matter meant cried without discretion Yeâ Yea Yea nothing regarding the Liberty of the City After the grant thus had of the Commons the said Joââ Mansell discharged the Mayor Sheriffs and Chambeâlain of their Offices and delivered the Custody thereunto the Constable of the Tower and put in the rooâ of the Sheriffs Michael Tony and John Audrian Aâ over that all Rolls of Tolls and Tallages before madâ were delivered unto the said John Mansel which ãâã there sealed and redelivered to the Chamberlain Whââ the Commons had beheld all this business they returnââ unto their Houses all confused Do we wonder at the Commons readiness in this afair that they who usually have been such brisk assertâ of their Liberties should now be the occasional cause of bringing them into danger We may suppose that this was no proper Common-Hall but rather called by an order from Court and filled with the populace for in those days I do not find there was any express Act made by King Lords and Commons in being to forbid the Council Table from intermeddling in Civil Causes and determining of the Subjects Liberties or so to regulate its Jurisdiction Power and Authority as to leave such matters to be tried and determined in the ordinary Courts of Justice and by the ordinary course of Law Or else we conclude the Restriction of the Common-Hall to the Livery-Men was not then in use so that the Rabble being intermixt it might be no hard matter to get a âry raised by some of them in favour of the proceedings âhen on foot The Mobile being as liable to be wrought âpon by fear or fair promises as the great and rich to be corrupted by the hopes of Honours and Preferments ând the favour of more potent Grandees while as the âiddle sort of People like the golden mean between âwo Extreams are not generally so capable of being ârawn aside after the lure being too many to be brib'd ând not few enough to be frighted not so high and wealthy as to aspire after greater Grandeur nor so low âean and despicable as to be imposed upon by the empty âames of Greatness and Honour without Virtue sprung âp at first from Vice and nourished by and amidst reâeated Debaucheries This matter thus ordered John Mansell with divers âf the Kings Council kept their Courts daily the Sunâays except till the 1st Sunday of Lent which that yeaââas Jan. 25. calling before him 12 Wards of the Ciây out of every of which Wards were taken 3 men âo that 36 men were impannelled and sworn to enquire âf the aforesaid Articles and what Persons of the City âad offended in them This Court being thus kept and holden at Guild-Hall no man was called to answer nor no question put to any Person by the said Inquest or any other Upon the foresaid 1st Sunday of Lent the Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs with the forementioned Inquest and 4 men of every Ward were charged to appear at Westminster before the King at which appearance they were countermanded till the next morning At which season coming into the Kings Exchequer they found sitting there the Earls of Glocester and Warwick Joh. Mansell Hen. Baa Justices the Constable of the Tower the Custos of the City and divers others of the Kings Council Then was called by name Ralph Richard Hardell that year Mayor Nicholas Batts Nicholas Fiz Josne Mathew Bockerel John Tolesham and John ãâã Minoure Aldermen Then John Mansell said that the King by his Laws and Inquisition of the Citizens had found them culpable that they had wronged and hurt the Commonalty of his City by divers means as by the saiâ Inquisition appeared and forthwith caused it to be read before them When the more part thereof was read he said unto them Thus may you see that the Commonalty of the City hath been by you grievously oppressed and by your means and Counsel the Commonwealth ãâã the same destroyed as by altering of the Tolls and otheâ good ancient Customs turning them to your singular advantage and lucre All which matters the said Ralpâ Richard and his Company denied and that the Commons were not grieved or hurt by them or any of them by any such means and offered to be justified and judged by the Law and Customs of the City Then Heâââ Baa Justice asked of them whether they would abiââ the adventure of the Inquiry that they had heard reââ before ãâã stand upon the saying of the other Ward that yet had not beân sworn but they kept to their ãâã Answer There John Mansell asked of the Mayor whââ was their Law and Custom The Mayor answered ãâã said that for trespass of a Citizen done against the King he should defend himself by 12 Citizens for Murder or slaying of a man by 30 Citizens and for trespass against a stranger by the Oath of six and himself Then after many reasons made by the said John Mansell and also by the Mayor and Aldermen day was given them to appear the morrow before the King and his Councel Upon the day following the King with many of his Lords sitting in the Exchequer the aforesaid Inquisition was read That done the Mayor and Aldermen were called in by name and two Aldermen more which before were not called viz. Arnâld Thedmare and Henry Waldmode When Ralph Richard Hardâll had heard âhe King speak in the matter he took such fear that he ând Nicholas Batt without further Answer put themâelves in the King's grace saved to them their Liâerties and Franchises of the City But the other six âesought the King of his wisdom that they might be ââdged after the Laws and Customs of the City Then was laid to their charge that over many wrongs by âhem done to the King and the Commonalty of the Ciây they had alter'd the King's Beam and order'd it to âe advantage of themselves and other rich men of the City Whereupon the Parties answered and said That âe alteration of the Beam was not done by them only but ãâã the advice and consent of 500 of the best of the City âor where before-time the Weigher used to lean his âraught toward the Merchandise so that the buyer had ây that means 10 or 12 pounds in a draught to his adâantage and the seller so much disadvantage now for ââdifferency and equality of both persons it was orâain'd that the Beam should stand upright the cleft âereof inclining to neither party as in weighing of âold and Silver and the buyer to have allowed of the ãâã for all things four pounds only in every draught âfter these Reasons and others by them made the King commanded that upon the morning following a Folk-moot should be called at Paul's Cross and so that Court was dissolved and the Mayor and the others returned to London Upon the morrow the Folk-moot being at Paul's Cross Assembled these six Aldermen hearing the murmuring of the common people and knowing that the Aldermen or Worshipful of the City should have
