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,