Hitherto no attempt at resistance had been possible; but the tremendous defeat of the French at Poitiers by a handful of English aroused the hope among the serfs that the moment for vengeance had come.

The movement began among a handful of peasants in the neighbourhood of St.Leu and Claremont.

These declared that they would put to death all the gentlemen in the land.

The cry spread through the country.

The serfs, armed with pikes, poured out from every village, and a number of the lower classes from the towns joined them.