JOHN BALL

In 1377 the ten year old Richard II came to the throne of England.

At the time there was a war against France. It was still continuing four years later when Richard’s ministers informed told him he had to raise more money to pay for the war.

A poll tax was declared demanding every person over the age of 15 to pay one shilling. A large sum in those days. This was one of several reasons for a revolt against the rich & powerful by the poor. Three people led this revolt: John Ball – a priest Jack Straw Wat Tyler

They led a mob of 100, 000 people up to London. Wat Tyler Jack Straw

Up in town, the mob went on a rampage of destruction, murdered the Archbishop of Canterbury & destroyed a palace.

Eventually, the rioters forced a meeting with the young king. Things were going quite well when Wat Tyler became abusive in his talk & ways, so that the Lord Mayor drew his sword & killed him.

At this point Richard – just 14- showed great courage, he shouted for the peasants to follow him, which they did. He convinced them to trust him, calmed them down & sent them off to their homes.

Unfortunately for the peasants they were then all rounded up & taken away to be hanged as traitors. How was John Ball involved in all of this?

Little is known of John Ball’s life. His date of birth is unknown [possibly in 1338] but his death day is known because he was executed at St. Albans, in Hertfordshire on 15 July 1381.

He probably lived in the north of England, where he gained much fame as a preacher. He preached about social equality – fairness for all in an age when most people had little money, no say in how they were ruled & could do nothing about it.

When the revolt began, John Ball was in prison in Kent, for his preaching. However, he was let out by the other rebels & he joined them. On Blackheath he preached his most famous sermon.

“When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman? From the beginning all men by nature were created alike, and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of naughty men. For if God would have had any bondmen from the beginning, he would have appointed who should be bond & who should be free. And therefore I exhort you to consider that now the time is come, appointed to us by God, in which ye may [if ye will] cast of the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty. “

Fast forward some nearly 600 years to Some one in the then-named London County Council decided to name a new primary school in Blackheath Village after a famous character from the past, who had believed in fairness and equality for all people. I hope you feel they – whoever they were- made a good choice!