An attempt to meet the King in conference was frustrated by the royal counsellors.

Richard came down in the royal barge as far as Rotherhithe, but was dissuaded by Sir Robert Hales, and the Earls of Suffolk, Salisbury, and Warwick, from "holding speech with the shoeless ruffians." Richard rowed back swiftly to the Tower, and Tyler and his army swept into London.

The city was in the hands of the rebel captain, but the citizens welcomed the invaders, and offered bread and ale when Tyler proclaimed that death would be the instant punishment for theft.
John of Gaunt's palace at the Savoy, on the river strand, was the first place to be burnt; but Henry, Earl of Derby, John of Gaunt's son (eighteen years later to reign as Henry IV., in place of Richard), was allowed to pass out uninjured, and a wretched man caught in the act of stealing off with a silver cup was promptly executed.
The Savoy destroyed, the Temple--a hive of lawyers--was the next to be burnt, and before nightfall the Fleet Prison and Newgate had been demolished.
Again Tyler demanded conference with the King, and Richard, lying in the Tower with his counsellors, unable to prevent the work of conference, boldly decided to come out and meet the rebels.

Mile End was appointed for the conference, and to Mile End Richard came with a very modest retinue.
The King was only fifteen, but he was the son of the Black Prince, and he had both courage and cunning.

He was fully aware that the people did not lay on him responsibility for the sins of the Government.