Long Will Part 43

And so bid John Trueman and all his fellows.'"

They looked one on another with faces a little pale:--

"'T has come," they said. "Read on, Will!" And anon he read the second letter:--

"'Jack Milner asketh help to turn his milne aright. He hath grounden small, small. The King's son of heaven he shall pay for all. Look thy milne go aright, with the four sails, and the post stand in steadfastness. With right and with might, with skill and with will, let might help right and skill go before will and right before might, then goeth our milne aright. And if might go before right, then is our milne misadight.'"

"John Ball hath rungen our bell," said Hobbe. "I 'll go beat a ploughshare," and went out.

Also the two messengers kissed either other and clipt close, and after, departed.

Will Langland took from his pouch a fresh parchment and made ready to copy the letters, his daughter leaning against his knee. By the wall sat Jack Straw a-sulking, his legs sprawled wide, his chin in his chest, his eyes watchful. Kitte took her besom and swept the floor.

And now there came in another from Cornhill; he wore the badge of the white hart on his sleeve.

"Rochester Castle is ta'en!" he said.

And Calote ran to him, and "O Stephen!" she cried, "the message is gone forth! The people is rising!"

They stood agaze, each on other, joy of the coming battle in their young eyes. Then they kissed.

Jack Straw got to his feet with a bound:--

"Thou,--thou,--thou!" he gasped.--"Spy!--c.o.kenay!--Thou?"

So he began to laugh his soft laughter, and turned him to Calote with:--

"Two year!--And this was his pilgrimage,--to lie under hedge with"--

But Stephen had sprung upon him and they clinched, rocking this way and that, the while Calote wrung her hands.

Long Will would have meddled in that melee to thrust apart those two, but Kitte caught his arm:--

"Let be!" she said. "The squire 's better man! he 'll win."

And so it was, for Jack Straw knew not to wrestle; he was a lean, pale wight. He had a bodkin in his belt, but was not time to draw, and presently he lay on the floor, face down, and Stephen on his back, kneeling.

"Now say thy prayer!" said Stephen.

"Nay,--for Jesus' sake!" cried Calote. "Bethink what shall befal if this man is slain. He hath a menye to follow him in the Rising. Let not confusion come upon them. Remember the Rising! Stephen, Stephen,--now is no time to 'venge prive wrong! We have need of men shall lead.--What though this man hath evil in him,--yet do the people follow him in a good cause."

"'T is very true," Stephen answered, thoughtful. "If he be slain, how shall the people understand? Eh, well,--sweetheart,--for Piers Ploughman and all our brothers' sake,--I 'll be patient."

And when he had arisen he kicked Jack Straw: "Get up, carroigne!" he said.

Jack Straw crawled to the door.

"Never fear, wench," said he, "I 've no mind to marry and be cuckold."

CHAPTER II

Blackheath

On a Wednesday, being the twelfth day of June in that year, which was the fourth year of King Richard II., Wat Tyler and John Ball set up two great banners of Saint George on Blackheath, which was a moor that lay to southward of London, distant from the Bridge by the highway five mile. And thither came folk from north and south all that day, and encamped round about those two banners. Calote was there, and Stephen, and Long Will, to see them come in. Now 't was a band out of Surrey, singing as they marched:--

"When Adam delved and Eve span, Who was then the gentleman?"

Now 't was foresters from the Weald, threescore and more. Anon, the men that had seen the siege and the taking of Rochester Castle came in; and these went about from one to other of the bands, telling their tale, leaping in air and shouting as they were mad. Villeins and free labourers of Suss.e.x by score and by hundred came.

"John Ball hath rungen our bell!" they said; "John Ball hath rungen our bell!"

"H-how shall these men be fed?" Stephen asked John Ball.

"London shall"--John Ball began, but he looked on Stephen and stayed his speech; and quoth he presently: "So 't is thou?"

For, albeit Stephen had donned his tabard and coa.r.s.e hosen, his hair, which was of a pale brown colour like to the King's, was curled very daintily; and he had a girdle, the which peasants might not wear, and a short sword therein and a dagger.

"Yea, 't is I, Stephen Fitzwarine," he said. "W-Will Langland shall speak for me that I be ever true man."

"He saith soth," Will answered; "'t is a very gentleman and our brother."

"Yea," affirmed Wat, who was come up. "Were all the King's servants like to this one, our daughters"--But then he broke forth into cursing and crying out upon G.o.d and Christ Jesus very blasphemously, that Calote wept to hear. Long Will went aside with him to speak comfort, and John Ball turned again to Stephen.

"Art thou even now of the household of the King? 'T is very well. We have sent a message to the King to pray him that he come hither to speak with us concerning this Rising and a remedy. Do thou go up and be seen o' the river sh.o.r.e when he cometh; haply he 'll come the more willingly an he see a friend."

"Let the maid go with me," said Stephen. "She hath a token from Richard; her word also will he trust."

So Calote and Stephen went up to Thames by the Rotherhithe sh.o.r.e, and as they went they met a great rout of Ess.e.x men come across the river.

They had three b.l.o.o.d.y heads on poles, the which they bore for banners, and these were three clerks that served the tax-collector was driven out of Brentwood the last week in May. Crows flew squawking round about these heads. Meanwhile, the men strode on, chaunting:--

"'Jack Trueman doth you to understand that falseness and guile have reigned too long.'"

And they told Stephen and Calote as how other Ess.e.x men were encamped t' other side the river before Aldgate, to keep the city from that side. And these other were Jack Straw's men.

And Calote and Stephen went down to the water's edge and stood with the throng that waited for the King.

An hour they waited, singing, jostling, and in the end the royal barge came down the river with Richard standing in the prow, and that old warrior and very perfect gentleman, the Earl of Salisbury, at his right hand. In the midst of the boat Sudbury stood, and Hales, and when the folk on sh.o.r.e saw these two they set up a shout of--

"Traitors!--Give up the traitors!--The Chancellor!--The Chancellor!--Poll-tax is his!--'T is Simon Sudbury taxed us!--They shall be slain!"

Whereupon my Lord of Salisbury made a sign to the rowers that they should cease rowing, which they did, and the barge stood still in the stream.

"How shall these jack-fools be hushed?" said Stephen. "They spoil all!"

Then Calote wound the King's horn, once, twice, thrice, and in the silence that followed after, Stephen put his hand to his mouth and shouted: "A parley! A parley!" and after: "My Lord King, beseech thee come hither, and alone, to speak with thy people. Shall none harm come to thee."