Death and Rout
20,000 people assembled at Smithfield. Richard II agreed to meet the leaders of the revolt, and listen to their demands. Wat Tyler decided to ride out alone and parley with the king. What was said between Tyler and the king is largely conjecture and little is known of the exact details of the encounter; however, by all accounts the unarmed Tyler was suddenly attacked without warning and killed by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Walworth, and John Cavendish, a member of the king's group. This unprovoked betrayal of the truce flag and Tyler's killing threw the people into a panic. Not being organized as a military force, they broke ranks and began to flee for their lives.
Read more about this topic: Wat Tyler
Famous quotes containing the words death and, death and/or rout:
“Life springs from death and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations.... They think that they have pacified Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything, think they have provided against everything; but the fools, the fools, the fools, they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.”
—Patrick Henry Pearse (1879–1916)
“Cry woe, destruction, ruin, and decay:
The worst is death, and death will have his day.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
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Spent. Wench, whiskey and tail-end
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Rot and rout you by degrees.”
—Gwendolyn Brooks (b. 1917)