約翰·保爾
事跡
公元1381
中世紀英國傳教士。原為肯特郡神父，因布道時宣傳無階級社會，抨擊社會不公，反對教會和封建領主1366年被坎特伯雷大主教開除教籍。但反叛精神絲毫不減，仍繼續在市場或任何可能的場合進行說教，被上層人物咒為「肯特郡瘋牧師」。
1376年起屢遭監禁。1381年泰勒農民起義爆發後請救，加入並領導起義隊伍前往倫敦。沿途發表演說，呼籲殺盡貴族和主教，應者甚眾，被起義農民譽為「平民演說家」，起義失敗後被捕，慘遭絞刑。
這篇短小精悍的演說，是保爾在倫敦附近向農民發表的。其中，「亞當和夏娃男耕女織時，有誰是什麼紳士？」，這句話不但鼓舞了起義者，而且已成為傳世佳句。
奴隸與自由民
John Ball
BONDMEN AND FREEMEN
1381
When Adam delved and Eve span，
Who was then the gentleman？
From the beginning all men by nature were created alike，and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of naughty men.For if God would have had any bondmen from the beginning，he would have appointed who should be bond，and who free.And therefore I exhort you to consider that now the time is come，appointed to us by God，in which ye may（if ye will）cast off the yoke of bondage，and recover liberty.I counsel you therefore well to bethink yourselves，and to take good hearts unto you，that after the manner of a good husband that tilled his ground，and riddethout thereof such evil weeds as choke and destroy the good corn，you may destroy first the great lords of the realm，and after，the judges and lawyers，and quest mongers，and all other who have undertaken to be against the commons.For so shall you procure peace and surety to yourselves in time to come；and by dispatching out of the way the great men，there shall be an equality in liberty，and no difference in degrees of nobility；but alike dignity and equal authority in all things brought in among you.
奴隸與自由民翻譯
約翰·保爾
奴隸與自由民
1381年
亞當和夏娃男耕女織時，有誰是什麼紳士？
上帝造人之初，一切人生來本屬平等，後來惡人不正義的壓迫，我們才陷於奴役束縛的境地。如果上帝一開始就要創造奴隸，他必然會指定誰為奴隸，誰享自由。上帝任命的時刻現已到來，因此我要勸你們考慮，只要你們願意，就可以擺脫身上的枷鎖、恢復自由。我建議你們深思熟慮、鼓足勇氣、振作精神。你們要學習一個好莊稼人的榜樣，先耕耘田地，再拔除損壞莊稼的莠草。你們也可以先剷除國內的大貴族，然後除去法官、律師、貪得無厭者和一切壓抑平民百姓的人。時候一到你們將可以得到和平與安穩。除去那些大人物後，你們就能得到自由平等，再沒有高低貴賤的不同等級。剩下的只是你們對一切事物的同等尊嚴和權威。