John Ball an English radical priest.

John Ball (1338-1381) was the first radical priest and belief in the 'equality of man' was based on his understanding of the Bible. Adam and Eve has no slaves so where did slaves come from was his reasoning? This radical interpretation put him at odds with those in power like the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops, the King and many landowners. He went around the country delivering his sermons to anyone who would listen. His ideas took hold in the minds of the English farm workers, craftsmen, artisans and some of the professional classes in London. In 1381 so incensed were the 'ordinary people of Essex and Kent after three Poll Tax increases that they felt it necessary to rise up and march on London from these two counties lead by Wat Tyler. Within a few days they had assembled an estimated 30,000 strong band of mainly men that then marched over London Bridge towards a meeting with King Richard II at Mile End where a deal was made about the - freedom of the English. This was the first radical agreement between the state and the English 'lower classes'. Two days later at Smithfield there was a further confrontation between the King and Wat Tyler that ended in Tyler being slain. John Ball was hung, drawn and quartered in St Albans a few days later on the 13 June 1381 for his part in the Peasants' Revolt.  All this can be seen in an excellent educational two part programme on BBC Four in Melvyn Bragg's Radical Lives.