Execution of Simon Sudbury
Simon Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England, is being executed by a mob of peasant rebels on Tower Hill during the Peasants' Revolt. The rebels, furious over oppressive taxes
Setting
Tower Hill, London - an open space near the Tower of London, surrounded by narrow medieval streets. The execution site is a rough wooden scaffold erected hastily for this purpose, with a blood-stained block at its center. The ground is trampled earth mixed with straw, spotted with dark patches where previous executions have taken place.
Characters
Simon Sudbury
primary
A gaunt man in his late fifties with thinning gray hair, deep-set eyes, and a prominent nose. His face is lined with the wear of political and spiritual burdens, his skin pale from long hours indoors. His hands, though delicate from years of scholarly work, bear ink stains at the fingertips.
Rebel Leader
primary
A rugged man in his early forties with a sinewy build honed by years of labor. His face is weathered by sun and hardship, marked by a jagged scar running from left temple to jawline. Dark, unkempt hair frames piercing grey eyes that burn with revolutionary fervor.
Executioner
secondary
A burly man in his late 30s with broad shoulders and thick arms developed from years of wielding heavy tools. His face is weathered and lined, with a thick beard streaked with grey. His hands are large and calloused, one gripping the handle of a well-worn axe. His dark eyes are hooded, avoiding direct contact with the condemned.
Angry Peasant
secondary
A wiry man in his late 30s with sunken cheeks and a patchy brown beard. His face is reddened from years of outdoor labor and current fury, with deep-set eyes burning with indignation. Calloused hands clenched into fists, missing two fingers on his left hand from a farming accident.
Tower Guard
background
A middle-aged man of sturdy build, standing roughly 5'8" with a weathered face marked by years of service. His short-cropped dark hair is streaked with grey, and his eyes are a deep brown, narrowed in silent vigilance. His hands, calloused from wielding weapons, rest uneasily on the pommel of his sword.
Dialog
Simon Sudbury
Miserere mei, Deus... Oh God-fearing people, I beg thee—
Rebel Leader
Silence, taxmonger! Thy prayers won't save thee from the blade ye brought upon honest folk!
Angry Peasant
Aye! Eight pence for each head whilst thy coffers bulge! Strike now, lads—let's see if his gold-lined belly bleeds red like ours!
Simon Sudbury
Secundum magnam misericordiam tuam... Oh children, this violence stains your souls—
Rebel Leader
Nay, 'tis thy soul that's black as pitch! Executioner! Let this be a lesson to all who'd grind the poor beneath their heels!
Angry Peasant
Make it slow! Make the whoreson feel every—
Rebel Leader
Enough! Let justice be done clean—one stroke for each penny stolen!