St. Bartholomews Hospital and that of Bethelem with an Annual Revenue for the relief of the Poor together with several Grants Priviledges and Immunities so that to gratifie him they consented to the Establishing the Lady Jane Gray his Couzen in the Succession and after his Decease were assisting at her Coronation promising to stand by her with their Lives and Fortunes although within a short time after they left her to the mercy of her merciless Enemy Queen Mary by that means thinking to appease her for the wrong they had done in declaring her Illegitimate but that availed not for she was never throughly Reconciled to the Citizens during the whole course of her Reign by reason of the Affronts they frequently offered and the Revolt of 600 of them from the Duke of Norfolk to Wyate upon the Dukes approach to Rochester so that she still kept an Eye upon the City and often determined with her self to take away or abridge the Charter and for that purpose consulted with her Council and had proceeded therein had not her death prevented it When her Glorious Sister Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown she greatly Honoured the City and was as intirely beloved of all the Citizens unless a few Factious persons who were scattered here and there whom by wholsom Laws she endeavoured to restrain they otherwise aspiring to an unparalel'd height of Insolency After her death King James of ever Blessed Memory Uniting the Crowns of England and Scotland was most joyfull received by the Citizens of London and much augmented their Priviledges freely confirming their Charter which they delivered up to his Majesty for that purpose and continued during his most Christian Reign in great Prosperity and Peace But in the fourth year of his Son Charles the First of ever blessed Memory Anno. 1628. on the 14th of July this following Disturbance happened One Dr. Lamb by some reputed to a Necromancer though many were and are to this day of a contrary opinion comeing through Cheapside where being espyed by some Ill-affected persons who envyed his great parts they cryed out D. Lamb Dr. Lamb whereupon a great number of Lewd Fellows came running with Staves and such like mischievous Weapons which the Dr. perceiving and finding that it was time to shift for himself he made his retreat down Wood-street and there got into a house and so far prevailed with the people that they shut the doors against the Rabble who were by this time increased to 3 or 400. besieging the house and demanding the Dr. instantly to be delivered up to them or else they would fire or pull it down but the people a long time resisted them and endeavoured to perswade them to depart in hopes that the Sheriffs would come with a power to receive the Dr. under a safe Conduct but when they perceived all the Windows broak and that the multitude had forced the outward door and no hopes of any rescue at hand they were forced to deliver him up to save the spoiling of their Goods When the Rabble had got him into their hands some took him by the Legs and others by the Armes and so dragging him along the Streets crying Lamb Lamb the Conjurer the Conjurer every one kicking and striking him that were nearest Now whilst this Tumult lasted and the City was in an Uproar the News of what had passed came to the Kings ear who immediately ordered his Guard to make ready and taking some of the chief Nobility he came in person to appease the Tumult when in St. Pauls Church-yard he met the Inhumane Villains dragging the Dr. along and after the Knight-Marshal had proclaimed silence who was but ill obeyed the King like a good Prince mildly exhorted and perswaded them to keep his Peace and deliver up the Dr. to be Tryed according to Law and that if his offence which they charged him with should appear he should be punished accordingly commanding them to disperse and depart every one to his own home but the Insolent Varlets answered That they had Judged him already and thereupon pulled him Limb from Limb or at least so Dislocated his Joynts that he instantly dyed The King seeing no good was to be done with such people and wanting Forces sufficient at that time to chastize their Insolence he returned to his Pallace and in a while after sent for the Heads of the City as the Lord Mayor Aldermen Sheriffs c. and blamed them exceedingly for not raising the power of the City to prevent the Murther of his Subject and chastize the Insolence of the Riotous Mortherers but they excused themselves saying they had no notice of it till such time that the multitude was too great to oppose yet his Majesty was so incenced that he ordered Commissioners to inquire into the matter upon the return of whose Report the City was Fined 6000l and on the 16th of the same Instant several were committed Prisoners that were present at the Riot nor could the City appease the Kings Anger till such time as they submitted themselves and confessed their sorrow for what had happened As to the Intestine Tumults and Disturbances made by the City