John Ball (priest) Quotes

John Ball was an English Lollard priest who took a prominent part in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381.

✵ 1338 – 15. July 1381
John Ball (priest) photo
John Ball (priest): 4   quotes 1   like

Famous John Ball (priest) Quotes

“I exhort you to consider that now the time is come, appointed to us by God, in which ye may (if ye will) cast off the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty.”

Sermon at Blackheath (12 June 1381), quoted in Annals, or a General Chronicle of England my nugget
Context: 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, and who 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 off the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty.

“When Adam delved, and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?”

Sermon at Blackheath (12 June 1381), quoted in Annals, or a General Chronicle of England my nugget
Context: 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, and who 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 off the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty.

“Now reigneth pride in prize
and covetousness is held wise,
and lechery without shame
and gluttony without blame.
Envy reigneth with treason
and sloth is taken in great season.
God do boot, for now is time. Amen.”

Letter to the people, quoted in Annals, or a General Chronicle of England by John Stow. "Boot" here means "amends," as in the ancient Anglo-Saxon laws

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