Execution of John Ball
Radical priest and Peasants' Revolt leader John Ball is publicly executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering in St Albans, a brutal spectacle meant to crush rebellion and instill fear in the populace
Setting
A public square in St Albans, near the marketplace, with a raised wooden platform erected for the execution. The square is surrounded by timber-framed buildings with thatched roofs, and the cobblestone ground is uneven and worn.
Characters
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John Ball
primary
A gaunt, middle-aged man with a weathered face, deep-set eyes, and a short, unkempt beard. His hands are rough from years of labor and preaching, and his frame, though weakened by imprisonment, still carries the bearing of a man who once inspired thousands.
Royal Sheriff
primary
A tall, imposing man in his late 40s with a stern, weathered face, sharp blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard streaked with gray. His broad shoulders and upright posture exude authority, and his hands are calloused from years of wielding a sword.
Town Crier
secondary
A wiry man in his late 40s with a gaunt face, sunken cheeks, and a prominent Adam's apple. His thinning brown hair is cropped short beneath a leather cap, and his eyes are small but piercing. His hands are calloused from years of gripping scrolls and ringing his bell.
Blacksmith
secondary
A burly man in his late 30s, with a muscular build from years of hammering iron. His face is weathered and soot-stained, with a thick beard and deep-set eyes that burn with suppressed fury. His hands, large and calloused, are clenched into fists at his sides.
Baker's Wife
background
A middle-aged woman with a worn face, her hands rough from years of kneading dough. Her hair is tucked under a simple linen coif, with strands of grey peeking out. She has a slight stoop from long hours at the oven, and her eyes are red-rimmed from suppressed tears.
Dialog
John Ball
Good people, though I die today, the cry for justice shall not be silenced! Remember ye this: when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?
Royal Sheriff
Silence! John Ball, you stand condemned for treason against His Majesty the King and for inciting rebellion among the commons. The sentence is death by hanging, drawing, and quartering.
Town Crier
Hear ye! Hear ye! By order of His Majesty King Richard II, this man is found guilty of contra pacem domini regis—against the peace of our lord the king!
John Ball
Peace? What peace is there for those who toil while nobles feast? I go to my death, but the hunger for justice lives on!
Royal Sheriff
Enough! Executioner, proceed. Let this be a warning to all who would challenge the rightful order.
Town Crier
Thus ends the life of a traitor! Let none forget the fate of those who rise against their lawful lords!
John Ball
I see the dawn of freedom in your eyes, good people! Do not let fear chain your hearts as these chains bind my body!
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