Uulgar and those that incenced them to such unnatural attempts as happened during the Reign of this blest and for ever to be admir'd Monarch I shall rather pass them over in silence then insist upon them for as much as they will rather exasperate mens minds then any ways tend to the scope end for which this Treatise was written for we doubt not but there formerly has been and now are as Loyal and Worthy persons Inhabiting the City as any the Nation affords and therefore for their sakes I shall proceed no farther as to those particulars After the happy Restauration of His most Sacred Majesty who now is whose Established Throne may ever-wakeful Angels guard and Heaven make his Reign long and happy over us in spight of all the malice of his Foes the City prospered to this day so well prospers under the benign influence of so good a Prince that no City in the World can boast the same having received so many favours and Imunities from his Princely Bounty that the like it has not for these 300 y. past been received from any King of Engl. his Predecessor therefore how grateful ought we to be to such condescending Majesty and yet how little some regard the same Ingratum si Dixeris omnia Dixeris But to conclude I shall only give the Reader a view of the Coppy of the Writt of Quo Warranto in English as near as possible the Original Translation from the Lattin will bear which was served upon the City to inquire by what Authority they lay claim to and use their Liberty Franchises and Priviledges which take as followeth
Barrons Knights and Burgesses that 15 days after St. Hillary they should be present at London there to Assemble in Parliament to adjust matters appertaining to the Publick Wee l of the Kingdom to this Parliament came Richard of Burdaux Son to Edward the black Prince and Grand-Child to the King accompanyed with a great number of Knights and Gentlemen and was received by the Londoners after the best manner being presented with many Rich Gifts as likewise his Uncle the Duke of Lancaster seemed to Honour him above the rest placeing him in the Chair of State and advised him to demand that they would give the King two Tenths in one year or else of all the Merchandice that were sold in England for one year 12 pence of every pound of every Fire-House one Penny and of every Knights Fee one Pound of Silver which demands the Duke earnestly Prosecuted saying they of necessity must grant one of these Points for that the Enemies had Proclaimed War and would suddainly Invade the Realm upon which the Parliament desired time to debate the matter when as the day appointed for delivering their Opinions was come one Mr. Hungerford was elected to deliver their Opinions who had been if at that time he was not the Dukes Steward though some were of Opinion that Sir Peter de la Moor was the fittest Man on that occasion but these latter being few in number they prevailed nothing Whilst these things were doing the Duke proceeded yet farther and demanded a Subsidy of the whole Clergy which so thoroughly netled the Bishops that they mightily opposed it but the Duke consulting with one Wicliffe who greaaly Inveighed against the Clergy he affirmed that it was lawful not only for the King but for Temporal Lords to take the Goods of Clergy-men towards their Subsistance if necessity required it the better to effect this by pleasing the Bishops he Treated with the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to call a Convocation which was accordingly done and William Wickam Bishop of Winchester who had been Banished several Miles from Court was by the Dukes order brought there to this Convocation it was ordained that the aforesaid Wicliffe should appear to answer for his spreading his Doctrine throughout the City and in other places as likewise giving his Opinion to the Duke in prejudice to the Clergy and that being Tryed and Convicted for the same he should undergo such Penaltys as that Assembly should think fit And on the 15 of February in the year aforesaid the Convocation being Assembled he was brought forth by the Dukes command and as he came he was greatly annimated by such of his followers as had embraced his Doctrine and Councelled neither to fear the Bishops nor the great concourse of People seeing not only the Duke but likewise all the Nobillity present were his Friends when he came into our Ladys Chapple in St. Pauls Church Henry Peircy chief Marshal of England willed him to sit down and in a manner compelled him so to do saying that he had much to answer and therefore ought to sit upon which the Bishops were highly offended the Bishop of London in the name of all the rest alledging that since he was come as a Criminal to answer before his ordinary to such things as should be objected against him he ought to shew more Respect and Reverence to the Convocation The Duke being present and hearing the words of the Bishop began sharply to reprehend him Swearing that he would pull down not only his Pride but that of all the Bishops in England and added