Why did John Aycliffe have great power over the peasants in Crispin: Cross of Lead? How did he control their lives?

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.