and he that buildeth a house shall dwell in it with those that he
biddeth of his free will; and the tithe barn shall garner the wheat
for all men to eat of when the seasons are untoward, and the
rain-drift hideth the sheaves in August; and all shall be without
money and without price. Faithfully and merrily then shall all men
keep the holidays of the Church in peace of body and joy of heart.
And man shall help man, and the saints in heaven shall be glad,
because men no more fear each other; and the churl shall be ashamed,
and shall hide his churlishness till it be gone, and he be no more a
churl; and fellowship shall be established in heaven and on the
earth."



CHAPTER V

THEY HEAR TIDINGS OF BATTLE AND
MAKE THEM READY

He left off as one who had yet something else to say; and, indeed, I
thought he would give us some word as to the trysting-place, and
whither the army was to go from it; because it was now clear to me
that this gathering was but a band of an army. But much happened
before John Ball spoke again from the cross, and it was on this wise.

When there was silence after the last shout that the crowd had raised
a while ago, I thought I heard a thin sharp noise far away, somewhat
to the north of the cross, which I took rather for the sound of a
trumpet or horn, than for the voice of a man or any beast. Will Green
also seemed to have heard it, for he turned his head sharply and then