Law to the Destruction of the Duke of Glâucester and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick at Shrewscury For that the King against his Promise procured the Duke of Ireland sundry Rebells about Cheshire where diverse Murders by him were committed For that the King against his own Promise and Pardon at the Solemn Procession apprehended the Duke of Gloucester and sent him to Callice there to be choked and murdered beheading the Earle of Arundel and banishing the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Cobham For that the Kings Retinue and rout gathered out of Cheshire about the apprehension of those Nobles committed diverse Murders Rapes and other Fellonies besides refusing to pay for their Victuals For that the King condemned the Nobles aforesaid for divers rodes made within the Realm contrary to his open Proclamation For that the King doubly Fined Men for their Pardons For that the King to oppress his whole subjects procured in his last Parliament that the Power thereof was committed to certain Persons For that the King being sworn to Minister right did notwithstanding enact in the last Parliament that no mediation should be made for the Duke of Lancaster contrary to his said Oath For that the Crown of England being freed from the Pope and all other forraign Power the King notwithstanding procured the Popes Excommunication on such as brake the last Parliament in derogation of the Crown Statutes and Laws of the Realm For that the King banished the Duke of Lancaster for 10 years without any Cause as the same King openly affirmed For that the King unlawfully revoked the Letters Patents made to the said Duke of Lancaster in An. 21. For that the King contrary to the Laws and will of the Justices suffered Sheriffs to continue longer than one year and placed such therein as were unfit For that the King repayed not to his Subjects debts of them borrowed For that the King in the time of Truce and Peace exacted great Subsidies and wasted the same about frivilous matters For that the King refused to execute the Laws Saying that the Laws were in his Mouth and Breast For that the King by procuring by Statutes that he might be free as any of his Progenitors did under colour thereof subvert Laws according to his Will For that the King procured Knights of the Shires to be made to serve his own will For that the King enforced Sheriffs to be Sworn to execute all Commandemens under the Great Seal Privy Seal or Signet contrary to their accustomed Oaths For that the King to wrack mony from his Subjects procured 17 several Shires to submit themselves to his Grace whereby great sums of mony were Levied For that the King being Sworn to observe the Liberties of the Church notwithstanding at his Voyage into Ireland enforced diverse Religious Persons to give Horse Armour and Carts For that the Justices for their good Councel given to the King were with evil Countenance and threats rewarded For that the King of his own Will in passing into Ireland carried with him the Treasures Reliques and other Jewels of the Realm which were used safely to be kept in the Kings own Coffers from all hazard and for that the same King cancelled and razed sundry Records For that the King by writing to Forreign Princes and to his own Subjects is reputed universally a most variable and dissembling man For that the King would commonly say among the Nobles that all Subjects Lives Lands and Goods were in his hands without any forfeiture For that the King suffered his Subjects to be condemned by Marshal-Law contrary to his Oath and the Laws of the Realm For that the Subjects being only bound by their Allegiance were yet driven to take certain New Oaths for serving the folly of the King For that the King by his private Letters would charge the Ecclesiastical Ministers in any new Canonical matter to stay contrary to his Oath For that the King by force in his Parliament banished the Arch Bishop of Canterbury without any good Ground For that the King by his last Will passed under the Great Seal and Privy Signet gave unto his Successors certain Money and Treasure upon Condition to perform all the Acts and Orders in the last Parliament which being ungodly and unlawful he meant as ungodlily to dy in For that the King in the 11th of his Reign in his Chappel in the Manour of Langley in the presence of the Duke of Lancaster and Yorke and others received the Sacrament of the Lords Body that he would never impeach the Duke of Gloucester his Uncle for any thing before done and yet to the Contrary procured him to be murdered For that the King most fraudulently and untruely against his own Oath Banished the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and wasted his Goods in which Article in private Conference between the said Arch Bishop the King in a manner prophesied and doubted that the like would happen of himself and thereupon shewed a special Token to the Arch Bishop That if he sent the same at any time that the Arch Bishop should look that the King would come to him These were the Imputations laid to his charge and that they were then thought true or at least not contradicted is self-Evident all seeming highly desirous of a Change and few dispos'd to espouse the depos'd Kings Cause and Interest so furious and violent was the Current of the Times as to bear away well nigh all before it That Parliament being so full of the new Kings Favourers and so empty of the old Kings true and cordial Friends that I remember to have read of but one viz. the Loyal Bishop of Carlisle who after a little Demur of a few dayes time upon a Motion made in Parliament about the disposal of King Richard stood up boldly and undauntedly for his old Lord and Master in the midst of his professed and declared Enemies and known Deserters His Speech as a rare Example of Fidelity giving us the very Quintessence of Loyalty I shall venture to set down out of Sir Richard Bakers Chronicle with the Consequents as follows My Lords The Matter now propounded is of marvellous Weight and Consequence wherein there are two Points chiefly to be considered The First whether King Richard be sufficiently put out of his Throne The Second whether the Duke of Lancaster be lawfully taken in For the First How can that be sufficiently done when there is no Power sufficient to do it The Parliament cannot for of the Parliament the King is the Head and can the Body put down the Head You will say but the Head may bow it self down and may the King resign It is true but what force is in that which is done by force And who knows not that King Richard's Resignation was no other But suppose he be sufficiently out yet how comes the Duke of Lancaster to be lawfully in If you say by Conquest you speak Treason For what Conquest without Arms And can a Subject take Arms
