约翰·保尔
事迹
公元1381
中世纪英国传教士。原为肯特郡神父，因布道时宣传无阶级社会，抨击社会不公，反对教会和封建领主1366年被坎特伯雷大主教开除教籍。但反叛精神丝毫不减，仍继续在市场或任何可能的场合进行说教，被上层人物咒为“肯特郡疯牧师”。
1376年起屡遭监禁。1381年泰勒农民起义爆发后请救，加入并领导起义队伍前往伦敦。沿途发表演说，呼吁杀尽贵族和主教，应者甚众，被起义农民誉为“平民演说家”，起义失败后被捕，惨遭绞刑。
这篇短小精悍的演说，是保尔在伦敦附近向农民发表的。其中，“亚当和夏娃男耕女织时，有谁是什么绅士？”，这句话不但鼓舞了起义者，而且已成为传世佳句。
奴隶与自由民
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.
奴隶与自由民翻译
约翰·保尔
奴隶与自由民
1381年
亚当和夏娃男耕女织时，有谁是什么绅士？
上帝造人之初，一切人生来本属平等，后来恶人不正义的压迫，我们才陷于奴役束缚的境地。如果上帝一开始就要创造奴隶，他必然会指定谁为奴隶，谁享自由。上帝任命的时刻现已到来，因此我要劝你们考虑，只要你们愿意，就可以摆脱身上的枷锁、恢复自由。我建议你们深思熟虑、鼓足勇气、振作精神。你们要学习一个好庄稼人的榜样，先耕耘田地，再拔除损坏庄稼的莠草。你们也可以先铲除国内的大贵族，然后除去法官、律师、贪得无厌者和一切压抑平民百姓的人。时候一到你们将可以得到和平与安稳。除去那些大人物后，你们就能得到自由平等，再没有高低贵贱的不同等级。剩下的只是你们对一切事物的同等尊严和权威。