RICHARD IL 
65 
Kichard's Ininority; from which, to the surprise of many, all his 
5 were excluded,. 
öf de with ‚France and Scotland continued during the earlier years 
heavy TOMEn, Though attended by no important results, it entailed 
and Se TE on the nation. To meet these, vesort was had to new 
bi Xatious methods of taxation, some of which bore Discontent 
fror Y On £h2 villeins or peasants, among whom already of the 
© other causes much diseontent prevailed, In 1381 a 
DOll-tax of a shilling a hend was imposed on every person a 
Male and female ki 8 OR A} ) jarl 
odieus x eimale, above the age of fifteen, This levy was peculiarly 
Uhrou, tO the pensantry. Uprisings against it took place generally 
5 uhout the south of England, 
Giler At Dartford, in Kent, a tax-gatherer insulted the daughter of a 
ofendin 90 Walter, or Wat, who promptly slew the Wat Tyler. 
Wat BF Officer. The men of Kent flew to arms, and . 
dad Who was naturally the hero of the hour, was placed in com: 
self w under the popular name of Wat Tyler. Wat soon found him- 
most hing on London with an army of one hundred thousand men, 
Won ps hants, but including also not a few substantial freeholders, 
4 en Of taxation had driven to arms. | . 
head 16 villeins of Essex also mustered for the attack, placing at their 
Dreact. Man named Jack Straw. ‚John Ball, @ fanatical JACK Str 
diseommn inflamed the zeal of the rebels by his fiery and 
oma, Ys08, Not content with asserting the duty of yopn Ball. 
vegan ring the villeins, he exhorted the, latter to 
ro N themselves as having equal „rights with the nobles to both 
% bt and power. It is suid that instead of going to Serinture for 
+ he preached from the eounlet :— 
“When Adam delved and Ev& span, 
Who was then a gzentlaman +" 
& En July 12th, 1381, Tyler and his host encamped at Blackheath, 
by of London, Two days afterwards they entered the city 
but u Bridge. Private property generally was left untouched, 
and ad public buildings, including the Temple, Newgate prison, 
dem. 7 Duke of Iianeaster’s palace in the Savoy, were Insurpes: 
ished, The King, through a herald, offered to tion of 
T| *$ the rebels at Mile End and hear their demands. 
he latter were 7 reduced to fowr: the abolition of PeaSaniEs 
Willeinae e now reduced to four: the 
and Age; the reduction of rent to fourpence an acre ; freedom to buy 
Hlac el ; and a general pardon for past offences, The interview took 
hose and the King solemnly agreed to grant a charter covering all 
Anotl demands, While this conference was being held at Mile End, 
her body of insurgents broke into the Tower, and slew in cold