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way before their own noses。 The victory shall they have and shall not
know what to do with it； they shall fight and overcome； because of their
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lack of knowledge； and because of their lack of knowledge shall they be
cozened and betrayed when their captains are slain； and all shall come to
nought by seeming； and the king's uncles shall prevail； that both they and
the king may come to the shame that is appointed for them。 And yet
when the lords have vanquished； and all England lieth under them again；
yet shall their victory be fruitless； for the free men that hold unfree lands
shall they not bring under the collar again； and villeinage shall slip from
their hands； till there be； and not long after ye are dead； but few unfree
men in England； so that your lives and your deaths both shall bear fruit。〃
〃Said I not；〃 quoth John Ball； 〃that thou wert a sending from other
times？ Good is thy message； for the land shall be free。 Tell on now。〃
He spoke eagerly； and I went on somewhat sadly： 〃The times shall
better； though the king and lords shall worsen； the Gilds of Craft shall wax
and become mightier； more recourse shall there be of foreign merchants。
There shall be plenty in the land and not famine。 Where a man now
earneth two pennies he shall earn three。〃
〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃then shall those that labour become strong and
stronger； and so soon shall it come about that all men shall work and none
make to work； and so shall none be robbed； and at last shall all men labour
and live and be happy； and have the goods of the earth without money and
without price。〃
〃Yea；〃 said I； 〃that shall indeed come to pass； but not yet for a while；
and belike a long while。〃
And I sat for long without speaking； and the church grew darker as the
moon waned yet more。
Then I said： 〃Bethink thee that these men shall yet have masters over
them； who have at hand many a law and custom for the behoof of masters；
and being masters can make yet more laws in the same behoof； and they
shall suffer poor people to thrive just so long as their thriving shall profit
the mastership and no longer； and so shall it be in those days I tell of； for
there shall be king and lords and knights and squires still； with servants to
do their bidding； and make honest men afraid； and all these will make
nothing and eat much as aforetime； and the more that is made in the land
the more shall they crave。〃
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〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃that wot I well； that these are of the kin of the
daughters of the horse…leech； but how shall they slake their greed； seeing
that as thou sayest villeinage shall be gone？ Belike their men shall pay
them quit…rents and do them service； as free men may； but all this
according to law and not beyond it； so that though the workers shall be
richer than they now be； the lords shall be no richer； and so all shall be on
the road to being free and equal。〃
Said I； 〃Look you； friend； aforetime the lords； for the most part； held
the land and all that was on it； and the men that were on it worked for
them as their horses worked； and after they were fed and housed all was
the lords'； but in the time to come the lords shall see their men thriving on
the land and shall say once more； ‘These men have more than they need；
why have we not the surplus since we are their lords？' Moreover； in
those days shall betide much chaffering for wares between man and man；
and country and country； and the lords shall note that if there were less
corn and less men on their lands there would be more sheep； that is to say
more wool for chaffer； and that thereof they should have abundantly more
than aforetime； since all the land they own； and it pays them quit…rent or
service； save here and there a croft or a close of a yeoman； and all this
might grow wool for them to sell to the Easterlings。 Then shall England
see a new thing； for whereas hitherto men have lived on the land and by it；
the land shall no longer need them； but many sheep and a few shepherds
shall make wool grow to be sold for money to the Easterlings； and that
money shall the lords pouch： for； look you； they shall set the lawyers a…
work and the strong hand moreover； and the land they shall take to
themselves and their sheep； and except for these lords of land few shall be
the free men that shall hold a rood of land whom the word of their lord
may not turn adrift straightway。〃
〃How mean you？〃 said John Ball： 〃shall all men be villeins again？〃
〃Nay；〃 said I； 〃there shall be no villeins in England。〃
〃Surely then；〃 said he； 〃it shall be worse； and all men save a few shall
be thralls to be bought and sold at the cross。〃
〃Good friend；〃 said I； 〃it shall not be so； all men shall be free even as
ye would have it； yet； as I say； few indeed shall have so much land as they
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can stand upon save by buying such a grace of their masters。〃
〃And now；〃 said he； 〃I wot not what thou sayest。 I know a thrall； and
he is his master's every hour； and never his own； and a villein I know； and
whiles he is his own and whiles his lord's； and I know a free man； and he
is his own always； but how shall he be his own if he have nought whereby
to make his livelihood？ Or shall he be a thief and take from others？
Then is he an outlaw。 Wonderful is this thou tellest of a free man with
nought whereby to live！〃
〃Yet so it shall be；〃 said I； 〃and by such free men shall all wares be
made。〃
〃Nay； that cannot be； thou art talking riddles；〃 said he； 〃for how shall a
woodwright make a chest without the wood and the tools？〃
Said I； 〃He must needs buy leave to labour of them that own all things
except himself and such as himself。〃
〃Yea； but wherewith shall he buy it？〃 said John Ball。 〃What hath he
except himself？〃
〃With himself then shall he buy it；〃 quoth I； 〃with his body and the
power of labour that lieth therein； with the price of his labour shall he buy
leave to labour。〃
〃Riddles again！〃 said he； 〃how can he sell his labour for aught else but
his daily bread？ He must win by his labour meat and drink and clothing
and housing！ Can he sell his labour twice over？〃
〃Not so；〃 said I； 〃but this shall he do belike； he shall sell himself； that
is the labour that is in him； to the master that suffers him to work； and that
master shall give to him from out of the wares he maketh enough to keep
him alive； and to beget children and nourish them till they be old enough
to be sold like himself； and the residue shall the rich man keep to himself。〃
John Ball laughed aloud； and said： 〃Well； I perceive we are not yet
out of the land of riddles。 The man may well do what thou sayest and
live； but he may not do it and live a free man。〃
〃Thou sayest sooth；〃 said I。
CHAPTER XI
HARD IT IS FOR THE OLD WORLD TO SEE THE NEW
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He held his peace awhile； and then he said： 〃But no man selleth
himself and his children into thraldom uncompelled； nor is any fool so
great a fool as willingly to take the name of freeman and the life of a thrall
as payment for the very life of a freeman。 Now would I ask thee
somewhat else； and I am the readier to do so since I perceive that thou art
a wondrous seer； for surely no man could of his own wit have imagined a
tale of such follies as thou hast told me。 Now well I wot that men having
once shaken themselves clear of the burden of villeinage； as thou sayest
we shall do （and I bless thee for the word）； shall never bow down to this
worser tyranny without sore strife in the world； and surely so sore shall it
be； before our valiant sons give way； that maids and little lads shall take
the sword and the spear； and in many a field men's blood and not water
shall turn the gristmills of