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RICHARD IL
blood the Archbishop of Canterbury and other persons of distinetion.
the King's own mother narrowly escaping capture,
6. The next day, as the King was riding through Smithfield, he met
Tyler at the head of twenty thousand men, "The rebel leader boldly
challenged his sovereign to a conversation. Richard could do nothing
but comply. As they conversed, Tyler grew warm and laid hold of the
King’s bridle. At that, Walworth, Lord Mayor of London, who was
Aaccompanying Richard, stabbed the bold insurgent in the thront, while
another of the King's attendants instantly killed him outright. A thou-
‚sand bows were drawn to avenge the fallen leader, when
Ns the young King, with rare presence of mind, cried out,
of mind. ‘“ What are ye doing, my lieges? Tyler was a traitor.
Come with me, and I will be your leader,” Instead of
shooting, the rebels quietly accepted Richard’s invitation to follow
him to a place outside of the city, where he would hear and settle their
complaints, By the time they reached Islington, the place designated
for the conference, volunteers from all directions had greatly swelled
the King’s body-guard, "The rebels found themselves outnumbered.
and were allowed to disperse quietly.
7. The nobility and gentry were now anxious to show their loyalty,
Forces were raised in all parts of the kingdom to sustain
Villeins” 1.4 and order. A fortnight after the dispersion of the
charter ; : |
revoked. rebels, the King felt himself strong enough to revoke the
charter granted to the villeins. The surviving leaders in
the insurrectionary movement were sought out and punished, Jack
Straw and John Ball were executed,
8. In 1385 Richard invaded Scotland, and proceeded as far north as
to Aberdeen. The Scottish King did not think it pru-
Va dent to resist the progress of the Knglish, who sacked and
* burned in succession Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Perth,
and Dundee, "Three years later, at Otterburn, the victory of the
Douglases over the Percies, made memorable hy the ballad of “ Chevy
Chase,” restored the balance in favor of Scotland.
9. Thus far, Richard had given evidence of considerable strength of
character. But this did not grow with his years. He
Character became fond of ease and pleasure. Advisers and favorites
and DE were not wisely chosen. . In 1387 dissutisfaction with his
En conduct took the form of a direct effort to dethrone him.
At the head of this movement was his uncle, the Duke of
Gloucester, a man of warm temper and restless disposition, For a
time it seemed probabie that Richard would lose his crown. At length,
in 1389, the powerful aid of another uncle, the Duke of Lancaster
(“John of Gaunt”), enabled him to recover his position, and for
nine years he reigned in comparative peace, Richard and Glouces-
ter were outwardly reconciled, but some years afterwards the Jatter