Sheriffs by the King newly come to London and lodg'd in the Tower fared better in this year's Mayoralty than he did within some few years after wherein he continued Mayor For being taxt by the King for the escape of one that had slain a Prior related to the King he put off the charge of this matter from himself to the Sheriffs for so much as to them belong'd the keeping of the City-Prisons Whereupon he returned home and the Sheriffs Rob. Belyngton and Ralph Aschewye were detain'd for a space Pâisoners and others chosen in their places but how they got off my Author sets not down In the 39th year Edw. the King's Son's Wife was honourably received at London by the Citizens and the City adorn'd with rich Cloaths for the more state Yet notwithstanding all this Respect it was not long before the King seiz'd their Liberties anew for certain Money which the Q. claim'd for her right of them So that about Martins-tyde they were in a manner necessitated to give her 400 Marks before their Liberties were restor'd them and the King's Under-Treasurer discharg'd who for the time was made Custos or Keeper of the City What had she no other way to recover her Money if it was due but the Cities Liberties must presently be seized on The King's Brother had got well the last year by falling out with the City and getting their Liberties seiz'd Was it not then do ye think cunningly done of the Queen to try the same trick over again 'T was it seems too gainful a project to suffer it quietly to lye still without further prosecution before it grew too stale Though the Citizens and their Franchises were thus carpt at by Court-Favourites yet we find them still continuing their wonâed respect to the King and Queen when they came to London where they were honourably received this very same year and so convey'd to Westminster When the Citizens had to do with the Court and the King was pleased to interest himself in the affair History tells ãâã that they were more than once compelled to draw theâ purses for Peace sake and Reconciliation but when they had their other fellow Subjects to deal with they proved Matches hard enough as particularly in their suiâ with the Abbot of Waltham which was at last accorded in the 40th year to their own advantage Come we now to the 41th year a year not lightly to be forgotten by the worthy Citizens and such aâ bear any respect to this honourable City by reason oâ the many troubles that the Heads thereof underwent aâ this time through the power and malice of some ill disposed Persons who bore no Good will to this ancienâ foundation Hitherto we have met with but light Skirmishes a few trivial matters in comparison of whaâ you shall here find related out of Fabian to have happened in the Mayoralty of Richard Hardell and Shrievalties of Rich. Ewell and William Ashwey A. C. 1257 The Relation is as followeth almost word by word In this 41th year and beginning of the same waâ found in the Kings Wardrobe at Windsor a Bill or Rolâ closed in green Wax and not known from whence it should come in which was contained divers Articles against the Mayor and Rulers of the City and that by them the Commonalty of the City was grievously taxed and wronged which Bill was presented at length to the King Whereupon he sent John Mansel one of his Justices unto London where on St. Paul's day by thâ Kings Authority he called a Folk-moot or Common-Hall at Pauls-Cross there being present Richard dâ Clare Earl of Gloucester and divers others of the Kingâ Council Whereupon the said John Mansel caused the said Roll to be read before the Commonalty and afteâ shewed to the People that the Kings pleasure and mind was that they should be ruled with Justice and thaâ the Liberties of the City should be maintained in every point and if the King might know those Persons that so had wronged the Commonalty they should be grievously punished to others example That done John Mansel charged the Mayor that every Alderman in his Ward should upon the morrow following assemble his Wardmoots and that all those Wardmoots should assemble in one place and choose of themselves 36 Persons without any Counsel or advice of any of their Aldermen and present them before the Lords and him at the same hour the next day in the Bishops Pallace at Pauls Upon the morrow all was done according to his Command When the said 36 Persons were presented before the said John Mansel Henry Baa Justices and others he said unto them that they upon their Oaths should certifie all such persons as they knew guilty in the Articles before shewed to the Commonalty Whereupon the 36 answered that it was contrary to âheir Liberties to be sworn so many for any matter of Trespass between the King and any of his Citizens Wherefore they required a sparing with which answer John Mansel being discontented warned them to appear before the Kings Council at Guild-hall upon the morrow following where they kept their day Thither âame the said Justices John Mansell and Hen. Baa Sir Hen. Wengham Chancellour of England Philip Lovel Under treasurer and divers others of the Kings Council Then the said John Mansell exhorted the said Persons âo be sworn by many means as he the other day had âone but all was in vain For they excused themselves âat it was contrary to their Oath and Liberty of their City Wherefore the Kings Council departed from the Hall in part discontented and shewed to the King the âid Citizens demeanour Upon Candlemas Eve the Mayor being warned that the King would come to Westminster he with the more part of the Aldermen âode to Knightsbridge and tarried there to salute the King and know his further pleasure But when thâ King came near that place and heard of their beinâ there he sent to them an Esquire of the Houshold anâ charged them that they should not presume to come iâ to his sight with which message they being greatââ discomforted returned home to the City Afterwardâ in the Octaves of the Purification Michael Tony anâ Adam Basynge returned from Court who before weââ sent by the Mayor to such Friends as they had in thâ Court to know the cause of the Kings high displeasurâ and brought word back that the King was well minded towards the City but he was in full purpose to havâ such persons chastized that had oppressed the Commoâalty of the same Upon the morrow following came uâ to the Guild Hall John Mansell with others of thâ Kings Council who to the People there assembleâ shewed many fair and pleasant words Amongst whicâ he declared that the Kings Mind and Will was to coârect all such persons as had oppressed the Commonalty of that his dearest beloved City and asked of the Coâmons whether they would be agreeable to the samâ The which incontinently many such as knew littââ what the
