Mr. Sutton to affect that House as the only Place whereon to build the Foundation of his Religious Purpose For among other his Christian Determinations he had formerly intended to build an House at Hallingbury-Bouchers in Essex to be an Hospital for such Poor Men and Children as he himself in his life time or future Governors for the same to be Deputed should think fit to be Lodged and Relived there Also for a School-Master and Vsher to Teach Children to Read and Write and instruct them in the Latin and Greek Grammar with a Learned Divine likewise to Preach the Word of God to them all And a Master beside to Govern all those People belonging to that House But finding this Goodly Mansion of the Charter-House to be much more convenient for the purpose he became an earnest Suitor to the Earl of Suffolk to purchase that House of him acquainting his Honour with the alteration of his mind concerning Hallingbury and his earnest Desire to make the Charter-House the Hospital The Earl being Honorably inclin'd to so Godly a motion the Price being concluded on the Bargain and Sale was assured The Sum disburs'd for this purpose amounted to 13000 l. which was Paid down in hand before the unsealing of the Conveyance Then he became Suitor again to his Majesty to perform all that at the Chartor-House which he had formerly intended at Hallingbury Whereto the King readily yielded being Graciously affected to so Charitable a Work and Granted His Letters Patents to the same effect This Gentleman lived always a Batchelor and by sundry Employments and Parsimony grew to great Wealth which he well Employed to his immortal honnour He endowed 〈◊〉 Hospital with above 3000 l. a Year in Land viz. All and singular the Mannors Lordships Messuages Lands Tonements Reversions Services Meadows Pastures Woods Advowsons Patronages of Churches and Hereditaments of the said Thomas Sutton whatsoever Situate lying and being within the County of Essex Lincoln Wilts Cambridg and Middlesex or in any of them with all and every of their Rights Members and Appurtenances whatsoever Except all his Mannors and Lordships of Littlebury and Haddestock with their Appurtenaâ—ces in the County of Essex In this Hospital he placed Fourscore Poor Men with convenient Lodging Dyet and Allowance of Money for Apparel also Forty Poor Children with the like Provision and a Grammar School with a Master and an Vsher to Teach them over all whom he ordained a Learned Man to be Master of the Houshold to be chosen by the Governors whom he appointed for the present by the Authority of the Kings Letters Patents to be George Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Lord Elsemore Lord Chancellor Robert Earl of Salisbury Lord Treasurer John Bishop of London Lancelot Bishop of Ely Sir Edward Cook Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir Thomas Foster a Judg of the Common-Pleas Sir Henry Hubbard the Kings Attorney-General Doctor Overal Dean of Pauls Doctor Mountain Dean of Westminster Henry Thursby Esq Master of the Chancery Richard Sutton Esq Auditor of the Impress Geoffery Nightingale Esquire John Low Gentleman Thomas Brown Gentleman and Master of the Houshold for the time being to be always one and as any of those Sixteen Governors should die the Survivors to make present Additions of others Towards the building of this Hospital Chappel and School-House he gave 5000 l. but he lived not to see it performed but what Death bereft him of he left to the performance of his Faithful Executors Mr. Richard Sutton and Mr. John Low Men of Religious and upright Souls who carefully accomplished the Work so that the Monday after Michâ—â—â—mas day being the 3 d of October Anno Dom. 1614. The Captains Gentlemen and Officers entered into their Famous prepared Hospital to the Glory of God Honour of the King's Majesty Credit of the Governors and Joy of Honest minds and the Eternal Fame of the Noble Founder who is laid in a goodly Tomb in the Chappel of his own Hospital With this Inscription Sacred to the Glory of God in Grateful Memory of Thomas Sutton Esquire Here lieth buried the Body of Thomas Sutton late of Castel Camps in the County of Cambridge Esq at whose only Costs and Charges this Hospital was Founded and Endued with large Possessions for the Relief of Poor Men and Children He was a Gentleman born at Knayth in the County of Lincoln of Worthy and Honest Parentage He lived to the Age of 79 Years and Deceased the 12th Day of December Anno Domini 1611. Though we Design to avoid all Prolixity yet 't is hoped it will be Pardoned if we Transcribe an Epitaph made upon this Worthy Man by a Friend to Piety and Goodness for he being a Rare Example challenges as his due Merit a more than ordinary mention When bad Men