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shall turn the gristmills of England。 But when all this is over； and the
tyranny is established； because there are but few men in the land after the
great war； how shall it be with you then？ Will there not be many soldiers
and sergeants and few workers？ Surely in every parish ye shall have the
constables to see that the men work； and they shall be saying every day；
‘Such an one； hast thou yet sold thyself for this day or this week or this
year？ Go to now； and get thy bargain done； or it shall be the worse for
thee。' And wheresoever work is going on there shall be constables again；
and those that labour shall labour under the whip like the Hebrews in the
land of Egypt。 And every man that may； will steal as a dog snatches at a
bone； and there again shall ye need more soldiers and more constables till
the land is eaten up by them； nor shall the lords and the masters even be
able to bear the burden of it； nor will their gains be so great； since that
which each man may do in a day is not right great when all is said。〃
〃Friend；〃 said I； 〃from thine own valiancy and high heart thou speakest；
when thou sayest that they who fall under this tyranny shall fight to the
death against it。 Wars indeed there shall be in the world； great and
grievous； and yet few on this score； rather shall men fight as they have
been fighting in France at the bidding of some lord of the manor； or some
king； or at last at the bidding of some usurer and forestaller of the market。
Valiant men； forsooth； shall arise in the beginning of these evil times； but
though they shall die as ye shall； yet shall not their deaths be fruitful as
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yours shall be； because ye； forsooth； are fighting against villeinage which
is waning； but they shall fight against usury which is waxing。 And；
moreover； I have been telling thee how it shall be when the measure of the
time is full； and we； looking at these things from afar； can see them as they
are indeed； but they who live at the beginning of those times and amidst
them； shall not know what is doing around them； they shall indeed feel the
plague and yet not know the remedy； by little and by little they shall fall
from their better livelihood； and weak and helpless shall they grow； and
have no might to withstand the evil of this tyranny； and then again when
the times mend somewhat and they have but a little more ease； then shall it
be to them like the kingdom of heaven； and they shall have no will to
withstand any tyranny； but shall think themselves happy that they be
pinched somewhat less。 Also whereas thou sayest that there shall be for
ever constables and sergeants going to and fro to drive men to work； and
that they will not work save under the lash； thou art wrong and it shall not
be so； for there shall ever be more workers than the masters may set to
work； so that men shall strive eagerly for leave to work； and when one
says； I will sell my hours at such and such a price； then another will say；
and I for so much less； so that never shall the lords lack slaves willing to
work； but often the slaves shall lack lords to buy them。〃
〃Thou tellest marvels indeed；〃 said he； 〃but how then？ if all the churls
work not； shall there not be famine and lack of wares？〃
〃Famine enough；〃 said I； 〃yet not from lack of wares； it shall be clean
contrary。 What wilt thou say when I tell thee that in the latter days there
shall be such traffic and such speedy travel across the seas that most wares
shall be good cheap； and bread of all things the cheapest？〃
Quoth he： 〃I should say that then there would be better livelihood for
men； for in times of plenty it is well； for then men eat that which their own
hands have harvested； and need not to spend of their substance in buying
of others。 Truly； it is well for honest men； but not so well for forestallers
and regraters；＇2＇ but who heeds what befalls such foul swine； who filch
the money from people's purses； and do not one hair's turn of work to help
them？〃
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＇2＇ Forestaller； one who buys up goods when they are cheap； and so
raises the price for his own benefit； forestalls the due and real demand。
Regrater； one who both buys and sells in the same market； or within five
miles thereof； buys； say a ton of cheese at 10 A。M。 and sells it at 5 P。M。 a
penny a pound dearer without moving from his chair。 The word
〃monopolist〃 will cover both species of thief。
〃Yea； friend；〃 I said； 〃but in those latter days all power shall be in the
hands of these foul swine； and they shall be the rulers of all； therefore；
hearken； for I tell thee that times of plenty shall in those days be the times
of famine； and all shall pray for the prices of wares to rise； so that the
forestallers and regraters may thrive； and that some of their well…doing
may overflow on to those on whom they live。〃
〃I am weary of thy riddles；〃 he said。 〃Yet at least I hope that there
may be fewer and fewer folk in the land； as may well be； if life is then so
foul and wretched。〃
〃Alas； poor man！〃 I said； 〃nor mayst thou imagine how foul and
wretched it may be for many of the folk； and yet I tell thee that men shall
increase and multiply； till where there is one man in the land now； there
shall be twenty in those daysyea； in some places ten times twenty。〃
〃I have but little heart to ask thee more questions；〃 said he； 〃and when
thou answerest； thy words are plain； but the things they tell of I may scarce
understand。 But tell me this： in those days will men deem that so it must
be for ever； as great men even now tell us of our ills； or will they think of
some remedy？〃
I looked about me。 There was but a glimmer of light in the church
now； but what there was； was no longer the strange light of the moon； but
the first coming of the kindly day。
〃Yea；〃 said John Ball； 〃'tis the twilight of the dawn。 God and St。
Christopher send us a good day！〃
〃John Ball；〃 said I； 〃I have told thee that thy death will bring about
that which thy life has striven for： thinkest thou that the thing which thou
strivest for is worth the labour？ or dost thou believe in the tale I have told
thee of the days to come？〃
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He said： 〃I tell thee once again that I trust thee for a seer； because no
man could make up such a tale as thou； the things which thou tellest are
too wonderful for a minstrel； the tale too grievous。 And whereas thou
askest as to whether I count my labour lost； I say nay； if so be that in those
latter times （and worser than ours they will be） men shall yet seek a
remedy： therefore again I ask thee； is it so that they shall？〃
〃Yea；〃 said I； 〃and their remedy shall be the same as thine； although
the days be different： for if the folk be enthralled； what remedy save that
they be set free？ and if they have tried many roads towards freedom； and
found that they led no…whither； then shall they try yet another。 Yet in the
days to come they shall be slothful to try it； because their masters shall be
so much mightier than thine； that they shall not need to show the high
hand； and until the days get to their evilest； men shall be cozened into
thinking that it is of their own free will that they must needs buy leave to
labour by pawning their labour that is to be。 Moreover； your lords and
masters seem very mighty to you； each one of them； and so they are； but
they are few； and the masters of the days to come shall not each one of
them seem very mighty to the men of those days； but they shall be very
many； and they shall be of one intent in these matters without knowing it；
like as one sees the oars of a galley when the rowers are hidden； that rise
and fall as it were with one will。〃
〃And yet；〃 he said； 〃shall it not be the same with those that these men
devour？ shall not they also have one will？〃
〃Friend；〃 I said； 〃they shall have the will t