Once more, on the Saturday, June 15th, Richard was invited to meet his subjects, and again he declared his willingness, summoning his commons by proclamation to meet him that afternoon at Smithfield, in the square outside St. Bartholomew’s Priory.
It seemed on the morning of June 15th as though the rising had succeeded triumphantly. The peasants had their charters of manumission, the nobles were thoroughly alarmed and cowed, the soldiery powerless, and Wat Tyler and his men still held the City of London.
Holding such an advantage, Tyler determined to make the king decree further reforms, and when the two met at Smithfield, the confidence of victory could be seen in the peasant leader’s bearing.
Richard, with two hundred retainers, and with Henry, Earl of Derby, the Earls of Suffolk and Salisbury, Sir Simon Burley, and Walworth, the mayor, were on the east side of the square, the great priory at their back.
Tyler and his army drew up on the west side, and when Walworth opened the proceedings by calling on Wat Tyler to speak with the king, Tyler, seated on a little horse, rode out into the middle of the square with a single attendant. There he dismounted, dropped on one knee before the king, and shook him heartily by the hand. He bade Richard be of good cheer, and declared that within a fortnight he should have even more thanks from the commons than he had won already. “You and I shall be good comrades yet,” Tyler added.
Richard, in some embarrassment, enquired why the commons did not return home, and Tyler answered with a great and solemn oath that no one should leave the city until they had got a further redressing of all their grievances. “And much the worse will it be for the lords of this realm if this charter be refused,” he concluded.
Then Richard bade Tyler say what charter it was the commons demanded.
“First, then,” said Tyler, “let no law but the law of Winchester prevail throughout the land, and let no man be made an outlaw by the decree of judges and lawyers.[67] Grant also that no lord shall henceforth exercise lordship over the commons; and since we are oppressed by so vast a horde of bishops and clerks, let there be but one bishop in England; and let the property and goods of the holy Church be divided fairly according to the needs of the people in each parish, after in justice making suitable provision for the present clergy and monks. Finally, let there be no more villeins in England, but grant us all to be free and of one condition.”
“All that you have asked for I promise readily,” Richard answered, “if only it be consistent with the regality of my crown. And now let the commons return home since their requests have been granted.”
In the presence of his nobles and the hearing of his people the king had promised that the demands of his subjects should be granted.