die the Memory Remains Of their Corruptions and ungodly ways As Merit to their mis-applyed pains Out of ill actions forming as ill praise For Vertue wounded by their deep disgrace Leaves Fame to their posterity and Race When Good Men die the Memory remains Of their true Vertue and most Christian ways As a due Guerdon to their Godly gains Out of good Actions forming as good praise For Vertue cherish'd by their Deeds of Grace Leaves Fame to their Posterity and Race Among these Good if Goodness may be said To be among the seed of Mortal Men In upright Ballance of true Merit weigh'd Needs must we reckon Famous SUTTON then In whom as in a Mirror doth appear That Faith with Works in him did shine most clear And let us not as is a common use Measure him by a many other more In Death to cover their bad lifes abuse To lanch out then some bounty of their store No SUTTON was none such his Hospital And much more else beside speaks him to all For as God blest him with abundant Wealth Like to a careful Steward he emplo'd it And order'd all things in his best of health As glad to leave it as when he enjoy'd it And being prepared every hour to die Disposed all his Gifts most Christianâ—y In Abrahams bosome sleeps he with the blest His Works they follow him his worth survives Good Angels guide him to eternal rest Where is no Date of time for Years or Lives You that are Rich do you as he hath done And so assure the Crown that he hath woâ—â— To conclude in a word this Famous Hospital with the value of the Lands laid into it the Purchase of the House Stock laid in which he hath given into the Treasury or Store of the said Hospital to begin with and to defend the Rights of the House being 1000 l. and Allowance towards the Building also the Remainder of his Goods unbequeathed his large Gifts and Legacies to divers Honorable and Worthy Friends besides great store of far more inferior account which would puzle me to number and the residue of 20000 l. left to the discretion of his Executors may truly and deservedly be said to be
the Queens Chamber was consumed but after that repaired In the year 1397 King Richard II. caused the Walls Windows and Roof to be taken down and new made with a stately Porch and divers Lodgings of a marvelous Work and with great Costs which being finished Anno 1399. He kept a most Royal Christmas there with daily Justings and Runnings at Tilt whereunto resorted such a number of People that there was every day spent 28 or 26 Oxen 300 Sheep and Fowl without number He caused a Gown to be made for himself of Gold garnished with Pearl and precious Stones to the value of 3000 Marks There daily fed there 10000 People as appeareth by the Messes told out from the Kitchin to 300 Servitors A great part of this Palace was burnt Anno 1512 the 4th of Henry VIII since which time it hath not been Re-edified Only the Great Hall with the Offices near adjoining are kept in good Reparations and serveth as afore for Feasts at Coronations Arraignments of Great Persons charged with Treason and keeping of the Courts of Justice For whereas formerly the Courts and Benches followed the King wheresoever he went before and since the Conquest but being found to be troublesom chargeable and inconvenient to the People it was Anno 1224 9 H. 3. agreed that theâ—e should be a standing place appointed where Matters should be heard and judged which was in the Great Hall at Westminster I. The Court of COMMON-PLEAS Where he appointed Three Judgment-Seats viz. at the Entry on the Right-hand the Court of Common-Pleas So called because there are debated the usual Pleas between Subject and Subject as about Tenures of Lands and Civil Actions None but Sergeants at Law may plead in this Court and so many of them as the King shall appoint are bound by Oath to assist all that have any Cause depending in that Court Pleas are distinguished into Pleas of the Crown as Treason and Felony with Misprision of Felony which belong to the Kings-Bench and Common or Civil Pleas whereof this Court takes Cognizance This Court may grant Prohibitions as the Kings-Bench doth The Chief Judge is called the Lord Chief Justice of the common-Common-Pleas or de Communi Banco the Common Bench who holds his place by Letters Patents Durante Beneplacito and so do the other inferior Judges of this Court whereof there are commonly Three Here all Civil Causes Real and Personal are usually Tryed according to the strict Rule of the Law Real Actions are pleadable in no other Court nor Fines levied or Recoveries suffered but only in this Court The King allows to the Lord Chief Justice of this Court a Fee Reward Robes and two Tun of Wine Also to the other Judges of this Court and to four Sergeants is allow'd Fees Reward and