Wat

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

the Tyler, in English history, the leader of a peasant uprising. Wat was a native of Essex, but nothing is known of his boyhood. The English peasantry were dissatisfied with their condition. The inequality between rich and poor was pointed out to open-door gatherings of the rustics by John Ball and other field preachers. In 1381 Parliament imposed a grievous poll tax that bore heavily on the poor. The demands made by Wat Tyler and his fellow leader, Jack Straw, seem reasonable. The peasants rose in rebellion and pressed upon London under the leadership of Wat, the Tyler. The immediate cause of the uprising was a gross insult offered by a tax gatherer to a blacksmith's daughter. They were armed with flails, scythes, blacksmiths' hammers, pitchforks, clubs, and the like, and marched upon London. They sacked a few dwellings of landholders, destroyed a few manor rolls showing the service due the lord from his villeins, and put a few superfluous lawyers and robbers to death; but on the whole the rustics showed self respect, discrimination, and self control. They made definite and orderly demands for the abolition of enforced labor, that is to say, whatever remained of serfdom. They demanded that a moderate cash rent be accepted in lieu of labor, and that the peasant be free to go and to come and to offer his labor for hire. The appearance of this body of men, though free from pillage and murder, created consternation in London and among the rulers. The young king, Richard II , parleyed and made promises that he never kept. Walworth, mayor of London, led Wat into a conference and stabbed him treacherously. The peasants were sent home with written promises, charters that their grievances should be redressed, but their success was only apparent. Parliament repudiated all promises made by the king. He had no authority, they alleged, to give away their property or to release the peasant from service due by virtue of long custom. The machinery of the state was put in operation and the more prominent leaders everywhere were hunted down and executed. School, church, and state united for centuries in condemning Wat and his associates as ignorant, wicked, murderous disturbers of the public peace, but, in the light of modern investigation and in comparison with democratic opinions elsewhere, historians praise these peasant leaders as bold patriots engaged in the cause of humanity.