the Citizens the pledges in the ãâã of London and the Four last mention'd to be ãâã in the Tower of Windsor were deliver'd The ãâã renam'd Stewards were also discharged and the ãâã chose of themselves for Mayor William Fiz ãâã and for Sheriffs Thomas de la Founde and Gregoââ de Rokisây as Fabiân acquaints us For Levying of ãâã foresaid Fine were set as well Servants and Coveâânt-men as Housholders and many refus'd the Liberties of the City to be quit of that charge ãâã which we may give some part of a guess at the ãâã of the fine what a considerable summâ ãâ¦ã marks was in those days before the ââdies were ãâã into Europe some hundreds of years This controversy with London being thus ãâã towards an end the King had leasure to mind ãâã suppressing the remains of the Baron's Party ãâã de Mountford upon certain conditions was ãâ¦ã be at large in the Kings Court and so ãâã a Season But when the King was come to London suddenly departed to Winchelsea where he accompânied with the Rovers of the Sea till after some ãâã taken he departed from them into France and ãâã himself into the Service of the French King So ãâã an end of the Potent Earl of Leycester's Family in Eââland This Powerful Earl bid fair for the Rule of ãâã whole Kingdom but had he reviv'd the Battailâ ãâã a Conqueror how much further he ãâã have gone I may think but not positively ãâã mine Another Act of the Kings this year in order to ãâã total rooting out of the Barons remains was his ââing a Seige to Kenelworth-Castle with a mighty ãâã but this prov'd a task not quickly at an end Now ãâã time comes to revenge old slights and neglects ãâã sides Strangers prepar'd to come over into Englâââ the Queen had also purchas'd a curse of the ãâã a womans aid to accurse all the Barons their ãâã and helpers Commissions were directed to ãâã Bishops of England to execute but they for fear ãâã the Barons are said to have deny'd and deferred ãâã Execution and Sentence of the said curse Wherefoââ she made new labour to the Pope and had it granâââ that the said Bishops should be corrected for their diââbedience Whereupon Octobon the Pope's Legate ãâã Councel by him and the Clergy held this year at Paul's ââch in London suspended those Bishops and sent ãâã to Rome to be absolv'd of the Pope A pretty ãâã to go nine Miles with Waltham's calf to Suck a ãâã In the 50th year about Christmas was Kenelworth ãâã yielded after near half a years Siege upon ãâã of life Limb Horse Armes and all things ãâã in the Castle to the defendants belonging and ãâã to carry them away and not to be disinherited ãâã is it any wonder that they had such ãâã granted them if that be true which Stow relates ãâã that at the King 's coming to besiege the Castle ãâã force was so great and those in the Castle so ãâã daunted at their Enemyes presence that they ãâã âpen their Gates and never closed them day noâ ãâã and come whoso would they came to their ãâã Thus you see the King found it no easy matter ãâã to suppress the remainders though he had ãâã power'd the heads of the Baron's party About ãâã were the Wardens of the five Ports reconcil'd to ãâã King by favour of Edward the King's Son Observe ãâã by the way his policy In his Father's time he ãâã to crush that power which might have ãâã him in his own Reign and having pretty well ãâã it he after seems a pretender to Popularity ãâã mediating with his Father in behalf of many that âddressed themselves to him for reconciliation It much âails to apply our selves to a fit Intercessor So have known a Stepmother when requested prevail with ãâã Father her Husband in her Son in Law 's behalf ãâã he himself could not The Conditions of this reconciliation of the Barons ââque Ports are not unworthy of the remark We ãâã that in Anno. 47. these Wardens of the five Ports ãâã the Sea with Ships that no Strangers should enter the Land to the King's Aid In 48 we are told ãâã they rob'd and spoild all men that they might ãâã sparing neither English Merchants nor others ãâã which preys as the Common Fame-went the ãâã of the Land had a good part In 49. we find ãâã Londoners alledging for themselves in mitigation ãâã the great Fine required of them that they had ãâã great part of their Substance by the Rovers of ãâã Sea among whom are named the Wardens of ãâã Cinque Ports And yet notwithstanding all these ãâã Harms done they are Recorded to have had all ãâã former Priviledges confirmed to them and ãâã was Granted That if any English-man or ãâã would Sue for Restitution of Goods by them ãâã taken or for the Death of any of their Friends ââfore Slain that all such Complaints should ãâã Sued in their Courts there to have their ãâã determin'd and not elsewhere What greaâ Assurance could these Barons desire for their own ââcurity They might well promise themselves impânity when they were in such fair probability to ãâã their own Judges in their own Cause unless we ãâã suppose Juries were to be chosen elsewhere ãâã we might in good reason that the King would ãâã to such Terms of Accomodation had we it not upââ Record that the common Fame at that Day ran ãâã the said Wardens of the Five Ports had then the Dâminion of the Sea Whereupon the King was after sort compell'd to follow their Pleasures When Man is to take an unpleasant Potion after he ãâã drunk up the greatest part thereof it not rarely haâpens that the Remains in the bottom are harder ãâã get down than was all the rest About the Feast of Philip and Jacob we hear of ãâã King's holding a Parliament at Northamptonâ ãâã which were confirm'd the old Franchises and Libertâââ by the King's Progenitors before Granted in the City âf London with a new Grant for the Shire of Midâlesex 'T is good to make things as sure as we ãâ¦ã this Parliament were likewise disinherited many Noble-men of the Land who before-time had taken the Barons Party For which cause they accompaââed together Robbed in divers parts of the Land âook Lincoln and spoil'd it and after Ransomed many of the Rich Burgesses of the Town And taking the âsle of Ely so strengthened it that they held it long ãâã Anno 51 At the choosing of the Mayor of London â Controversie arose between the Rulers and Comâons of the City Wherefore by advice of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen Sir Roger Leyborn a Courtier plain enough by his Actions related before with others âame to Guild-hall being Armed under their Gowns ând upon Fryday following Alhallon day called the Commons to the Election of the new Mayor How ââee was this Election likely to be whither men came âecretly Armed to assist their Party Fabian tells us âhat the best of