Robes to each one The Officers are many Custos Brevium three Protonatories Clerk of the Warrants Clerk of the Kings Silver four Exigenters fourteen Filazers Clerk of the Juries Clerk of the Essoignes Clerk of the Outlawries which belongeth to the Attorney General who exercises it by Deputy c. For which at large see the Present State of England Pag. 102. Edit 1679. II. KINGS-BENCH At the upper End of the Hall on the Right-hand or South-east Corner the Court of Kings-Bench was appointed which is of a larger Extent of Power and more Uncontroulable than any other Tribunal For the Law presumes that the King is there still in Person He being Lord Chief Justice of England Himself yet it is observable that though He should personally sit upon the Bench He can pass no Sentence of Judgment but by the Mouths of His Judges who did use to sit there at His Feet when He was present After the House of Lords in Parliament this is the Highest Court in England and the Judicature in the Absence of the King belongs to His Judges In this Court are handled the Pleas of the Crown all things that concern loss of Life or Member of any Subject for then the King is concern'd because the Life and Limb of the Subject in the sense of the Law belong only to the King so that the Pleas here are between the King and the Subject Here are handled all Treasons Felonies Breach of Peace Oppression Misgovernment c. This Court hath power to Examine and Correct all Errors in Facto and in Jure of all the Judges and Justices of England in their Judgments and Proceedings and this not only in Pleas of the Crown but in all Pleas Real Personal and Mixt except only in the Exchequer In this High Court sit commonly four Grave Reverend Judges whereof the first is stiled The Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench and is Created not by Patent but by a short Writ yet of large Extent in point of Authority thus Rex c. Mathaeo Hale Militi salutem Sciatis quod constituimus vos Justiciarium nostrum Capitalem ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro teste Me Ipso apud Westm c. That is in English The King c. To Sir Matthew Hale Kt. Greeting Know ye That we have Constituted you our Capital or Chief Justice in Pleas held before Vs during Our Pleasure Witness My Self at Westminster c. The rest of the Judges of the Kings-Bench hold their Pleas by Letters Patents in these words Rex omniblis ad quos praesentes literae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod Constituimus Dilectum Fidelem nostrum A. B. Militem unum Justiciariorum ad placita coram nobis tenenda Durante beneplacito nostro Teste c. These Judges and all the Officers belonging to this Court have all Salaries from the King and the chief of them have Robes and Liveries out of the great Wardrobe In this Court all young Lawyers that have been called to the Bar are allowed to plead and practise This Court may grant Prohibitions to keep other Courts both Ecclesiastical and Temporal within their due Bounds and Jurisdiction The Jurisdiction of this Court is general extending to all England as before None can be a Judge in this Court unless he be a Sergeant of the Degree of the Coif that is a Sergeant at Law and yet in the Writ or Patent to them made they are not called Sergeants who upon taking this high Degree is obliged to wear a Lawn Coif under his Cap for ever after For the Officers of this Court see the Present State of England of the same Edition Pag. 98. III. CHANCERY On the Left-hand or South-west Corner sitteth the Lord Chancellor accompanied with the Master of the Rolls and eleven other Men learned in the Civil Law and called Masters of Chancery which have the King's Fee This Court is placed next the Kings-Bench to mitigate the Rigor of it It is Curia Cancellariae because as some think the Judge of this Court sate anciently intra Cancellos or Lattices as the East-end of Churches are separated per Cancellos from the Body of the Church as
called Six-Clerks-Office in Chancery-Lane they keep Commons together in Term time The Three Clerks of the Petty-Bag are under the Master of the Rolls they make all Patents for Customers Comptrollers all Congeâ—d ' Estires first Summons of Nobility Clergy Knights Citizens and Burgesses to Parliament From the Subpoena-Office are Issued Writs to Summon Persons to appear in Chancery There are two Examiners who are to examin Witnesses upon upon their Oaths in any suit on both sides The Curssiters Office is to make out Original Writs they were antiently called Clerici de Cursu They are in Number 24 whereof each one hath certain Counties and Cities allotted to him They are a Corporation of themselves c. IV. EXCHEQVER Within the Port or Entry into the Hall on either side are