[1] Or rather, ’he found a place on the left hand to pass
      without London.’

The same proper morning Wat Tyler, Jack Straw and John Ball had assembled their company to common together in a place called Smithfield, whereas every Friday there is a market of horses; and there were together all of affinity more than twenty thousand, and yet there were many still in the town, drinking and making merry in the taverns and paid nothing, for they were happy that made them best cheer.  And these people in Smithfield had with them the king’s banners, the which were delivered them the day before, and all these gluttons were in mind to overrun and to rob London the same day; for their captains said how they had done nothing as yet.  ’These liberties that the king hath given us is to us but a small profit:  therefore let us be all of one accord and let us overrun this rich and puissant city, or they of Essex, of Sussex, of Cambridge, of Bedford, of Arundel, of Warwick, of Reading, of Oxford, of Guildford, of Lynn, of Stafford, of Yarmouth, of Lincoln, of York and of Durham do come hither.  For all these will come hither; Baker and Lister will bring them hither; and if we be first lords of London and have the possession of the riches that is therein, we shall not repent us; for if we leave it, they that come after will have it from us.’

To this counsel they all agreed; and therewith the king came the same way unware of them, for he had thought to have passed that way without London, and with him a forty horse.  And when he came before the abbey of Saint Bartholomew and beheld all these people, then the king rested and said how he would go no farther till he knew what these people ailed, saying, if they were in any trouble, how he would rappease them again.  The lords that were with him tarried also, as reason was when they saw the king tarry.  And when Wat Tyler saw the king tarry, he said to his people:  ’Sirs, yonder is the king:  I will go and speak with him.  Stir not from hence, without I make you a sign; and when I make you that sign, come on and slay all them except the king; but do the king no hurt, he is young, we shall do with him as we list and shall lead him with us all about England, and so shall we be lords of all the realm without doubt.’  And there was a doublet-maker of London called John Tycle, and he had brought to these gluttons a sixty doublets, the which they ware:  then he demanded of these captains who should pay him for his doublets; he demanded thirty mark.  Wat Tyler answered him and said:  ’Friend, appease yourself, thou shalt be well paid or this day be ended.  Keep thee near me; I shall be thy creditor.’  And therewith he spurred his horse and departed from his company and came to the king, so near him that his horse head touched the croup of the king’s horse, and the first word that he said was this:  ‘Sir king, seest thou all yonder people?’ ‘Yea truly,’ said the king, ‘wherefore sayest thou?’