the City gave the Nomination to Aleyn ââwch and divers of the others cryed upon Thomas ãâã Thomas at that time Prisoner in Windsor Castle âherefore the said Sir Roger with the Assistance of âhe Mayor and others took those Persons and sent ââemun to divers Prisons So that what they could not âo well get by fair means some seem resolved to obâain by force And yet 't is not unlikely but they âould be ready enough to bear People in hand that âuch was a free Election The Act against Disturbance ãâã Free Elections wherein the King commandeth upon Forfeiture that no man by force of Arms nor by âalice or menacing shall disturb any to make Free âlection was not at that time dreaded as not being ãâã yet enacted for it is plac'd in the third of Edward the First the following King wherefore the Distââbers might not then think they had such cause ãâ¦ã having the Court also on their side as ãâã must have had since as soon as ever they should ãâã acted so imprudently as to bring themselves ãâã the laâh of that standing Law Observe we here ãâã Power and Esteem that usually accompanieâ ãâã Mayoralty of this Honorable City since that ãâã Faction were for choosing one of their own ãâã Shall I further remark upon the whole of this ãâã what Party in a Nation 't is that sticks not at ãâã nor force to effect their Designs when fair ãâã is too weak to compass them But who will ãâã me that this will not be offensive Therefore to ãâã In this Year the Gentlemen who kept the ãâã Ely and liv'd there like Outlaws broke out ãâã times and did much harm in Norfolk Suffolk ãâã Cambridge Shire took Norwich and after spoiling ãâã carried away with them many of the rich men ãâã ransomed them at great sums of Mony This ãâã occasion the story says to Thieves and other ãâã dispos'd People to do many other hurts and ãâã in divers places of the Land and the blame was ãâã to those Gentlemen Then the Pope's Legate labouââ with the King that those disinherited Gentlemââ might purchase their Lands of him by Fine and ãâã some Whereupon it was agreed that they ãâã have their Lands again at five Years value some ãâã excepted and others of small Possessions to ãâã Fined at the discretion of the King's Councel ãâã this took no conclusion saith my Author Anno 52. Aleyn Sowch being Mayor Thomas ââsingâ and Robert de Cornehyll Sherists we read of anâther broyl beginning which was like to have creaââ no little disturbance in the Land had it not ãâã timely appeas'd and brought to an end by the inteâcession of wise Mediators For Gilbert de Clare Earl ãâã Glocester formerly a powerful Man among the Bârons Party by reason of difference and disgust ââising between him and the no less Potent Earl of ãâã of the same Party having turn'd to the King's side adding to it such considerable strength that it soon over powr'd the weakend Barons but ââw upon what occasion Fabian expresses not he refused the King and gathered to him a strong ãâã in the Marches of Wales To him likewise drew Sir John Eyvile and others of the disinherited ãâã So that after Christmas he comes with a âear Host near unto London When the Mayor and Aldermen of the City were aware of the Earls ââming with so strong a Power and not knowing ãâã he were the Kings Freind they shut the ãâã against his Fore-Riders And for that neither ãâã King nor any of his Councel were then near ãâã City they went unto the Legate at that time ââdged in the Tower and required his Councel âhether they should suffer the Earl to enter into the âay or not whereunto the Legate answered that ãâã thought not the contrary for the knew well that ãâã was the Kings true Subject and Friend Not ãâã after came a Messenger from the Earl to the âayor to have Licence to pass through the City ãâã Southwark where he intended to lodge with ãâã People which was granted and so the Earl ââssed through the City and was lodg'd in Southâark To him came shortly after by Surry-side ãâã John Eyvile with a great Company Then the âayor kept the Gate of the Bridge shut watchââg it dayly with armed Men and every night ãâã the Draw-Bridge to be drawn and the Waterside daily and nightly to be watched with Men in Arms. In short time after the Legate and the Earl agreed in such wise that the Earl by his advice was suffered with certain of his People to be lodged in the City By means whereof he daily drew more and more of his People into it so that finally many things were ordered by him and many of the Commons took his part against the Mayor and Aldermen The Commonalty of the City had had great Power put into their hands by the Statutes made at Oxford as appears before in the Meeting of the Folâmoot at Pauls Cross they had been lately fin'd after the Barons overthrow for their standing in defence of those Parliament-Acts and but the last year had been disturb'd by the Mayor in their Election of a new Mayor by force of Arms and therefore now we may beleive it all remembred What shall we loose so seasonable an opportunity we may suppose they might then think if not to regain our former power yet at least to vindicate our selves against future affronts Here we may note not a little of the Earls policy After he had gathered together his People he comes away to London and getting leave to pass through it ãâã part of his Forces he settles himself as near the City as he might in Southwark and then by degrees gets himself and his Power into the City hoping doubtless to find a Party therein willing to second him which hopes we perceive by the sequel were not ill grounded Is not this a plain instance of the Cities Power Esteem and Influence in these days If any can produce plainer proof hereof let them as soon as they please I think here ãâã Mathematical Demonstration matter of Fact not of Fancy In Easter week we read that the Earl took the Keys of the Bridge and of the Gates from the officers of the City and deliver'd them to such as pleased him and received into the City many of the disinherited Perfons and gave them free liberty to pass the Bridge at all hours of the day and night Of all this the Mayor sent word to the King who then was gathering of this Power in Norfolk and made hasty speed towards London In the mean time the Earl with his Company made Bulwarks and âââbicanes between the Tower and the City casting ãâã and Trenches in some places thereof and forfâited it wonderfully saith my Author Then many of the Citizens fearing a new Insurrection deparred from the City as secretly as they could whose goods the Earl seized to his own use or suffered his men to spoile them at his pleasure
