PEASANT REVOLTS 115 



the ground had been prepared and how general was 

 the spirit of disajfifection. 



The Commons and villeins of Essex marched in a 

 body to Mile End. The Kentish men, led by "those 

 insolent rebels Wat Tyler, Jack Straw and one John 

 Balle and their adherents with a rabble of near 100,000 

 men lay encamped for some time on Blackheath, a 

 beautiful plain lying on the South side of Greenwich 

 Park."^ The king sent messengers to know the cause 

 of their rising. They answered that "they were 

 gathered for his safety to destroy those who were 

 tray tors to him and his kingdom." They asked that 

 the king should come to see them at Blackheath. 

 The men of Essex, who had encamped at Mile End, 

 had made a similar demand, to which the king had 

 wisely assented. At the interview the king granted 

 their moderate demands, and the men of Essex dis- 

 banded and returned to their homes. Had the king, 

 at first, met the Kentish men on Blackheath in a similar 

 way, as it is said he was willing to do, it is most prob- 

 able that the rebellion would have been ended; but he 

 was swayed by the evil influence of those around him. 

 The Archbishop who was Chancellor, and Sir Robert 

 Hales the Treasurer, were foremost in persuading him 

 not to go. For this " traitorous " counsel the men 

 threatened them with death, a threat they carried out 

 a few days afterwards. 



Failing to see the king at Blackheath the rebel 

 army marched to South wark. " They passed through 

 the citie and did no hurt. They took nothing from 

 any man, but bought all things at a just price. And 

 if they found any man with theft they beheaded him." 

 They sought for the traitors, as they called the king's 



^ Hasted's "History of Kent," published 1778. 



