leg, head or arm: there was none so
hardy but that they feared him: he did there such deeds of arms that
it was marvel to regard. But there were more than forty thousand of
these unhappy people: they shot and cast at him, and he was unarmed:
to say truth, if he had been of iron or steel, yet he must needs have
been slain; but yet, or he died, he slew twelve out of hand, beside
them that he hurt. Finally he was stricken to the earth, and they cut
off his arms and legs and then strake his body all to pieces. This was
the end of sir Robert Sale, which was great damage; for which deed
afterward all the knights and squires of England were angry and sore
displeased when they heard thereof.

Now let us return to the king. The Saturday the king departed from the
Wardrobe in the Royal and went to Westminster and heard mass in the
church there, and all his lords with him. And beside the church there
was a little chapel with an image of our Lady, which did great
miracles and in whom the kings of England had ever great trust and
confidence. The king made his orisons before this image and did there
his offering; and then he leapt on his horse, and all his lords, and
so the king rode toward London; and when he had ridden a little way,
on the left hand there was a way to pass without London.[1]

[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 brin