ascendings up into large Chambers without the Hall adjoyning thereunto wherein certain Courts be kept namely on the Right hand is the Court of Exchequer which is so called as some think from a Chequer-wrought-Carpet covering the great Table in that Court or else from the French word Exchequer a Chess Board because the Accomptants in that Office were wont to use such Boards in their Calculation Here are Tried all Causes that belong to the King's Treasury or Revenue as touching Accounts Disbursements Customs and all Fines imposed upon any Man In this Court do Sit the Lord Treasurer the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Lord Chief Baron and Four other Learned Judges called Barons of the Exchequâ—r and one other Cursitor-Baron but the two first â—â—â—dom Sit and the five last seldom fail The first of these five is the Principal Judge of this Court which is a place of High Honour and Profit he iâ— stiled Lord Chief Baron is created by Letters Paâ—tents to hold this Dignity quam diu bene se gesseriâ— wherein he hath a more fixed Estate than the Chiâ— Justices of either Bench for the Law intends this aâ— Estate for Life In the absence of the Lord Chieâ— Baron the other three Barons supply his place acâ—cording to their Seniority but the 5 th is said to bâ— Cursitor of the Court and Administers the Oaths tâ— the Sheriffs under-Sheriffs Bayliffs Searchers Surveyors c. of the Custom-House In the Exchequer are held two Courts one oâ— Law another of Equity all Judicial proceedings according to Law are Coram Baronibus before the Barons but the Court of Equity held in the Exchequer-Chamber is Coram Thesaurario Cancellario Baronibus before the Treasurer Chancellor and Barons The Authority of this Court is of Original Jurisdiction without any Commission All the Twelve Judges belonging to these High Tribunals sit in Robes and Square Caps like Doctors of Divinity because as some say they were in old times most commonly Clergy Men. There are divers Officers belonging to the upper Exchequer as the King's Remembrancer in whose Office are Eight Sworn Clerks All Accounts pass there that concern the King's Revenue for Customs Excise Hearth-Money Subsidies and all aids granted to the King in Parliament and all other Accounts of what nature soever concerning the King's Revenue either Certain or Casual all Securities whether by Bond or Recognizances to the King for any of His Debts are taken here All proceedings upon any Statute by information for Custom Excises or any other Penal Law All proceedings upon the said Bonds or Recognizances or any other Bonds taken in the King's Name by Officers appointed thereunto under the Great Seal of England and transmitted into this Office for Recovery thereof From whence Issue forth Process to cause all Accountants to come in and Account c. This Office is in the King's Gift The Office of the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer is to make Process against all Sheriffs Receivers Bayliffs c. for their Accounts and many other things of Moment as Estreal Rules all Charters and Letters Patents whereupon any Rents are reserved to the King This also is in the KING's Gift The Clerk of the Pipe hath all the Accounts and Debts due to the King drawn down out of the Remembrancers Office and chargeth them down out of the Remembrancers Office and chargeth them down in the Great Roll or Pipe and therefore probably called the Pipe-Office he hath under him Eight Sworn Clerks Here Accountants have their quietus est and here are made Leafes of extended Lands The Comptroller of the Pipe writes out all Summons twice every Year to the High Sheriffs to Levy the Farms and Debts of the Pipe He keeps a Roll of the Pipe-Office Accounts whereby to discover any thing that shall be amiss In the Office of the Clerk of the Pleas all the Officers of the Exchequer and other priviledged Persons as Debtors to the King c. are to have their Priviledge to Plead and be Impleaded as to all matters at the Common Law And the Proceedings are accordingly by Declarations Pleas and Trials as at the Common Law because they should not be drawn out of their own Court where their attendance is Required In this Office are four Sworn Attorneys To the Forâ—ign Opposers-Office all Sheriffs repair to be by him opposed of their Green-Wax and from thence is drawn down a Charge upon the Sheriffs to the Clerk of the Pipe This Office is kept in Grays-Inn The Office of the Clerk of the Estreats is to receive every Term the Estreats or Extracts out of the Office of the Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer and to write them out to be Levied for the King Also to make Schedules for such Sums as are to be discharged The Auditors of the Imprest Audit the