THE KING AND THE BONDMEN.

of the age of sixteen and over paid a tax of a groat,*
that our gentlemen and nobles might have money to
pay for their wars ? but now they must have more
money, and every man and woman, and their children
of fifteen years, shall pay three groats, whether he
have the coin or not; and the tax-gatherers go
about like wolves to worry the poor. Will ye submit
to this ?"
 Here there were cries of Nay, nay, nay !" from
the crowd, and many said, What shall we do ? what
shall we do?"
 I will tell ye what ye shall do," answered the
orator: ye shall do the same as our brethren in
Kent. The tax-gatherers went to Dartford, and enter-
ing a house they demanded the tax with so much of
brutal violence and insult that Wat Tyler, the sturdy
smith, felled one of them dead to the ground with
a blow of his hammer. Thereupon the people ran
together from all parts, shouting against the grievous
tax, and having chosen Tyler as their leader, they are
now marching towards London to seek justice at the
hands of King Richard, who would be a friend to the
commons but for the advice of evil counsellors. The
bondmen's day has come at last; thousands are up in
arms, and will ye not join them ?"
 We will! we will!" replied a hundred voices.
 Let us go, then," said the speaker as he de-
scended from his elevated post; I will be your leader.
Now, for King Richard and the true Commons !"
 For King Richard and the true Commons!"
cried the throng; those who knew the way through
the forest then went to the front to serve as guides,
and in a few minutes the whole troop had disappeared,
 "* The groat, or fourpence, of King Richard's days, was about equal
to one shilling of our present money.