Execution of John Ball
John Ball, a radical priest and leader of the Peasants' Revolt, is being executed in the town square of St Albans. The authorities are making an example of him to quell the rebellion, while the crowd
Setting
The town square of St Albans, surrounded by timber-framed buildings with thatched roofs. The gallows stand prominently in the center, with a wooden platform and a rough-hewn beam overhead. The ground is trampled earth mixed with patches of dried summer grass.
Characters
John Ball
primary
A gaunt man in his late 40s with sunken cheeks and sharp features, his once-vibrant eyes now weary yet burning with conviction. His greying brown hair is matted from months in prison, and his posture remains upright despite the chains weighing him down.
Sheriff
primary
A middle-aged man of imposing stature, with broad shoulders and a weathered face that speaks of years spent outdoors. His sharp, cold eyes betray no emotion, and a neatly trimmed beard frames his rigid jaw. A scar runs down his left cheek, a remnant of past conflicts.
Guard Captain
secondary
A grizzled veteran in his late 40s, with a square jaw shadowed by stubble and deep-set eyes that have seen too much bloodshed. His muscular frame bears old scars from countless battles, and his nose is slightly crooked from a long-ago break. His hands are calloused and permanently clenched, as if ready to draw his sword at any moment.
Town Crier
secondary
A thin, middle-aged man with a gaunt face and sunken cheeks, his skin pale from years spent indoors. His hands tremble slightly as he clutches the proclamation scroll, and his narrow shoulders are hunched as if expecting a blow. His watery blue eyes dart nervously between the Sheriff and the restless crowd.
Angry Peasant
background
A burly man in his late 30s with a thick, muscular build from years of manual labor. His face is weathered from sun exposure, with deep-set brown eyes and a bushy, unkempt beard. His hands are calloused and clenched into tight fists.
Dialog
John Ball
Coram populo—before the people, Sheriff. What justice is this, when a man speaks truth and hangs for it?
Sheriff
Justice is the law's will, priest. Your words sowed rebellion—now you reap its bitter harvest.
John Ball
Aye, bitter indeed—like the bread our children starve on while lords feast. Remember this day, good people!
Guard Captain
Silence that traitor's tongue! Rope'll do it soon enough.
John Ball
Fear not the noose, Captain—'tis but the last stitch in the rich man's shroud. When I am gone, more voices shall rise.
Sheriff
Enough. Proceed.
John Ball
God knows I die for speaking plain. So shall ye all—unless ye stand together!