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devour？ shall not they also have one will？〃
〃Friend；〃 I said； 〃they shall have the will to live； as the wretchedest
thing living has： therefore shall they sell themselves that they may live； as
I told thee； and their hard need shall be their lord's easy livelihood； and
because of it he shall sleep without fear； since their need compelleth them
not to loiter by the way to lament with friend or brother that they are
pinched in their servitude； or to devise means for ending it。 And yet
indeed thou sayest it： they also shall have one will if they but knew it： but
for a long while they shall have but a glimmer of knowledge of it： yet
doubt it not that in the end they shall come to know it clearly； and then
shall they bring about the remedy； and in those days shall it be seen that
thou hast not wrought for nothing； because thou hast seen beforehand what
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the remedy should be； even as those of later days have seen it。〃
We both sat silent a little while。 The twilight was gaining on the
night； though slowly。 I looked at the poppy which I still held in my hand；
and bethought me of Will Green； and said：
〃Lo； how the light is spreading： now must I get me back to Will
Green's house as I promised。〃
〃Go； then；〃 said he； 〃if thou wilt。 Yet meseems before long he shall
come to us； and then mayst thou sleep among the trees on the green grass
till the sun is high； for the host shall not be on foot very early； and sweet it
is to sleep in shadow by the sun in the full morning when one has been
awake and troubled through the night…tide。〃
〃Yet I will go now；〃 said I； 〃I bid thee good…night； or rather good…
morrow。〃
Therewith I half rose up； but as I did so the will to depart left me as
though I had never had it； and I sat down again； and heard the voice of
John Ball； at first as one speaking from far away； but little by little
growing nearer and more familiar to me； and as if once more it were
coming from the man himself whom I had got to know。
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CHAPTER XII
ILL WOULD CHANGE BE AT WHILES WERE IT NOT FOR THE
CHANGE BEYOND THE CHANGE He said： 〃Many strange things
hast thou told me that I could not understand； yea； some my wit so failed
to compass； that I cannot so much as ask thee questions concerning them；
but of some matters would I ask thee； and I must hasten； for in very sooth
the night is worn old and grey。 Whereas thou sayest that in the days to
come； when there shall be no labouring men who are not thralls after their
new fashion； that their lords shall be many and very many； it seemeth to
me that these same lords； if they be many； shall hardly be rich； or but very
few of them； since they must verily feed and clothe and house their thralls；
so that that which they take from them； since it will have to be dealt out
amongst many； will not be enough to make many rich； since out of one
man ye may get but one man's work； and pinch him never so sorely； still
as aforesaid ye may not pinch him so sorely as not to feed him。
Therefore； though the eyes of my mind may see a few lords and many
slaves； yet can they not see many lords as well as many slaves； and if the
slaves be many and the lords few； then some day shall the slaves make an
end of that mastery by the force of their bodies。 How then shall thy
mastership of the latter days endure？〃
〃John Ball；〃 said I； 〃mastership hath many shifts whereby it striveth to
keep itself alive in the world。 And now hear a marvel： whereas thou
sayest these two times that out of one man ye may get but one man's work；
in days to come one man shall do the work of a hundred menyea； of a
thousand or more： and this is the shift of mastership that shall make many
masters and many rich men。〃
John Ball laughed。 〃Great is my harvest of riddles to…night；〃 said he；
〃for even if a man sleep not； and eat and drink while he is a…working； ye
shall but make two men； or three at the most； out of him。〃
Said I： 〃Sawest thou ever a weaver at his loom？〃
〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃many a time。〃
He was silent a little； and then said： 〃Yet I marvelled not at it； but
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now I marvel； because I know what thou wouldst say。 Time was when
the shuttle was thrust in and out of all the thousand threads of the warp；
and it was long to do； but now the spring… staves go up and down as the
man's feet move； and this and that leaf of the warp cometh forward and the
shuttle goeth in one shot through all the thousand warps。 Yea； so it is that
this multiplieth a man many times。 But look you； he is so multiplied
already； and so hath he been； meseemeth； for many hundred years。〃
〃Yea；〃 said I； 〃but what hitherto needed the masters to multiply him
more？ For many hundred years the workman was a thrall bought and
sold at the cross； and for other hundreds of years he hath been a villein
that is； a working…beast and a part of the stock of the manor on which he
liveth； but then thou and the like of thee shall free him； and then is
mastership put to its shifts； for what should avail the mastery then； when
the master no longer owneth the man by law as his chattel； nor any longer
by law owneth him as stock of his land； if the master hath not that which
he on whom he liveth may not lack and live withal； and cannot have
without selling himself？〃
He said nothing； but I saw his brow knitted and his lips pressed
together as though in anger； and again I said：
〃Thou hast seen the weaver at his loom： think how it should be if he sit
no longer before the web and cast the shuttle and draw home the sley； but
if the shed open of itself and the shuttle of itself speed through it as swift
as the eye can follow； and the sley come home of itself； and the weaver
standing by and whistling The Hunt's Up！ the while； or looking to half…a…
dozen looms and bidding them what to do。 And as with the weaver so
with the potter； and the smith； and every worker in metals； and all other
crafts； that it shall be for them looking on and tending； as with the man
that sitteth in the cart while the horse draws。 Yea； at last so shall it be
even with those who are mere husbandmen； and no longer shall the reaper
fare afield in the morning with his hook over his shoulder； and smite and
bind and smite again till the sun is down and the moon is up； but he shall
draw a thing made by men into the field with one or two horses； and shall
say the word and the horses shall go up and down； and the thing shall reap
and gather and bind； and do the work of many men。 Imagine all this in
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thy mind if thou canst； at least as ye may imagine a tale of enchantment
told by a minstrel； and then tell me what shouldst thou deem that the life
of men would be amidst all this； men such as these men of the township
here； or the men of the Canterbury gilds。〃
〃Yea；〃 said he； 〃but before I tell thee my thoughts of thy tale of
wonder； I would ask thee this： In those days when men work so easily；
surely they shall make more wares than they can use in one countryside； or
one good town； whereas in another； where things have not gone as well；
they shall have less than they need； and even so it is with us now； and
thereof cometh scarcity and famine； and if people may not come at each
other's goods； it availeth the whole land little that one country…side hath
more than enough while another hath less； for the goods shall abide there
in the storehouses of the rich place till they perish。 So if that be so in the
days of wonder ye tell of （and I see not how it can be otherwise）； then
shall men be but little holpen by making all their wares so easily and with
so little labour。〃
I smile