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WALWORTH.
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demagogue, still dissatisfied, demanded his sword also, which the knight
stubbornly refused to give up, saying it was the King's sword. " By my
" faith," said Wat Tyler,
" I will never eat till I have thy head," and would
" have run on the knight."
At that critical moment Waiworth intervened, invoking the King's
authority " not to permit a noble knight so shamefully to be murdered
" before his face," which the King boldly gave, and " commanded the
" mayor to set hand on him." But Tyler furiously struck at the mayor
with his dagger, upon which Walworth drew his "baselard" and grievously
wounded him in the neck, and knocked him backwards on his horse with
a blow on the head, while an esquire of the King's house drew his sword,
and wounded him " even unto death."
Wat Tyler, as he fell from his horse, cried to the commons to avenge
him, in a moment every bow was bent, in another moment a frightful
massacre would have taken place
; but the King, " showing both wisdom
" and courage, pricked his horse with his spurs," and rode alone straight
in the face of this menacing line of rough and determined men, bristling
with arrows pointed directly at him, and without flinching (surely
in the
strength of that courage which is the result of prayer, for it is the grace
of God), he calmly said
" What a work is this, my men ? What mean you
" to do Will ?
you shoot at your King Be not ? quarrelous, nor sorry for
" the death of a traitor and ribald. I will be your King
;
I am your captain
" and leader ; follow me into the field, there to have whatsoever you will
" require."
And wheeling his horse round, led them into " the open field." The
armed multitude stood silent for a moment, then followed with that sudden
submission which the roughest natures will shew under the influence of
true magnanimity and presence of mind. The soldiers that were with him,
we are told, also followed, " not knowing whether they would kill the King
" or be in rest and depart home with the King's charter."
But Walworth's task was not done. Ere the people
could recover
the surprise at the fall of their leader, and raise a shout of vengeance, he
had put spurs to his horse, and, with only one servant,
" riding speedily
" into the city," soon returned with a number of armed men, whom he had
implored to come and rescue the King from being murdered.
But the danger of strife was passed. Disheartened by the loss of
their leader, not knowing whether these were not the advance-guard of a
still
greater number, and perhaps touched by the King's kindness, gentleness,
and courage, the whole multitude laid down their arms, fell on their
knees, and asked for pardon, which the King as readily granted, giving
them the charter of their liberties, which he had already signed, and in
spite
of the earnest entreaties of some of his lately
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cowardly attendants to