that although he Trusted in his Parents they could profit him nothing to which the Bishop replyed that he neither Trusted in his Parents nor in the Life of any Man but in God only in whom he ought to trust This last answer so Inraged the Duke that he Whispring the Bishop softly told him he would rather draw him out of the Church by the Hair of the Head then suffer such things at his Hands The Londoners who were all this while waiting in Crouds without hearing how the Duke had threatned their Bishop gave a Loud Shout Swearing that they would rather loose their Lives then any violence should be offered to their Bishop in his own Church and that which heightened their Fury the more was that the Duke being President in Parliament where the day before it was requested in the Kings name that from that day forwards there should be no more Mayor of London but that a Captain should be appointed and that the Marshal of England as well in the City as in other places might Arrest such as offended with many other things which were mannifestly against the Libertys of the City The Morrow after the Londoners Assembled themselves to take Councel what they should do in such a strait they were like to fall into in case a Captain should be chosen they concluing their Liberties must be no longer continued especially if the Marshals Office extended it self within their Jurisdiction and farther they argued what might be done in Reperation of the affront or Injury put upon their Bishop and whilst they were debating these matters and differing in Opinions about coming to a conclusion what to do the Lord Fitz Walter and Sir Guidio Brian entered the City whether to know their minds or otherwise is uncertain but the unruly Multitude construing things in the worst Sense were hardly restrained from falling upon them nor had they escaped the Hands of the Multitude had not they Sworn they came not in the least to perjudice the City when having no soonor obtained belief and pacified the Rabble but the Lord Fitz Walter stood up and made an Oration the effects of which was that whereas he being by Antient Inheritance Standard Bearer to the City was to take Injuries offered to them as to himself and thereupon willed them to look to their Defence He had no sooner ended but they run to their Arms every one taking what came next to hand and in a great rage went to the Inn where the Marshal lay breaking open the Doors and searching all parts of the House where they imagined he might be but not finding him they brought out a Prisoner whom they found there in Fetters and set him at Liberty and then went to other places in Quest of the Marshal but found him not for that day he and the Duke Dined with one John of Ipre of which they were Ignorant but they supposed at least to have found them at the Savoy and thereupon many of them came with all expedition thither in the mean while one of the Dukes Servants advertized his Lord what had happened and advised him to Shift for his safety whereupon in a great Fright he left his Provision and Fled by Water to his Mannor at Kennington where finding the Princess and the Young Prince viz. Richard of Burdeaux Son to Edward the Black Prince he related what had happened and grievously complained against the Insolency of the
Londoners the Princess having heard what stirs were abroad comforted him and told him that she would do her endeavour to compose the difference By this time the Londoners understanding that the Duke and his accomplice Sir Henry Piercy were Fled in great Fury hasted to the Savoy where meeting a Priest who demanded what the matter was they told him that they went to sease the Persons of the Duke and Sir Henry Piercy that thereby they might compel them to deliver up Sir Peter de la Moor which they unjustly detained in Prison upon the hearing of which the Priest replyed that Sir Peter de-la Moor was a Traytor to the King and deserved to be Hang'd upon which words so unseasonably Spoken the Multitude cryed out That it was Piercy in Disguise that Traytor to England and that his Speech betray'd him though he had changed his Habit and thereupon they so belaboured him with Swords Clubs and other mischievous Instruments that he fell down upon the place as Dead but they finding him yet to breath they halled him to Prison where he Dyed The Bishop of London hearing of these Stirs as he sate at Dinner left his Company and hasted towards the Multitude where being Arrived he admonished them by many perswasive Arguments to cease from such Rebellious proceedings and to depart to their respective homes affirming that he wonld bring all things that had been done to their prejudice to an amicable composure upon these perswasions of the Bishop every one returned to their Habitations so that all the Multitude were dispersed in less then three hours yet their hatred against the Duke could not be so thoroughly oblitered but that the same day they hung up his Arms reverse in the principal Streets of the City in token of his being a Traytor