"Do it not, or thou art but dead! We will have no accursed lawyers
and their sheep-skins here! Go back to those that sent thee----"

But the man broke in in a loud harsh voice:

"Ho! YE PEOPLE! what will ye gathering in arms?"

Then cried Jack Straw:

"Sir Fool, hold your peace till ye have heard me, or else we shoot at
once. Go back to those that sent thee, and tell them that we free men
of Kent are on the way to London to speak with King Richard, and to
tell him that which he wots not; to wit, that there is a certain sort
of fools and traitors to the realm who would put collars on our necks
and make beasts of us, and that it is his right and his devoir to do
as he swore when he was crowned and anointed at Westminster on the
Stone of Doom, and gainsay these thieves and traitors; and if he be
too weak, then shall we help him; and if he will not be king, then
shall we have one who will be, and that is the King's Son of Heaven.
Now, therefore, if any withstand us on our lawful errand as we go to
speak with our own king and lord, let him look to it. Bear back this
word to them that sent thee. But for thee, hearken, thou bastard of
an inky sheep-skin! get thee gone and tarry not; three times shall I
lift up my hand, and the third time look to thyself, for then shalt
thou hear the loose of our bowstrings, and after that nought else till
thou hearest the devil bidding thee welcome to hell!"

Our fellows shouted, but the summoner began again, yet in a quavering
voice: