Editing Peasants' Revolt (section)

====Taking the Tower of London====
[[File:Towrlndn.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|alt=Medieval painting|Late 15th-century depiction of the [[Tower of London]] and its [[keep]], the [[White Tower (Tower of London)|White Tower]]. [[Old London Bridge]] is visible in the background.]]
On the morning of 14 June, the crowd continued west along the Thames, burning the houses of officials around [[Westminster]] and opening the Westminster prison.<ref name=Dunn2002P88>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=88}}</ref> They then moved back into central London, setting fire to more buildings and storming Newgate Prison.<ref name=Dunn2002P88/> The hunt for Flemings continued, and those with Flemish-sounding accents were killed, including the royal adviser, [[Richard Lyons (Warden of the Mint)|Richard Lyons]].<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=90}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|The royal adviser Richard Lyons was believed to have Flemish origins, although he was also unpopular in his own right as a result of his role in government.<ref>{{harvnb|Cohn|2013|p=286}}; {{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=90}}</ref>|group="nb"}} In one city [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]], the bodies of 40 executed Flemings were piled up in the street, and at the Church of [[St Martin Vintry]], popular with the Flemish, 35 of the community were killed.<ref>{{harvnb|Spindler|2012|pp=62, 71}}; {{harvnb|Saul|1999|p=70}}</ref> Historian [[Rodney Hilton]] argues that these attacks may have been coordinated by the weavers' guilds of London, who were commercial competitors of the Flemish weavers.<ref name="Hilton 1995 195">{{harvnb|Hilton|1995|p=195}}</ref>

Isolated inside the Tower, the royal government was in a state of shock at the turn of events.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=92–93}}</ref> The King left the castle that morning and made his way to negotiate with the rebels at [[Mile End]] in east London, taking only a very small bodyguard with him.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=95}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=427}}</ref> The King left Sudbury and Hales behind in the Tower, either for their own safety or because Richard had decided it would be safer to distance himself from his unpopular ministers.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=95}}</ref> Along the way, several Londoners accosted the King to complain about alleged injustices.<ref>{{harvnb|Saul|1999|p=68}}</ref>

It is uncertain who spoke for the rebels at Mile End, and Wat Tyler may not have been present on this occasion, but they appear to have put forward their various demands to the King, including the surrender of the hated officials on their lists for execution; the abolition of serfdom and unfree tenure; "that there should be no law within the realm save the law of Winchester", and a general amnesty for the rebels.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=68, 96}}; {{harvnb|Oman|1906|p=200}}</ref> It is unclear precisely what was meant by the law of [[Winchester]], but it probably referred to the rebel ideal of self-regulating village communities.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=69}}; {{harvnb|Harding|1987|pp=166–167}}</ref>{{#tag:ref|The rebel call for a return to the "law of Winchester" has been much debated. One theory is that it was another term for the [[Domesday Book]] of [[William the Conqueror|William I]], which was believed to provide protection for particular groups of tenants. Another is that it referred to the [[Statute of Winchester]] in 1285, which allowed for the enforcement of local law through armed village communities, and which had been cited in more recent legislation on the criminal law. The creation of special justices and royal officials during the 14th century were seen as eroding these principles.<ref>{{harvnb|Harding|1987|pp=165–169}}; {{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=69}}</ref>|group="nb"}} Richard issued charters announcing the abolition of serfdom, which immediately began to be disseminated around the country.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=96–97}}</ref> He declined to hand over any of his officials, apparently instead promising that he would personally implement any justice that was required.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=98}}</ref>

While Richard was at Mile End, the Tower was taken by the rebels.<ref name=Dunn2002P99>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=99}}</ref> This force, separate from those operating under Tyler at Mile End, approached the castle, possibly in the late morning.<ref name=Dunn2002P99/>{{#tag:ref|Most chroniclers stated that the force that attacked the Tower of London was separate to that operating under Tyler's command at Mile End; only the ''Anonimalle Chronicle'' links them to Tyler. The timing of the late morning attack relies on the account of the ''Westminster Chronicle''.<ref name=Dunn2002P99/>|group="nb"}} The gates were open to receive Richard on his return and a crowd of around 400 rebels entered the fortress, encountering no resistance, possibly because the guards were terrified by them.<ref>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=427}}; {{harvnb|Saul|1999|p=69}}</ref>

Once inside, the rebels began to hunt down their key targets, and found Archbishop Sudbury and Robert Hales in the chapel of the White Tower.<ref name=Sumptio2009PP427>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|pp=427–428}}</ref>  Along with William Appleton, John of Gaunt's physician, and John Legge, a royal sergeant, they were taken out to [[Tower Hill]] and beheaded.<ref name=Sumptio2009PP427/> Their heads were paraded around the city, before being affixed to [[London Bridge]].<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=101}}</ref> The rebels found John of Gaunt's son, the future [[Henry IV of England|Henry IV]], and were about to execute him as well, when John Ferrour, one of the royal guards, successfully interceded on his behalf.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=101}}; {{harvnb|Mortimer|1981|p=18}}</ref> The rebels also discovered Lady Joan and [[Joan Holland, Duchess of Brittany|Joan Holland]], Richard's sister, in the castle but let them go unharmed after making fun of them.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|pp=99–100}}</ref> The castle was thoroughly looted of armour and royal paraphernalia.<ref name=Saul1999P69>{{harvnb|Saul|1999|p=69}}</ref>

In the aftermath of the attack, Richard did not return to the Tower but instead travelled from Mile End to the Great Wardrobe, one of his royal houses in [[Blackfriars, London|Blackfriars]], part of south-west London.<ref>{{harvnb|Mortimer|1981|p=18}}</ref> There he appointed the military commander [[Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel|Richard FitzAlan]], the [[Earl of Arundel]], to replace Sudbury as Chancellor, and began to make plans to regain an advantage over the rebels the following day.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=102}}; {{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=428}}</ref> Many of the Essex rebels now began to disperse, content with the King's promises, leaving Tyler and the Kentish forces the most significant faction in London.<ref>{{harvnb|Dunn|2002|p=97}}</ref> Tyler's men moved around the city that evening, seeking out and killing John of Gaunt's employees, foreigners and anyone associated with the legal system.<ref>{{harvnb|Sumption|2009|p=428}}.</ref>