A Dream of John Ball; and, A King's Lesson

Jack Straw again. The moon was half-way up the heavens now, and the short summer night had begun, calm a

John Ball and the story of what was

nded. Which of you is hardy enough t

l!" they

and grievous city; and mayhappen when ye come thither it shall seem to you overg

Suffolk, and there belike an end. But from London ye may have an inkling of all the

wary; and that is as much as to say, be bold and hardy; for in these days are ye building a house which shall not be overthrown, and the worl

rkened still, as if something

ongue well-shapen for words; and it were well that we had him out of the castle and away with us, and that we put a word in his mouth to say to the King. And wot ye well, g

e they, the lords and councillors and lawyers, imagine counsel and remedy for us; and even so shall our own folly bid us; and if we hearken thereto we are undone indeed; for they shall fall upon our peace wit

ey be yourselves or your foemen,

rl, let me bridle thee and saddle thee, and eat thy livelihood that thou winnest, and call th

the end of th

e bold! Grip the bow, handle the staff, draw the

the winding of horns, and I misdoubted a new onslaught; and some of those in the throng bega

way, and are with us here because of the pilgrimage road, and that is the best in these parts, and so the shortest to Rochester. And doubt ye nothing of our being taken unawares this night; for I have bidden and sent out watchers of the ways, and neither a man's son nor a m

s; and yet soberly and without riot, since so much work is to hand. Moreover the priest saith, bear ye the dead men, both friends and f

e people of our township, except some half-dozen whose armour shone cold like ice under the moonbeams. Will Green soon had a dozen of them by the sleeve to come home with him to b

ain to-night? I were fain of speech with thee; for

e to Will Green's house,

l be song and the talk of many friends; and forsooth I have words in me that crave to come out in a quiet place where they may have each one his own answer

h his hand laid on the priest's shoulder, waiting till he

er must tell and talk in my house; and there my maid will hear his wisdom which lay still u

e a new set of words. Moreover, as we passed up the street again I was once again smitten with the great beauty of the scene; the houses, the church with its new chancel and tower, snow-white in the moonbeams now; the dresses