“Nay,—for Jesus' sake!” cried Calote. “Bethink what shall befal if this man is slain. He hath a ményé to follow him in the Rising. Let not confusion come upon them. Remember the Rising! Stephen, Stephen,—now is no time to 'venge privé 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
N 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?"