“As regarding that poll-tax, thou wert a fool, my lord,—a fool!—a fool! But thou art a faithful servant, and a true man,—and I love thee!”
His voice broke, and he hid his face in the Archbishop's breast.
“Sire,” said Simon gently, and put both arms about his king as 't were his own son; “do not grieve! I know a way to baffle them. Go thou to Mile End, and leave me here to play my part.”
“Thou wilt surely scape?” Richard questioned.
“Yea,—I shall surely scape.”
Then they went together into the chapel and prayed awhile; and when the King was going out at the door, he looked back to see where the Archbishop stood at the altar making ready the sacrifice of the Mass. John Leg knelt on the steps and Robert Hales,—and there was a certain friar, a friend of John of Gaunt, who served at the Mass.
So Richard rode forth of the Tower, and 't was a Friday in the morning,—and with him Etienne Fitzwarine, and Thomas of Woodstock that was Earl of Buckingham, and old Salisbury, and others,—earls and gentlemen,—and also Sir John Holland and the Earl of Kent, the King's half-brothers; but these, for fear, set spur to horse and departed from the company into the fields.
Meanwhile, in the fields about Mile End the folk came together, a many thousand, with their leaders. Long Will also was there, and Calote. London prentices played at ball the while they waited; country louts sang and cuffed one another; cooks went about crying “Hot pies, hot!” There was a bearward with his beast, making merry. And in the midst of this babel, John Ball and Wat Tyler and Jack Straw were silent. The priest had set his back against a tree, and so stood with folded arms and sunken chin, his eyes gazing out to a vision. Wat paced up and down, restless; anon he lifted his head uncertain, and stood looking down by the way the King must come; anon he gnawed his lip and strode on. Jack Straw, squatting among the roots of a yew, watched those others and bit his finger-nails.
“And what will ye do when the King cometh?” asked Long Will of the three.
John Ball did not hear him, or if he did, he made no sign. Jack leered up at Wat, and Wat stood still.