“You are not to be blamed. So long as there
was danger you kept up, and, in truth, it was danger
that might well drive the blood from the face of the
bravest woman; for the sight of that chamber, after
the fight was over, must, in itself, have filled a
maid of your age with horror. Why, the princess
herself swooned on vastly less occasion. No, no,
girl, I am well pleased with you; as for your mother,
she had seen such sights before, but it was a rough
beginning for you, and I think that you acted bravely
and well.”
DEATH OF THE TYLER
“What befell the king, my lord?” said
Edgar.
“As far as he was concerned all went well.
A multitude accompanied him to Mile End Fields, and
then, on his demanding that they should frankly tell
him what were their grievances, they handed to him
a parchment containing the four points that have from
the first been asked for, and all of which are reasonable
enough. The king, after reading them, told them
in a loud voice that he was willing to grant their
desires, and would forthwith issue a charter bestowing
these four points on the people. The rebels set
up a great shout, and forthwith marched away in their
companies, the men of Herts, Cambridge, and Suffolk,
and all those of Essex who were there. Nothing
could have been better. We knew not that the Kentish
men and some of the Essex bands, together with the
rabble of the city, had remained at the Tower, and
it was only as we rode back, believing that the trouble
was all over, that we heard what had happened.”
“Will the king still grant the charter, father?”
Albert asked.
“I know not. Everything has been changed
by the conduct of these fellows, and the murder of
the archbishop, the lord treasurer, and others, to
say nothing of the insults to the king’s mother,
and the insolence of the mob in making themselves
masters of the Tower. But, indeed, the king could
not himself grant such a charter. It is a matter
that must be done both by king and parliament, and
when the knights of the shires and the representatives
of the great towns meet, they will be equally indisposed
to grant concessions to men who have burned palaces,
destroyed all deeds and titles wheresoever they could
find them, killed every man of law on whom they could
lay hands, and throughout all England have risen against
the lords of the soil.
“If the rabble could, whenever they had the
fancy, rise in arms and enforce any claim that they
chose to propose, they would soon be masters of all.
It may be that erelong serfdom will cease, and I see
not why all men should not have the right of buying
and selling in open market. As to fixing the
price of land, I think not that that can be done, seeing
that some land is vastly more fertile than others,
and that the land towns is of much greater value than
elsewhere. But even in my time there have been
great changes, and the condition of the serfs is very
greatly improved, while the hardships they complain
of, and the heavy taxation, are not felt by serfs
only, but are common to all.
