Now, therefore, do ye understand it!"
His voice was changed, and grew louder than loud now, as he cast his
hands abroad towards that company with those last words of his; and I
could feel that all shame and fear was falling from those men, and
that mere fiery manhood was shining through their wonted English
shamefast stubbornness, and that they were moved indeed and saw the
road before them. Yet no man spoke, rather the silence of the
men-folk deepened, as the sun's rays grew more level and more golden,
and the swifts wheeled about shriller and louder than before.
Then again John Ball spoke and said, "In good sooth, I deem ye wot no
worse than I do what is to do--and first that somewhat we shall do--
since it is for him that is lonely or in prison to dream of
fellowship, but for him that is of a fellowship to do and not to
dream.
"And next, ye know who is the foeman, and that is the proud man, the
oppressor, who scorneth fellowship, and himself is a world to himself
and needeth no helper nor helpeth any, but, heeding no law, layeth law
on other men because he is rich; and surely every one that is rich is
such an one, nor may be other.
Pages:
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52