Great accounts of the King's Customs Wardrobe Mint First Fruits and Tenths Naval and Military Expences Moneys imprested c. The Auditors of the Revenue Audit all the accounts of the King 's other Revenue that arise by Aids granted in Parliament The Remembrancer of the first Fruits and Tenths takes all Compositions for first Fruits and Tenths and makes Process against such as pay not the same This Office is kept in Hatton-Garden c. As to the other part of the Exchequer where the King's Revenue is received and disbursed the Principal Officer is the Lord Treasurer whose place is somtimes and is at this present managed by Commissioners appointed by His Majesty The next is the Chancellor of the Exchequer who is an Officer of great Account and Authority He hath a Principal Power not only in the Exchequer-Court but also here in the managing and disposing of the King's Revenue he hath the Custody of the Exchequer-Seal He hath the Gift of the Comptroller or Clerk of the Pipe of the Clerk of the Pleas of the Clerk of the Nichils and of the Seal of the Court He is also under Treasurer and hath the Gift of the two Praisers of the Court. Then there are two Chamberlains of the Exchequer in whose Custody are many ancient Records Leagues and Treaties with Foreign Princes the Standards of Moneys Weights and Measures those antient Books called Dooms-Day and the Black
each other in which is manifest the Infinite Wisdom of the Soveraign Disposer of all things who has order'd Human Affairs to so due and regular a Subordination to each other and so necessary a Concatenation among themselves that by a perfect Symmetry or Symphony of Parts they conclude in a perfect Harmony of General Good to Mankind which Superlative Blessing should be improved to mutual Advantage and the Glory of the Supreme Author of it In this Chapter we Design to produce some Remarks with respect to Trade in some Particulars as 1. The Particular Advanges of London with Respect to Trade 2. Its Merchants 3. It s Trade into the Country 4. It s Trade to Foreign Parts 5. Of the twelve Principal Companies with their Coats of Arms c. 6. Of the other Corporations with their Coats of Arms. 7. Of the Custom-House 8. Of the Post-Office 9. Of Of the Rates or Fares of Watermen Carmen Coachmen 10. Of the Carryers Waggoners and Stage-Coaches that come to the Principal Inns with the Days of their coming in and setting forth to all the Principal Parts of England SECT 1. SOme of the Advantages of this great City were hinted Page third and fourth to which we shall add that one of the Supreme Advantages is by the goodly River of Thames which opening Eastward towards Germany and France is much more Advantageous for Traffick than any other River in England and it may be said without Vanity that no River in the World can shew a Braver sight of Ships than are commonly to be seen like a Floating Forrest from Black-Wall to London-Bridge which in continual Voyages Import all sorts of Goods either for Need or Ornament and Export our Superfluities to the extraordinary Advantage of all sorts of People high or low of this see more in the Section of the River Thames Another Advantage that London hath is its being Situate so farwithin the Land that it is plentifully supplyed with all necessary Provision from the Country at easie and indifferent Rates and the Manufactures of the Respective Counties which the City disperses to Markets beyond Seas in Recompence the Country is supplyed by the City with all sorts of necessary Merchandizes wanting there c. Insomuch that London is a large Magazine of Men Money Ships Horses Ammunition of all sorts of Commodities necessary or expedient for the Use or Pleasure of Mankind It is the mighty Rendezvous of Nobility Gentry Courtiers Divines Lawyers Physitians Merchants Seamen and all kind of Excellent Artificers of the most Refined Wits and most Excellent Beauties for it is observed that in most Families of England if there be any Son or Daughter that Excells the rest in Beauty or Wit or perhaps Courage or Industry or any other rare Quality London is their Pole-Star and they are never at rest till they point directly thither which vast Confluence besides being the Kings Chief and Imperial Seat where Parliaments and the Principal Courts of Justice are held where the Inns or Colledges of the Municipial Laws are Seated with the Great Houses of the Nobility and Ministers of State must needs bring a vast Advantage and Increase to Trade besides the most Exquisite Ornament and Gallantry that any Place in the World can shew SECT 2. Of the Merchants of London MErchandizing may be said to be an Art or Science invented by Ingenious Mankind for the Publick Good and Profit of all supplying as was said the