and unharmed. Then the Mayor, being a brave and vigorous man, drew his short sword (baselard) and struck Tyler in the neck a great wound, and then again on the head with a heavy blow. In that conflict, a servant from the King's household drew his sword and stabbed Tyler in the chest two or three times, wounding him mortally. Tyler then spurred his horse and cried out to the commons to avenge him, but the horse carried him about 80 feet away before he collapsed, half-dead. When the commons saw him fall and were unsure what had happened to him, they began to draw their bows and prepare to shoot. But then the King himself rode forward toward them, commanding them all to follow him to the fields of St. John of Clerkenwell.

Et a ceo le roy respondist esement et dist qil averoit tute ceo qil purroit bonement graunter, sauvant a luy la regaltee de sa corone, comandant a luy de aler a soun hostelle demesne saunz plus targer. Et en tute celle temps del dises qe le roy avoit, nulle seignur, ne nulle del conseille ne osast ne vodroit doner respouns a les comunes en nulle / lieu, fors le roy mesmes. En quele temps le dit Wat Tyghler manda en presence le roy pur une hanape de eaw pur ryncer soun bouche pur le graunt chalure qil avoit, et tost fuist porte et rynsa soun bouche ledement et vilaynesment avaunt le roy; et apres fist porter a luy une hanape de cervoys et bust une graunt trete, et en presence le roy monta soun chivalle. En mesme le temps une valet de Kent, esteaunt entre les gentz le roy pria pur vere le dit Wat, cheftane de les comunes; et quaunt il luy vist il dist apertement qil fuist le plus graunt laroun et robboure de tute Kent. Et le dit Wat oiaunt ses paroles luy comanda de venir a luy, mowant soun test devers luy en signe de malice; mes le dit Wat refusa de aler a luy pur doute qil avoit des autres; et au darrein les seignurs luy fist aler a luy pur vere qil vodroit fair devaunt le roy; et quaunt le dit Wat luy vist, il comanda a une de les soens qe fuist monte une chivalle portaunt une baner desplaye, de descendre et decoler le dit valet. Mes le valet respondist qil navoit deservye la mort, mes ceo qil avoit dist fuist veritee et ne vodroit denyer, mes en presence de soun seignur lige ne purroit fair debate par la ley saunz conge, fors en sa defens demesne, et ceo purroit fair saunz reprove; par qay cestuy ge luy ferroit, il luy referroit; et pur cestez paroles le dit Wat luy vodroit avoir ferru od soun dagger et occise en la presence le roy; et par celle enchesone le mair de Loundres, William de Walworth par noune, arresona le dit Wat de celle violence et despite fait en presence le roy et luy arresta; et pur celle arreste le dit Wat ferrist le maire od le dragger avaunt le pyse od graunde ire; mes come Dieu voilloit, il fuist arme et ne greva my; mes le dit maire come homme hardy et vigurous trea sa baselarde et referrist le dit Wat en le colle une graunde play et autrefoitz amont le test une graunde coupe; et en celle conflicte une valet del measone le roy trea soun espey et luy ferrist parmy le pys deux foitz ou trois et luy naufra a / la mort; et le dit Wat brocha le chivalle criaunt a les comunes de luy venger et le chivalle luy porta a la mountance de IIII^xx pees et illeoges cheist a la terre dimy mort. Et quaunt les comunes luy virent chayer et ne savoient en certayne coment il fuist, mes comencerount a treer lour arkes et a seter; et purceo le roy mesmes brocha soun chivalle et vient & eux, comandaunt a eux ge toutz deveroient venir a luy al chaumpe de seint Johan de Klerkenwell.

Chronicle of Adam of Usk [~1352-1430]. 15th June 1381. In this rising of the commons were many great men of the land in many places beheaded. The Savoy [Map], the palace of the duke of Lancaster (age 41) and the fairest in the kingdom, standing near London on the bank of Thames, was, from the commons' hatred of the duke, utterly destroyed by them with fire; and the duke himself, for fear of them, fled into Scotland¹. To appease them and to quiet their fury, the king (age 14) granted that the state of villeinage, as well in their persons as in their labour, should be henceforth done away, freedom fully given, and all prisoners set at large. And this he commanded and made to be openly proclaimed throughout the counties of the kingdom. And then what a throe of grief passed through the desolated land! For they boasted that they would slay all those of higher birth, would raise up king and lords from among themselves, would stablish new laws, and, in a word, would make new, or rather - disfigure, the face and estate of the whole island. Then every man struck off the head of his enemy, and despoiled his richer neighbour. But, by the mercy of God, when their leader, being in Smithfield near London, doffed not his hood before the king nor in anything did reverence to the king's majesty, his head was deftly struck off, in the very midst of his flock of kites, by sir William Walworth, knight and citizen of London; and straightway, being raised on the point of a sword, it was shown before them. Then the commons in sore dread sought flight by stealth, and there and then casting away their rebellious weapons, as though unguilty of such riot and wickedness, like foxes into their holes, they pitifully crept home. But the king and the lords pursued them, and some they made to be dragged behind horses, some they slew with the sword, some they hanged on the gallows, some they quartered; and they destroyed thousands².

Note 1. John of Gaunt was at this time in the north, negotiating a truce with Scotland. Knighton (ij. 143-7) tells us that so unpopular was his name that his duchess was refused admission into his own castle at Pontefract [Map], and that he himself was denied hospitality by the earl of Northumberland; and that it was reported that a large force of the insurgents was sent north in pursuit of him. He retired to Edinburgh on a safe-conduct from the Scots, by whom he was well entertained.

Note 2. The severity of the punishments inflicted after the suppression of the outbreak is fully set forth in the pages of Walsingham's History. Richard, however, interfered to prevent indiscriminate slaughter of the insurgents when first beaten in the field.— Wals. Hist. Angl. (Rolls series), i. 466.