At Cambridge the townsmen burned the charters of the University and attacked the colleges.

A body of peasants occupied St.Albans.In Norfolk a Norwich artizan, called John the Litster or Dyer, took the title of King of the Commons, and marching through the country at the head of a mass of peasants compelled the nobles whom he captured to act as his meat-tasters and to serve him on their knees during his repast.

The story of St.Edmundsbury shows us what was going on in Suffolk.

Ever since the accession of Edward the Third the townsmen and the villeins of their lands around had been at war with the abbot and his monks.

The old and more oppressive servitude had long passed away, but the later abbots had set themselves against the policy of concession and conciliation which had brought about this advance towards freedom.