Then the Commons fââgetting their late punishment or rather too much remembring it and intending revenge withouâ fear or dread of their King took certain of the Aldermen and cast them into Prison sequestring their Goods and spoiling much thereof And thereupon ran to Guild-hall and chose for their Mayor ãâã or Ruler of the City take which name you please Sir Richard de Culworth Knight and for Bayliffs Robert de Lynton and Roger Marshal and discharg'd the old Mayor and Sheriffs These the fruits of Civil Broils This being done we read in the next place that all such Prisoners that were in Newgate Ludgate and Criplegate or in any other Prisons within the City because of the Baron's War before passed were delivered and set at liberty Thus each Party when in Power strives to weaken and suppress their opposites and strengthen theââ own side What avails Laws Customes and Ordinances in the midst of Armies How suddainly â how unexpectedly is the wheele turn'd who knoââ how soon the Barons War had been anew reviv'd had not Powerful Mediators interceded to the pââvention of more blood shedding The Oxford Sââtutes stood in deed repeal'd by the Winchester Parliament but who can divine what new devices the wit of men backt with Power might in time haââ found out to retreive their late overthrown cause had not Providence so dispos'd mens minds to peaceable Councels as to bring these new troubles to ãâã quicker end When the Legate beheld all this Discord we are told he repented him of his former Counceâ given to the Mayor which we may easily belieââ without looking for any proofs thereof For thâ Legate might well think himself accus'd in manâ men's thoughts as one of the occasional Causes ãâã much of this disorder though it may be they migââ not be so uncharitable as to believe him any otheââ then an accidental not designed Causer thereof ãâã seems by the History to have endeavour'd somewhââ to vindicate his Reputation when he saw he coulâ not reform the Earl by threatning him with ãâã Censures of the Church and to accurse him as thâ Disinherited were For that was always one oâ the best Weapons the Popish Clergy were most deâtrous at If any grievously displeas'd them no maâter what the cause was good or bad allowable by the Divine Laws or not to Curse him with Bell Book and Candle was their usual accustomed Practise Whosoever believes me not let him go to the Martyrologies see whether he can then beleive his ãâã eyes Yet I do not find let the instance here ãâã that this their Cursing had so general an ãâã upon all men as they would have had it ãâã they got it well backt by the Civil Magistrates ââthority Therefore their common use was as ãâã had opportunity to inch out the Spiritual ãâã with the Temporal What did many value ãâã have their Souls given away to the Devil if they ãâã keep their Bodies out of Prisons from being ââlivered over to the Secular Power by the Clergy ãâã seem thus as it were by craft to call the Maâistrate the Devil A plain case when Men to exalt ââeir own Worldly grandure or out of Animosity to ââvenge a particular private peek or quarrel under âââtence of Religion usurpe a Power over Men's ãâã and Consciences which belongs not at all to ãâã or else turn the Edge of it to a use quite âââtrary to the Primitive Institution it quickly ãâã its Ancient Vigour and Esteem and from a ââerror it becomes a scorn to persons of understanâââg able enough to discern men's wicked prevaââcation from true Religion Were it not for the ãâã De Excommunicato câpiendo in some Cases Men ãâã little value Excommunication or look upon ãâã otherwise than a Scare-Crow to fright Children and Fools what 's hanging were it not for choakââg To proceed after this menace and threat of the ãâã we are told that he commanded Divine Service to be said without Note and the Church doors to be shut in time thereof and that no Bell ââould be rung unto it to the Intent that the disinherited who stood accursed should not enter the Churches to hear it Upon three Weeks after Easter we hear that the King came to Ham a few miles from London whether likewise came the Legat soon after Then the King's host made divers assaults upon the City but it seems with little or no hurâto the Town it was so strongly fortified My Author makes mention of Guns and other Ordinances but I question whether he speakes not rather after the fashion of the Age he liv'd in than after the true use of armes in those more elderly times For the first invention of Gunpowder by Bertholdus Swart the Gârman Monk is plac'd by Chronologers a considerable time after In this time of variance the Legate upon his Party and the King of Romans upon the other party for alliance between him and the Earl of Glocester labour'd so to the King that Peace was spoken of During the Treaty the Soldiers lying in Southwarke made many Robberies in Surry and other places Neither did the King's Palace at Westminister escape for we hear that some of them rowd over thereto and Spoil'd it drunk up the Kings wine brake the glass of the Windows wasting and destroying other Necessaries thereunto belonging and came likewiââ sometimes into London and Robbed there Disorderly unruly Soldiers little regard any one unless they be kept under Strict discipline Sacred or Prophaââ much the sameto many of them Some of these âavenous Spoilers being taken are recorded to have had a severe Punishment inflicted on them through the Earl of Derby's means whose Body or Câgâzance they bare viz. bound hands and leggs put into a Sack and âo cast into Thames About ãâã day was the Peace between the King and the Earl cââcluded After this Conclusion the Earl removed out of the City and was lodg'd again in Southwark The King entred the City the Sunday before Midsââer day according to the Book And forthwith the King's Proclamation were made through it of the peace made between the King and the Earl Afââr was liberty given to the disinherited Persons of Eleven Days respit to shift for themselves either to depart to such Places where they might be in some Surety or else to agree to the former Composition made by the Legate viz. To pay the Fifth part of the Yearly Value of their Lands certain Persons only excepted as is before related As touching the Earl and such other as before were not disinherited together also with the Citizens of London they were clearly to be forgiven and Pardoned Then were restored to their Offices Aleyn Sowch Mayor Thomas Basynge and Robert de Cornhil Sheriffs And the Aldermen before deposed were again likewise restored to their Wards and Offices A happy Reconciliation Next comes the relation of the Legate's interdicâing all the City the Wednesday following which endured from six of the clock in the Morning till three the next
