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and there the naked back； and filled the empty belly； and holpen many； and
men would have spoken well of thee； and of thyself thou hadst thought
well； and all this hast thou lost for lack of a word here and there to some
great man； and a little winking of the eyes amidst murder and wrong and
unruth； and now thou art nought and helpless； and the hemp for thee is
sown and grown and heckled and spun； and lo there； the rope for thy
gallows…tree！all for nought； for nought。
〃Forsooth； my friends； thus I thought and sorrowed in my feebleness
that I had not been a traitor to the Fellowship of the Church； for e'en so
evil was my foolish imagination。
〃Yet； forsooth； as I fell a…pondering over all the comfort and help that I
might have been and that I might have had； if I had been but a little of a
trembling cur to creep and crawl before abbot and bishop and baron and
bailiff； came the thought over me of the evil of the world wherewith I；
John Ball； the rascal hedge…priest； had fought and striven in the Fellowship
of the saints in heaven and poor men upon earth。
〃Yea； forsooth； once again I saw as of old； the great treading down
the little； and the strong beating down the weak； and cruel men fearing not；
and kind men daring not； and wise men caring not； and the saints in
heaven forbearing and yet bidding me not to forbear； forsooth； I knew
once more that he who doeth well in fellowship； and because of fellowship；
shall not fail though he seem to fail to…day； but in days hereafter shall he
and his work yet be alive； and men be holpen by them to strive again and
yet again； and yet indeed even that was little； since； forsooth； to strive was
my pleasure and my life。
〃So I became a man once more； and I rose up to my feet and went up
and down my prison what I could for my hopples； and into my mouth
came words of good cheer； even such as we to…day have sung； and stoutly
I sang them； even as we now have sung them； and then did I rest me； and
once more thought of those pleasant fields where I would be； and all the
life of man and beast about them； and I said to myself that I should see
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them once more before I died； if but once it were。
〃Forsooth； this was strange； that whereas before I longed for them and
yet saw them not； now that my longing was slaked my vision was cleared；
and I saw them as though the prison walls opened to me and I was out of
Canterbury street and amidst the green meadows of April； and therewithal
along with me folk that I have known and who are dead； and folk that are
living； yea； and all those of the Fellowship on earth and in heaven； yea；
and all that are here this day。 Overlong were the tale to tell of them； and
of the time that is gone。
〃So thenceforward I wore through the days with no such faint heart；
until one day the prison opened verily and in the daylight； and there were
ye； my fellows； in the dooryour faces glad； your hearts light with hope；
and your hands heavy with wrath； then I saw and understood what was to
do。 Now； therefore； do ye understand it！〃
His voice was changed； and grew louder than loud now； as he cast his
hands abroad towards that company with those last words of his； and I
could feel that all shame and fear was falling from those men； and that
mere fiery manhood was shining through their wonted English shamefast
stubbornness； and that they were moved indeed and saw the road before
them。 Yet no man spoke； rather the silence of the men…folk deepened； as
the sun's rays grew more level and more golden； and the swifts wheeled
about shriller and louder than before。 Then again John Ball spoke and said；
〃In good sooth； I deem ye wot no worse than I do what is to doand first
that somewhat we shall dosince it is for him that is lonely or in prison to
dream of fellowship； but for him that is of a fellowship to do and not to
dream。
〃And next； ye know who is the foeman； and that is the proud man； the
oppressor； who scorneth fellowship； and himself is a world to himself and
needeth no helper nor helpeth any； but； heeding no law； layeth law on
other men because he is rich； and surely every one that is rich is such an
one； nor may be other。
〃Forsooth； in the belly of every rich man dwelleth a devil of hell； and
when the man would give his goods to the poor； the devil within him
gainsayeth it； and saith； ‘Wilt thou then be of the poor； and suffer cold and
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hunger and mocking as they suffer； then give thou thy goods to them； and
keep them not。' And when he would be compassionate； again saith the
devil to him； ‘If thou heed these losels and turn on them a face like to their
faces； and deem of them as men； then shall they scorn thee； and evil shall
come of it； and even one day they shall fall on thee to slay thee when they
have learned that thou art but as they be。'
〃Ah； woe worth the while！ too oft he sayeth sooth； as the wont of the
devil is； that lies may be born of the barren truth； and sooth it is that the
poor deemeth the rich to be other than he； and meet to be his master； as
though； forsooth； the poor were come of Adam； and the rich of him that
made Adam； that is God； and thus the poor man oppresseth the poor man；
because he feareth the oppressor。 Nought such are ye； my brethren； or
else why are ye gathered here in harness to bid all bear witness of you that
ye are the sons of one man and one mother； begotten of the earth？〃
As he said the words there came a stir among the weapons of the
throng； and they pressed closer round the cross； yet with held the shout as
yet which seemed gathering in their bosoms。
And again he said：
〃Forsooth； too many rich men there are in this realm； and yet if there
were but one； there would be one too many； for all should be his thralls。
Hearken； then； ye men of Kent。 For overlong belike have I held you with
words； but the love of you constrained me； and the joy that a man hath to
babble to his friends and his fellows whom he hath not seen for a long
season。
〃Now； hearken； I bid you： To the rich men that eat up a realm there
cometh a time when they whom they eat up； that is the poor； seem poorer
than of wont； and their complaint goeth up louder to the heavens； yet it is
no riddle to say that oft at such times the fellowship of the poor is waxing
stronger； else would no man have heard his cry。 Also at such times is the
rich man become fearful； and so waxeth in cruelty； and of that cruelty do
people misdeem that it is power and might waxing。 Forsooth； ye are
stronger than your fathers； because ye are more grieved than they； and ye
should have been less grieved than they had ye been horses and swine； and
then； forsooth； would ye have been stronger to bear； but ye； ye are not
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strong to bear； but to do。
〃And wot ye why we are come to you this fair eve of holiday？ and wot
ye why I have been telling of fellowship to you？ Yea； forsooth； I deem
ye wot well； that it is for this cause； that ye might bethink you of your
fellowship with the men of Essex。〃
His last word let loose the shout that had been long on all men's lips；
and great and fierce it was as it rang shattering through the quiet upland
village。 But John Ball held up his hand； and the shout was one and no
more。
Then he spoke again：
〃Men of Kent； I wot well that ye are not so hard bested as those of
other shires； by the token of the day when behind the screen of leafy
boughs ye met Duke William with bill and bow as he wended Londonward
from that woeful field of Senlac； but I have told of fellowship； and ye have
hearkened and understood what the Holy Church is； whereby ye know that
ye are fellows of the saints in heaven and the poor men of Essex； and as
one day the saints shall call you to the heavenly feast； so now do the poor
men call you to the battle。
〃Men of Kent； ye dwell fairly here； and your houses are framed of
stout oak beams