16 THE PEASANTS’ REVOLT OF 1381. 
of John of Gaunt by burning his noble residence, the Savoy 
Palace. The new Inn of the lawyers at the Temple and the 
houses of the foreign merchants were also in a blaze. The 
insurgents, anxious that the true cause of their revolt should not 
be misunderstood, sternly repressed any attempt at pillage. The 
next day, Friday, June 4th, after some rough horse-play on 
Tower Hill, the tower was entered, and the Archbishop of Canter- 
bury, Simon Sudbury, who was also Chancellor of the Kingdom, 
together with several other high state officials, was seized and 
condemned to be beheaded. Deeds of reckless and unpardon- 
able violence such as these seem to have been more the result of 
accident than of intention. During the time these deeds were in 
progress the neighbouring counties were overrun, and numerous 
houses of the nobles, and many rich foundations, including St. 
Albans, destroyed. The king met the body of peasants waiting 
without the city at Mile End for a conference, and showed a 
boldness, a tact, and a presence of mind which probably saved 
the country from a scene of frightful slaughter and a desolating 
civil war. At the meeting, Wat Tyler’s manner was so threaten- 
ing that Walworth, then Lord Mayor, slew him with his dagger. 
The death of the boldest and most determined of the leaders 
inspired the gentry with fresh courage, and correspondingly dis- 
heartened the insurgents. Everywhere active measures were 
taken to suppress the revolt. On July 2nd, the charters of 
manumission and pardons, issued only a fortnight previously, were 
annulled, and on the 18th of the same month local courts were 
forbidden to release prisoners charged with taking part in the 
revolt. During the autumn, the judges on their circuits hanged 
without mercy all who had taken a prominent part in the rising. 
The severe measures adopted to inspire terror were inexcusable, 
and can only be accounted for by the alarm the revolt had 
occasioned. No less than seven thousand persons, including 
victims on both sides, are said to have perished during and after 
the rising. Parliament met early in November, and being com- 
posed of members of the dominant class, naturally looked upon 
the demands of the peasants as a direct attack upon the rights of 
