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On the morning of the 12th June, 1381,an enormous army, at least 5,000,perhaps as many as 10,000 strong,
1381年6月12日清晨 一支龐大的軍隊 至少五千人 甚至可能多達一萬人
was camped here on the fields of Blackheath,right on the edge of London.
駐扎在這里 倫敦城外的 布萊克海斯
Below them, they could see the city old St Paul's, the bridges
倫敦城 就在他們眼下 圣約翰大教堂
crowded with shops and Westminster beyond,all seemingly at their mercy.
擠滿商店的橋和不遠處的威斯敏斯特 似乎完全在他們掌握之中
This was not a rabble. From the outset of the revolt,its targets had been selected carefully to make a point
這不是一群烏合之眾 從起義的最開始 他們就有明確的目標
rich abbeys, estates belonging to tax collectors.
富有的教堂 收稅員的地產
Any document bearing the seal of the Exchequer was marked out for destruction.
有財政部印章的文件 都被銷毀
Manorial accounts were thrown on the fire.They knew what they were doing.
莊園賬目被焚毀 他們清楚自己在做什么
Paradoxically, the rebels remained fervently loyal to the Crown.
矛盾的是 起義者 仍舊宣稱效忠于國王
Though they had made themselves outlaws,they were fired by the certainty that their cause was just.
盡管他們的舉動實為背叛 師出有名 使得士氣大振
Surely it would be seen that they were not mobilised to threaten the king, but to rescue him,and through him, themselves.
顯然他們并非被人挑撥著 反對國王 而是試圖拯救他 也借他之手拯救自己
The discipline of the march, however,did not survive contact with the big city.
起義軍的軍紀軍規 到了大城市變得毫無約束力
Prisons were broken open,churches looted, palaces put to the torch.
監獄被打開 教堂被掠劫 宮殿被付之一炬
Thirty-five Flemish merchants were decapitated on the same block, one after the other.
35位佛蘭德商人 一個接一個的 被斬首于同一條大街上