know not of a certainty as not ââding it mention'd in the History Possibly there âere none or at least they prov'd very ineffectual âhich I the rather conclude because that when ãâã had made malitious Rhymes upon the Duke ãâã fastned them up in divers parts of the City ââother remedy was found out against them but haply as inefficacious viz. a Sentence of Excommunication at the Dukes request to the Bishops pronounced against them publickly by the Bishop of Bangor the Aldermen of the City assisting him To be Excommunicated did carry somewhat of terror with it in England in those Popish times among the vulgar and might probably again should Providence for our offences ever suffer Popery to be brought back into the Land but among Protestants and knowing understanding men Excommunication upon every slight account and trifling pretext is of little value esteem or regard and no more dreaded perhaps by some than 't was by Rablais when he beg'd it as a great boon of the Pope because the poor Country Woman thought her Faggot Excommunicated when she could not make it burn Besides these Indignities put upon the Duke at London in at and after the aforesaid Tumult of the Common people we are told also that all such as wore the Dukes Sign or Colours were fain to hide them conveying them into their bosoms so great a feaâ and dread had seiz'd upon their Spirits Whether these Colours were Parsons Black True Blew Flourishing Green Orange Tawny or Blood Red the Historian hath not so far gratified us aâ punctually to set down in his Relation of theââ transactions But if I might have leave to pasâ my Verdict herein I should be apt to conjecturâ them to have been at least for the most part ãâã by the Red-letter'd people What sad Prognosticks may we think our Almanack-makers aâ star-gazers then gave of the times when the saw England so likely to fall into such Feuds Factionâ and disorders as those of the Guelphs and Gibelineâ But one good turn 't is that Astrogolers Prognostications use commonly to be like the Popish Oracles old Almanacks soon out of date The City could much sooner influence the Nation than they could make the Stars influence the City in favour of the Dukes cause How the Citizens of London oppos'd the Duke we have seen but he is resolved it seems to shew his bitter resentments upon the next opportunity and accordingly after the Duke had obtain'd his desires of the two Houses of Parliament viz. A Poll-Bill or Tax of all the heads in the whole Realm he caused the King to send for the Major Aldermen and Sheriffs of London who soon came before him then very ill at ease as they were ordered into his Chamber of Presence where after the usual Ceremonies over past a certain Knight of the Court endeavoured by his Ciceronian Rhetorick and the Eloquence of his Oration to perswade the Citizens to confess their great and hainous offences against the King ând Duke and to submit themselves to their Mercy See here the Kings Name must be brought ân right or wrong or else the Dukes cause and âretensions would signify little But the Londoners were not so to be caught For they answered they had not Conspired against the Duke neiâher had there been any shameful thing spoken or done against him that they did know of or conâent unto which they were ready to prove before their Soveraign Lord the King and the Duke âimself The folly of the Common people they âffirm'd they could not stay and therefore requestâd of the King that he would not punish those âhat were innocent and ignorant of the Fact but withal promised the Duke for Reverence of the King observe this that they would endeavour to bring in the Common people and compel them by Law to make due satisfaction and more said they we are not able to do for the Duke that may be to his Honour Not able to do more why What would his faction have had them to have done Was his favour to have been purchas'd at no less a price than an intire Resignation of all they had Bodies and Souls Lives Liberties and Estates at Discretion Must they have deny'd their senses and their reason too in charging themselves with what they neither sayd nor did felt heard nor understood to avoid Scandala Magnatum's and the Arbitrary Finââ of byass'd Juries Leave we such Terms of accommodation to the insulting power and Pride oâ Prelatical Consciences to impose upon their underling Curates Such is the continued cause of difference between the Molinists and Jansenists in France while one side fairly offers to disallow certain displeasing Propositions either by themselves or as Jansenius's if shewn to them in hiâ works and the other party as pertinaciously insists upon their rejecting them as his becausâ the Pope hath so condemned them Glad we may easily suppose the Londoners were when dismiss'd upon their aforesaid Answerâ But it seems the Court was not yet satisfied ãâã afterwards we read of the Kings sending them ãâã Command secretly to call all the Citizens together and having made a Wax Candle with thâ Dukes Arms in it to carry it solemnly in Procession to Saint Pauls there to burn continually ãâã the Cities charges which was accordingly performed by the chiefest and richest of the Citizens the meaner commonalty disdaining to be present at such a procession and therefore with indignation departing home when they heard the business and knew the occasion of their being call'd together But neither did this condescention of the greatest give the Duke content he threatned them look't upon it as a reproach and took it in great scorn that they had offer'd thus his Arms in a Wax Taper while he was alive and in good health notwithstanding they affirm'd they had expresly done that which his Father the King had Commanded them and would have done any thing that might have pleased him i. e. in reason For peace and quietness sake possibly and out of respect to the Kings Majesty they would not have refus'd the trouble of putting forth a few honorary Proclamations nor denied him the Complement of a volley or two of Holla's and Huzza's if that would have pleas'd But this did not answer the Dukes Expectations nor satisfie his Ambitious desires they knew he sayd his mind and were not ignorant how to make satisfaction Ay there 't was He would have us sayd the troubled Citizens amongst themselves Proclaim him King but this shall never be done and so they parted worse friends than they were before So much ado was there with one proud haughty Duke most injuriously aspiring to the Crown to the prejudice of his better belov'd Nephew whose claim title and right had been sometime before if I mistake not in my reckoning settled expresly by the Parliament or at least he had been declar'd by his Grand-Father his Heir and Lawful Successor Yet this the Ambitious Uncle thought probably easily to have evaded and
