ed the
river and came to Brentford, alway keeping still their opinions,
beating down before them and all about the places and houses of
advocates and procurers, and striking off the heads of divers persons.
And so long they went forward till they came within a four mile of
London, and there lodged on a hill called Blackheath; and as they
went, they said ever they were the king's men and the noble commons of
England:[1] and when they of London knew that they were come so near
to them, the mayor, as ye have heard before, closed the gates and kept
straitly all the passages. This order caused the mayor, who was called
Nicholas Walworth,[2] and divers other rich burgesses of the city, who
were not of their sect; but there were in London of their unhappy
opinions more than thirty thousand.

[1] 'That they were for the king and the noble commons (or
commonwealth) of England.'

[2] Froissart calls him John: his name was really William.

Then these people thus being lodged on Blackheath determined to send
their knight to speak with the king and to shew him how all that they
have done or will do is for him and his honour, and how the realm of
England hath not been well governed a great space for the honour of
the realm nor for the common profit by his uncles and by the clergy,
and specially by the archbishop of Canterbury his chancellor; whereof
they would have account. This knight durst do none otherwise, but so
came by the river of Thames to the Tower. The king and they that were
with him in the Tower, desiring to hear tidings, seeing this knight
coming made him way, and was brought before the king into a chamber;
and with the king was the princess his mother and his two brethren,
the earl of Kent and the lord John Holland, the earl of Salisbury, the
earl of Warwick, the earl of Oxford, the archbishop of Canterbury, the
lord of Saint John's,[3] sir Robert of Namur, the lord of Vertaing,
the lord of Gommegnies, sir Henry of Senzeille, the mayor of London
and divers other notable burgesses. This knight sir John Newton, who
was well known among them, for he was one of the king's officers, he
kneeled down before the king and said: 'My right redoubted lord, let
it not displease your grace the message that I must needs shew you,
for, dear sir, it is by force and against my will.' 'Sir John,' said
the king, 'say what ye will: I hold you excused.' 'Sir, the commons of
this your realm hath sent me to you to desire y