London from the north. Dame Emma had kept badgering him to go and make sure that Hawise was out of possible danger. She had heard a rumour that Lady Swynford remained at the Savoy, though the Duke had left.
"What does Dame Emma dither about then?" asked Katherine anxiously.
"She thinks if them ribauds over on Blackheath should cross the river into Lunnon, there maught be a bad time. I tell her 'tis folly. The King'll calm 'em down. All they want is to set their grievances afore the King. Besides they can't get into town. The drawbridge's up, and the gates all closed." He paused. True, the gates were closed and the drawbridge up now, but there were aldermen who sympathised with the rebels. John Horn. And Walter Sibley, a fellow fishmonger who was responsible for holding London bridge. You couldn't trust either of 'em far as you'd throw a cat.
"I know nothing of all this, Master Guy," said Katherine slowly, "except that there were riots in Kent. I thought the King was at Windsor."
"He's in the Tower now - wi' the Princess Joan and a mort o' the lords and Mayor Walworth. They've got t' old archbishop with 'em and Hales, the treasurer, too, which be canny, or the rebels'd've strung them two makers of the stinking poll tax up to the nearest trees."
Katherine considered this with astonishment but no particular fear. So the King was in the Tower of London, the strongest fortress in England. Was this from prudence, or because it was easier from there to negotiate with the peasants?
"Has the King talked to the rebels yet?" she asked.
"Nay, he went down-river by barge this morn from the Tower to Rotherhithe, but he didn't land. They scuttered back to the Tower again. 'Tis said some o' his lords turned poltroon when they saw the great mob that was awaiting on the bank."
"The poor lad," said Katherine, thinking of the sensitive delicate boy she had seen last Christmas at Leicester. "He's over-young to make decisions."
She rose and poured ale from a silver flagon into a mazer and handed it to Master Guy, saying, "Forgive me that I did not offer this sooner, but I forgot in the interest of your news. How's Hawise's Jack, by the by?"
The fishmonger drained his ale and cried, "Spleen! God's wounds, but there ne'er was such a churl for grudges'n spleen. I've had me bellyfull o' him. He's still hot against the Duke, o' course, but 'tis the Flemings he chiefly cries out 'gainst now.
The Flemish weavers've cut into his trade. I warrant he'd slice all their throats an he could. A bloodthirsty knave is Jack, I begin to think Hawise well shed o' him.'' He lumbered up out of his chair, belched heartily and said, "Well, m'lady, I'll be off. Twill not be easy even for me to get back through Ludgate if I linger."
He hesitated, knowing that he had not given the full urgency of Dame Emma's message. "If Hawise be there or Lady Swynford, tell 'em to hasten north while they yet may." But he deemed his wife overfearful, and actually, if rumour were true, no roads were safe that led to London. There were stealthy uprisings all about. Besides, commons didn't war on women and these two were better off here in this great walled palace than anywhere, come trouble. He salved a prick of conscience by saying, "Warn your men-at-arms to be on guard and make sure the water gates're lowered, then ye needna have a care. I'll warrant anyhow t'will all blow over."
Katherine thanked him for coming and sent her love to Dame Emma. When the fishmonger had gone, she summoned Sergeant Leach and repeated Master Guy's advice.
"Have no fear, m'lady," said the sergeant, brightening. The possibility of a little action pleased him, though he had scant hope of gratification now. What could a handful of farmers do, armed as he had heard with picks and staves and scythes, and led by an unfrocked priest and some tiler called Wat?
He went off happily to alert his men-at-arms, to order the great crossbarred portcullis lowered at the Strand, and to check on the security of the water gates. He issued extra arms from the well-stocked armoury - maces, battle axes, swords, breastplates and shields - and instructed the assembled varlets in their use in case his bowmen should need reinforcement.
There were three barrels of gunpowder stored near the armoury and there was a small brass cannon mounted on the gatehouse, but the sergeant had no faith in either. Firearms were unreliable and in his opinion worthless. No newfangled weapon could equal an English bowman, and his men were skilled veterans of the French wars.
When dusk fell, the sergeant threw himself down to sleep in the guard-room with a mind as quiet as the evening air.
Katherine too felt secure after re-examining Master Guy's scanty information. Blackheath was seven miles away in Kent, and by morning no doubt the King and his advisers, the Archbishop Sudbury or the mayor, would certainly have decided on some course of action, and appease or quell the rioters.
She knelt on the seat cushion and looked out of the window, up and down the river, but she could see no sign of disturbance anywhere. Water lapped softly on the stone wall below; the sundown sky above Westminster was stained with cool after-tints of lavender and saffron. Through the angled right-hand light of the oriel she could see a corner of the gardens, where fireflies shone their fitful little lamps against a bank of Provencal roses. The rose fragrance drifted up to Katherine on a lazy breeze. She inhaled deeply and turning with a smile to Blanchette quoted from the "Romaunt."
Me thinketh I feel it in my nose
The sweet savour of the rose!
Blanchette sat up, her eyes bright and responsive. She thought a moment, then proudly added another quotation, for reading of romances had been her chiefest pleasure during the last lonely year.
Always be merry if thou may;
But waste not thy good alway,
Have hat of flowers as fresh as May
Chaplet of roses of Whitsunday!
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Ah, we're a couple of giddy queans!" cried Katherine, shaking her head. " 'Tis wrong of me. I should be giving you moral precepts, as the good Chevalier de la Tour Landry does to his daughters. Fie upon me!"
"Ay - Mama," said Blanchette with the new, charming glint of pert humour that delighted Katherine." 'Tis naughty indeed that you don't."
"Well, at any rate, it's time for bed, poppet," said Katherine, pinching her cheek. "You're sleepy and so'm I. You know, I believe 'twill be fair tomorrow. We might dare your strength as far as the gardens."
"Ay, that I'd love," said Blanchette eagerly.
When Katherine helped the girl to bed and smoothed down the sheet, they kissed each other a warm, happy good night.
Down and across the river at Blackheath, the rebel mob had grown larger hour by hour until ten thousand desperate hungry men surged back and forth across the trampled gorse and heather. They quieted only when John Ball clambered on a tree stump and shouted to them. By daylight and then by torchlight they could see his lank figure in the russet robes, his arms upraised as he called on God to help them; and many could see the wild crusading light in his eyes.
He told them that their hour had struck at last. "John Ball hath y-rung the bell!" he cried in a great exultant voice.
All over England they were ready. The members of the "fellowship" had been travelling for weeks, they had whispered in the manors, they had sung "Jack Milner" in the Halls and village greens, and all who were in sympathy would understand.
John Ball preached his great sermon to them there on Blackheath, telling them how God had created all men equal in the days of Adam and Eve, and how there were then no rich lords or bishops - and there were no slaves.
Like the pounding of ocean surf, the couplet he had given them roared out from the thousands of throats: "When Adam delved and Eva span, who was then a gentleman?"