of the Secluded Members that procured a free and fuller meeting of the Lords and Commons and soon after the King was recall'd from his forced Exile to the open Exercise of his Royal Power and Authority over these his Three Nations and made his Publick Entrance in the greatest Calm of Peace and Tranquility imaginable Thanks to the Honourable City for concurring so unanimously to the Revival of the remaining part of the Old Parliament which brought forth so Miraculous Effects as to have an Injur'd and Exil'd Prince fully restor'd to his Throne and yet the Glory of the Action not tinctur'd with Blood Such was the Influence of Londons concurrence of Londons Power of Londons Prayers If then the many instances hitherto related being conjoyn'd rise not up to a demonstration as much Mathematical as the subject can bear I know not what will As for the truth of them I defie any one to disprove me who hath but the least grain of sence and reason in him and as much Historical knowledge as may amount to the sixtieth part of a scruple The particular reasons of the Cities Potency have been shewn and the general ground thereof is as plainly evident For how can it otherwise be but that a City endowed with such Royal Grants fortified with so many and so great Priviledges and exalted to the heighth of Grandeur by the vastness of her Trade multitude of her Merchants Wealth and Riches of her Inhabitants Spirit and Courage of her Citizens Stateliness of her Buildings Preheminances of her Antiquity Conveniency of her Scituation and Regular Order of her Government so Ennobled with the highest Courts of Judicature for the Law adorned with numerous Churches for the Gospel and frequented by Strangers from all parts of the habitable World the Receptacle of all Arts and Sciences the Haunt of the Commonalty the Delight of the Gentry the Habitation of the Nobility the Residence of the King and Glory of the whole Nation so pleasant to Admiration and so populous to a Wonder where many Scores if not Hundreds of Thousands can be Raised and Armed in a few Hours Warning How I say can it otherwise be but that such a City must needs highly influence over-rule and over-awe the Counsels of the Nation and turn the Inclinations of the People whithersoever she please For Nature generally uses the common ordinary means and methods and I do not see that the All-powerful God of Nature often diverts her Course or works Wonders and Miracles in every Age and Season Now that London is such a City I appeal to History and Experience for my Witnesses These are the Observations I had to make concerning the Glories of the City of London and the Influences she had upon the grand Concerns of the Nation in that great and famous Contest between the two Houses of Lancaster and York through the most considerable part whereof I have hitherto traced her Actions wherein finding her most triumphant amidst the great variety of the publick Transactions of these times I think it not much material to give so distinct a Relation of her private Affairs though among them I might likewise find many things most worthy of Remak as hastening apace towards the Conclusion of this Treatise that it may not swell into too great a bulk to the Reader 's Discouragement and the wearying out of his Patience I fear already almost tired Wherefore as to what concerns the private Troubles of the City the Tumults Riots and Insurrections sprung up out of her own Bowels in these perilous Times and happily supprest by the Power of her Majestrates and the accidental Casualties happening within her Liberties or else the many Benefits accruing to her by the Care and Vigilance of her chief Officers the good Rule and Order of her Government the strict Observation of her particular Ordinances and putting in Execution her Injunctions Or as to what relates to the external Augmentation of her Honour her Splendor and Renown by the Reparation of her Walls Renovation of her publick Structures founding and erecting of new Fabricks I pass them all over without a more particular mention sending the curious and inquisitive to the Chronicles Baker's especially who hath treated purposely of such remarkables in distinct Sections at the end of the Kings Lives as not so pertinent to my present design tho' in other Kings Reigns I may have here and there touch'd upon some such Remarks And shall direct the Reader with an Instance of the Courage of some bold spirited women of the City having hitherto entertain'd him with the Heroick and Illustrious Acts only of the other Sex The Relation I have out of Stow who places it in the Seventh of King Henry the Sixth Anno 1428. where after mention made of a Parliament Asiembled at Westminster that Year he gives it us in these words In this Parliament there was one Mrs. Stokes with divers other stout Women of London of good reckoning well Apparell'd came openly to the upper-house of Parliament and deliver'd Letters to the Duke of Gloucester and to the Arch-Bishops and to the other Lords there present containing matter of Rebuke and sharp reprehension of the Duke of Gloucester because he would not deliver his Wife Jaqueline out of her grievous Imprisonment being then held Prisoner by the Duke of Burgundy suffering her there to remain so unkindly and for his publick keeping by him another Adultress contrary to the Law of God and the honourable Estate of Matrimony Bold words and bold women For this Duke was then Lord Protector of the Realm and so confequently of great Power Place and Dignity therein But these were Londoners that durst be so couragious as to say to Princes Ye are Wicked and then the wonder is not altogether so great on one hand that they dar'd to reprehend the great ones of the Age and on the other that we still find such Heroical Spirits in the City since they spring from such a Race both by the Fathers side and the Mothers The Roman Historians celebrates the Memory of that Noble Matron who came into open Court and with so undaunted a spirit of boldness pleaded her own Cause to the great amazement of the Senate for the present that they made an Order to forbid the like for the future What Viragoes then were these English Matrons of London that in open Parliament durst reprove the Nobles to their faces and were not afraid to attempt to teach our Senators wisdome wherein they may seem to have out-did that fam'd Roman Matron in that what she did may be thought to have proceeded from self-love and self-defence whereas these with a greater Courage espous'd another Cause an excess of Charity and Humanity and instead of staying for an opportunity of defending their own Interest upon occasion or necessity durst voluntarily make an onset on the more powerful with sharp rebukes for neglecting the distressed and refusing to assist the poor weak and disconsolate So that the Royal