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had fallen by now on all that throng； and no word was spoken even in a
whisper； and all men's hearts and eyes were fixed upon the dark figure
standing straight up now by the tall white shaft of the cross； his hands
stretched out before him； one palm laid upon the other。
And for me； as I made ready to hearken； I felt a joy in my soul that I
had never yet felt。
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CHAPTER IV
THE VOICE OF JOHN BALL
SO now I heard John Ball； how he lifted up his voice and said：
〃Ho； all ye good people！ I am a priest of God； and in my day's work
it cometh that I should tell you what ye should do； and what ye should
forbear doing； and to that end I am come hither： yet first； if I myself have
wronged any man here； let him say wherein my wrongdoing lieth； that I
may ask his pardon and his pity。〃
A great hum of good…will ran through the crowd as he spoke； then he
smiled as in a kind of pride； and again he spoke：
〃Wherefore did ye take me out of the archbishop's prison but three
days agone； when ye lighted the archbishop's house for the candle of
Canterbury； but that I might speak to you and pray you： therefore I will not
keep silence； whether I have done ill； or whether I have done well。 And
herein； good fellows and my very brethren； I would have you to follow me；
and if there be such here； as I know full well there be some； and may be a
good many； who have been robbers of their neighbours （‘And who is my
neighbour？' quoth the rich man）； or lechers； or despiteful haters； or
talebearers； or fawners on rich men for the hurt of the poor （and that is the
worst of all）Ah； my poor brethren who have gone astray； I say not to you；
go home and repent lest you mar our great deeds； but rather come afield
and there repent。 Many a day have ye been fools； but hearken unto me
and I shall make you wise above the wisdom of the earth； and if ye die in
your wisdom； as God wot ye well may； since the fields ye wend to bear
swords for daisies； and spears for bents； then shall ye be； though men call
you dead； a part and parcel of the living wisdom of all things； very stones
of the pillars that uphold the joyful earth。
〃Forsooth； ye have heard it said that ye shall do well in this world that
in the world to come ye may live happily for ever； do ye well then； and
have your reward both on earth and in heaven； for I say to you that earth
and heaven are not two but one； and this one is that which ye know； and
are each one of you a part of； to wit； the Holy Church； and in each one of
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you dwelleth the life of the Church； unless ye slay it。 Forsooth； brethren；
will ye murder the Church any one of you； and go forth a wandering man
and lonely； even as Cain did who slew his brother？ Ah； my brothers；
what an evil doom is this； to be an outcast from the Church； to have none
to love you and to speak with you； to be without fellowship！ Forsooth；
brothers； fellowship is heaven； and lack of fellowship is hell： fellowship is
life； and lack of fellowship is death： and the deeds that ye do upon the
earth； it is for fellowship's sake that ye do them； and the life that is in it；
that shall live on and on for ever； and each one of you part of it； while
many a man's life upon the earth from the earth shall wane。
〃Therefore； I bid you not dwell in hell but in heaven； or while ye must；
upon earth； which is a part of heaven； and forsooth no foul part。
〃Forsooth； he that waketh in hell and feeleth his heart fail him； shall
have memory of the merry days of earth； and how that when his heart
failed him there； he cried on his fellow； were it his wife or his son or his
brother or his gossip or his brother sworn in arms； and how that his fellow
heard him and came and they mourned together under the sun； till again
they laughed together and were but half sorry between them。 This shall
he think on in hell； and cry on his fellow to help him； and shall find that
therein is no help because there is no fellowship； but every man for
himself。 Therefore； I tell you that the proud； despiteous rich man； though
he knoweth it not； is in hell already； because he hath no fellow； and he that
hath so hardy a heart that in sorrow he thinketh of fellowship； his sorrow
is soon but a story of sorrowa little change in the life that knows not ill。〃
He left off for a little； and indeed for some time his voice had fallen；
but it was so clear and the summer evening so soft and still； and the
silence of the folk so complete； that every word told。 His eyes fell down
to the crowd as he stopped speaking； since for some little while they had
been looking far away into the blue distance of summer； and the kind eyes
of the man had a curious sight before him in that crowd； for amongst them
were many who by this time were not dry…eyed； and some wept outright in
spite of their black beards； while all had that look as if they were ashamed
of themselves； and did not want others to see how deeply they were moved；
after the fashion of their race when they are strongly stirred。 I looked at
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Will Green beside me： his right hand clutched his bow so tight； that the
knuckles whitened； he was staring straight before him； and the tears were
running out of his eyes and down his big nose as though without his will；
for his face was stolid and unmoved all the time till he caught my eye； and
then he screwed up the strangest face； of scowling brow； weeping eyes；
and smiling mouth； while he dealt me a sounding thump in the ribs with
his left elbow； which； though it would have knocked me down but for the
crowd； I took as an esquire does the accolade which makes a knight of
him。
But while I pondered all these things； and how men fight and lose the
battle； and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their
defeat； and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant； and other
men have to fight for what they meant under another namewhile I
pondered all this； John Ball began to speak again in the same soft and dear
voice with which he had left off。
〃Good fellows； it was your fellowship and your kindness that took me
out of the archbishop's prison three days agone； though God wot ye had
nought to gain by it save outlawry and the gallows； yet lacked I not your
fellowship before ye drew near me in the body； and when between me and
Canterbury street was yet a strong wall； and the turnkeys and sergeants
and bailiffs。
〃For hearken； my friends and helpers； many days ago； when April was
yet young； I lay there； and the heart that I had strung up to bear all things
because of the fellowship of men and the blessed saints and the angels and
those that are； and those that are to be； this heart； that I had strung up like a
strong bow； fell into feebleness； so that I lay there a…longing for the green
fields and the white…thorn bushes and the lark singing over the corn； and
the talk of good fellows round the ale…house bench； and the babble of the
little children； and the team on the road and the beasts afield； and all the
life of earth； and I alone all the while； near my foes and afar from my
friends； mocked and flouted and starved with cold and hunger； and so
weak was my heart that though I longed for all these things yet I saw them
not； nor knew them but as names； and I longed so sore to be gone that I
chided myself that I had once done well； and I said to myself：
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〃Forsooth； hadst thou kept thy tongue between thy teeth thou mightest
have been something； if it had been but a parson of a town； and
comfortable to many a poor man； and then mightest thou have clad here
and there the naked back； and filled the empty belly； and holpen many； and
men would have spoken well of thee； and of thyself th