Peasant's Revolt of 1381

In 1379, the country, finding itself short of money to pursue the wars in France, proclaimed a Poll Tax of one shilling per male head. This tax was quickly spent in 1380 in support of a military expedition to France. A send tax was introduces, to be paid in two installments in January and June 1381. When th January returns were in, it was obvius that there had been evasion on a massive scale, and the June installment was brought forward for immediate collection. feeling rose high, especially among the peasant classes.

The Poll Tax being independent of income, caused greatest hardship to the poor, and a revolt by the peasants started in Essex, north of the Thames, in May. The revolt quickly spread across the Thames to Kent, where the Abbey of Losness was attacked on the 2nd. June. The revolt spread rapidly in kent, with attacks on Dartford (June 4), Rocjester (June 6) and maidstone (June 7.) It was at Maidstone that Wat Tyler was chosen to be the leader of the Kentish revolt, and he lead the attack on Canterbury on 10 June, when the Archbishop's palace was sacked.

Meanwhile the revolt north of the Thames in Essex had grown, with attacks on Colchester, Manningtree and Waltham, where the Abbey of the Holy Cross was entered.

By the 12 June, both revolts were closing on London, with the Essex forces at Mile End, and the Kentish at Blackheath. The next day (13 June), the Kentish forces entered London by London Bridge whilst the Esssex men entered London by Aldgate. The King (Richard II, aged 14 and only just out of his minority) withdrew to the Tower of London.

The first object of the rebels was the Savoy , the great London Palace of John of Gaunt (fourth son of Edward III and uncle of Richard II.) The palace was taken with little resistance (Gaunt was fighting the Scots at the Scottish border at the time) and furniture was thrown out of the windows, curtains and rich hangings were torn down and plate was broken and thrown in the river Thames. At this sage nothing was stolen and one man seen to steal a silver goblet was lynched by the rebels. They were out to punish, not to steal.

From the Savoy, the rebels moved on to the Temple, the legal centre of the kingdom, and many legal books wre burned. Following this, the hospital at Clerkenwell was sacked and the prisons at Newgate and the Fleet were opened. By night time the discipline of the rebels was slipping and there was much house-breaking and arson.

The king offeed to meet with the rebels from Essex at Mile End the next day (14 June.) The rebels demande reforms including the abolition of serfdom, all tenants to be free, all rents to be limited to 4 pence an acre, reform of church benefices, acces 5o the forests, relaxation of the game laws, and the abolition of outlawry (once a man had been declared an outlaw, anyone could hunt him down and kill him.) These the king immediately granted. The rebels also wanted the heads of Chancellor Simon Sudbury and Treasurer Hales, but the king refused to allow anyone to be punished before trial. Clerks began immediately to write out the charters of liberation, and generally satisfied, the Essex rebels started to return home.

But while Richard was meeting with the Essex men at Mile End, the Kentish forces broke into the Tower of London and seized and be-headed Sudbury, Hales, John legge (sergeant at law) and William Appleton (John of Gaunt's physician.)

On 15 June the king met with the kentish men at Smithfield. Tylet who was drinking became abusive was thought to threaten the king by reaching for his sword. Mayor William Welworth of London, immediately cut down Tyler. The king then talked to the rebels and delayed them while Welworth raised a strong force to oppose the Kentish forces. Little opposition resulted, and the kentish were alowed to withdraw over London bridge where Tylers head had now replaced that of Archbishop Sudbury.

Over the next weeks the revolt slowly petered out, and was over by 28 June. The Poll Tax was abolished, but all the other concessions were withdrawn, "Villeins you are, and villeins you will remain" said the king.