to the Kingdom as they then Related thereby to cast an odium upon his Name the which when the Duke heard he requested the Bishop to Pronounce Sentence of Excommunication against the doers thereof the Bishop of Bangor therefore being assisted by the Aldermen and other of the prime Citizens did pronounce the aforesaid Sentence the Bishop of London being unwilling to Incurr the Peoples hate thereby declining it Within three or four days after the Duke went to the Parliament House where he and several of the Lords that were his Friends being Seated they demanded of the Knights and Burgesses to return an answer to what had been formerly proposed as to the Subsidie and had return made by the Knights Burgesses c. that they would not help their Soveraign Lord the King with one penny a head only but with a groat for every Head throughout the Kingdom above 14 years of Age if so be that Mony might be deposited in the Hands of certain Lords and Barrons till such time occasion required the disposure of the same in the mannagement of the Kings affairs and that every Religious Person promoted should pay one Shilling The Duke having thus obtained his desire in this point began to call to mind the affront offered to him by the Londoners wherefore he caused the King to send for the Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen of the City who being Introduced into the Kings presence he being at his mannor of Sheene now Richmond they found him placed in a Chair not well able to Speak by reason of his Sickness the Duke the Arch-Bishop and other Bishops with many Lords and Honourable Personages sitting about him where after due Reverence made and Silence commanded Sir Robert Aston began an Oration perswading the Citizens to confess their great and Heinous offences against the King and Duke and to submit themselves to their Mercy whereunto the Londoners answered that they had not conspired against the Duke neither had there heen any Evildone or spoken against him which they did consent to or know off which they were ready to prove before their Soveraign Lord the King and Duke himself yet they confessed that they could not stay the Insolency of the unruly Multitude by whom that which had chanced was committed wherefore they requested the King that he would not by any means Punnish those that were Innocent and Ignorant of the Fact instead of those that committed it promising that they would do their utmost endeavour to apprehend such as were guilty and compell them by Law to make satisfaction saying that they were no able to do in that point for the Duke as they would whereupon they were dismissed not a little glad that they came off so well A while after the King sent privately to them and commanded That they should Assemble together and make a Wax Candle or Taper with the Dukes Arms on it and carry it in a General Procession to St. Pauls Church there continually to burn before the Image of the Virgin Mary at the Charges of the City This was exactly performed but when the Duke came to hear of it it rather Exasperated him then any ways gave him Satisfaction wherefore he threatned the Citizens more than formerly saying that it rather redounded to his disgrace than Honour for that during his Life and in a time of Health they had offered up his Arms But they excused themselves by alledging it was done at the Commandment of the King his Father and that they would have done any thing that might have pleased him But this would not avail them for the Duke ceased not till he had displaced Adam Staple Mayor of the City and obtained Nicholas Brember to be Elected in his room and on the 29th of March 1377. caused him to take his Oath at the Tower of London as likewise several Aldermen were Outed and others placed in their steads And thus have I given the Reader an Impartial Relation of what happened to the Citizens and City of London during the Reign of King Edward the Third who Dyed at Richmond Anno. 1377. In the 65 Year of his Age having Reigned 50 Years 4 Months and 6 Days And now I shall proceed to relate what happened to the City during the Reign of Richard the Second Son to the Black Prince and Grand-Son to the beforementioned King But before I Treat of the Discord that happened I do not think it amiss though indeed it may be counted by some a Digression to inform the Reader how at the beginning of this Kings Reign the Citizens were Reconciled to their Capital Enemy the Duke of Lancaster King Edward was no sooner departed this Life but the City sent several of the Chief Citizens to wait upon Richard at Kinington where he and the Princess his Mother remained to promise him their ready Obedience in Proclaiming him King as his Right by Confirmation of Parliament and the Established Laws of the Kingdom and to assure him of their Loyalty and constant Fidelity Humbly beseeching him That he would take upon him to end the discord between them and his Uncle the Duke of Lancaster to accomplish which he promised to use his utmost endeavour and with many thanks