SHF 2-215 syncWhen these people, who were lodging in
Rochester, had done what they had come to do, they departed and crossed the river, arriving in Brentford [sic]
26, standing by their plan to tear apart the houses and lodgings of lawyers and proctors to right and left of them, and sparing nobody. They cut off the heads of several men as they went and continued until they came to a place just four leagues from
London and encamped on a mount known in the land as
Blackheath 27, saying that they were for the
king and the commonwealth of
England.
When the people of
London realised that they had settled so near to them, they closed the gates of the Thames bridge and placed guards there. This command came from the
mayor of London,
Sir William Walworth, and some of the wealthy burgesses of
London who did not support their cause; however, there were over thirty thousand common people in
London.
The people lodged on the mount of
Blackheath resolved to send their
knight to speak with the king and explain that everything they were doing was for him, for the kingdom of
England had been under poor government for many years with respect to the honour of the kingdom and advantage of the common people under the leadership of his uncles, his clergy and principally the
archbishop of Canterbury, his chancellor, whom they wished to call to account.
The
knight dared not say or do anything to the contrary but came to the
Thames opposite the Tower and had himself taken across the water by boat. When the
king and those in the
Tower of London who were eager for news, saw the boatman and
knight traversing the
Thames, they said, "Here's some soul coming over with news for us!" and I can tell you that within they were very anxious. The
knight reached the shore and way was made for him. He was conducted before the
king who was in his chamber; his mother, the
princess, was by his side, and his two brothers, the
earl of Kent,
Sir John Holland, the
earl of Salisbury, the
earl of Warwick, the
earl of Oxford, the
archbishop of Canterbury, the
Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller of England,
Sir Robert de Namur, the
lord of Vertaing, the
lord of Gommegnies,
Sir Henri de Senzeilles, the
mayor of London and several distinguished burgesses of the city of
London, were all with the
king. The knight,
Sir John Newton, who was well known among them for he was an officer of the
king, went on his knees before the
king and said to him,
"My most mighty lord, do not be offended by the message I must give you, for, dear sir, I have been forced into it."
"Not at all
Sir John, say what you must. I hold you excused."
"Most mighty lord, the common people of your realm send me to you to negotiate and to entreat you to come and speak with them on the mount of
Blackheath. They will have nobody else but you, and do not have any fear for your person for they will do you no harm.
pb 72 v