Why did John Aycliffe have power over peasants in Crispin: The Cross of Lead?

John Aycliffe had great power over the peasants because he was the steward of Stromford. In feudal England, a steward held a very important position; basically, in the absence of his lord, the steward was the de facto lord of the estate. He had the power to decide the fate of the villagers under his rule.

With Lord Furnival rumored to be dying, John Aycliffe's power was further reinforced by the Furnival family's need to announce a trusted successor before other claimants came forward. With this in mind, John Aycliffe immediately declared Crispin a wolf's head: his goal was to prevent Crispin, the illegitimate son of Lord Furnival, from claiming the title of lord. Since John Aycliffe was steward, he could order the death of any villager without fear that he would be called to account for his actions.

The text tells us that John Aycliffe effectively controlled the peasants by meting out draconian punishments for the smallest infractions. As 'judge, jury, and willing executioner,' John Aycliffe ensured that the villagers lived in constant fear for their lives.

In the absence of Lord Furnival, he was in charge of the manor the laws and the peasants. To be caught in some small transgression - missing a day of work, speaking harshly of his rule, failing to attend Mass - brought an unforgiving penalty. It could be a whipping, a dipping of the ear, imprisonment or a cut-off hand. For poaching a stag, John the ale-maker's son was put to death on the commons gallows. As judge, jury and willing executioner, Aycliffe had but to give the word and the offender's life was forfeit. We all lived in fear of him.

Why did John Aycliffe hold great power over the peasants in Crispin: The Cross of Lead?

As Steward of the Manor, John Aycliffe was responsible for making sure that everything on the Estate ran smoothly. Part of this responsibility was overseeing the collecting of taxes from the village which supported the Manor and dealing with any crimes that occurred there. Aycliffe is described as being very cruel, sometimes having peasants punished by whipping or dismemberment. When Crispin's mother dies, Aycliffe even takes their only ox as a form of tax, leaving Crispin with absolutely nothing.

In short, Aycliffe has power over the people of Crispin's village because they fear him. The peasants' lives are spent making sure that they support the Manor, and if they even make one wrong step in their responsibilities, they know that Aycliffe has the authority to do whatever he wishes to punish them.