Native wants of one Place by the abundance of others that do not Consume their own Growths Products or Manufactures Such as Negotiate and Traffick this way are called Merchants The things Sold or Exchanged are two First Wares or Goods And Secondly Moneys or Coyn which are usually Contracted or Bargained for three ways First When Goods are Exchanged for Goods that is so much of one Sort for like value of another and this is called Bartering usual here in old times and in many places of America Asia and Affrica in these days but in Process of time Men finding it too difficult and troublesom to carry about them all things thus Bargained and Truckt for from place to place invented a common Standard or Measure that should countervail and be in Value as all other things and be Accounted in Payments Satisfaction and Equivalency to all others and this is called Money of Gold Silver or other Mettals This Use of Money is as old as Abraham but it was not then Coyned but only in Pieces Unstampt and since by Authority of Princes it was divided into great and small Pieces and into several and Distinct parts and Denominations and Stampt or Coyned with several Characters denoting the true Weight and Value of the same This was done first by Servius in Rome of Brass whereon was Imprinted the Image of Sheep and Oxen betokening the Wealth and Riches of those days ten of those Pieces made a Denier or Penny and were called by Latines Denarii This was the Original of Money which afterward came to be Coyned of Silver and Gold Secondly The Second way is of Goods for Money and this is Termed Bargaining or Buying and Selling this Facilitates Merchandizing and to prevent the Inconvenience and Danger of the Carriage of Money about a Man another Medium was found and that was Thirdly Exchanging which is the giving of so much Money in one Place to one who should cause it to be again repay'd in another place by another for him In all Exchanges there is concluded two Payments two places and four distinct Persons viz. he that Payeth in one place and Receiveth in another and he that Receiveth in the one place and Payeth in the other and so no Man can Remit except there be another to Draw nor can any Receive except there be another Authorized to Pay The first of these ways was taught to Maâ—kind by Necessity the second was found out to Facilitate the first and the third to Facilitate the second Thus was the Original of Exchanges to Accommodate Commerce which was first Practized without Benefit or Loss or any other Consideration they using to Pay the Value of the very Sum Received but in time it came to be considered that the Party Paying loses time and runs a hazard and therefore it was held reasonable that he should have some benefit Hence Exchanges are converted to an Art or Mystery Moneys being remitted for benefit without so much respect to the end of its Original Institution In the first sort the Merchant ought to know the Commodities delivered and received the present Value of both the quality viz. whether lasting or perishable the property viz. whether of Natural growth or Artificial and lastly the quantity viz. whether plentifulâ— or scarce and in few Lands In the second sort the same things are necessary and also a knowledge how the things are bought and sold whether by weight as ponderous Goods by concave or long measures as Commodities of length or such as are Solid or Liquid A knowledge
Stones that immur'd up the Door they were heard to cry seven days after and then perished From the Savoy they went to the Temple where they burnt the Lawyers Lodgings with their Books and Writings and all they could lay hands on They broke up the Fleet Prison and let the Prisoners go where they would The like they did at Newgate and made a most dreadful havock up and down The house of St. Johns by Smithfield they set on fire so that it burnt seven days together After this they came to the Tower where the King was then lodged And though he had at that time 600 armed Men and 600 Archers about him yet he durst not but suffer them to enter where they abused the King's Mother in a rude manner offering to kiss her c. that she fell into a Swoon And finding in the place Simon Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor and Sir Robert Hale Prior of St. John and Lord Treasurer and one Richard a Carmelite Monk the King's Confessor these they led to Tower-hill and there most cruelly cut off their heads as they served divers others Indeed Polidore Virgil writes That the Rebels were not at all in the Tower but that the King sent these three men to appease them hoping that they would not offer to abuse such eminent Clergy-men For saith he Si vulgus it a concitatus turrem expugnasset non eos utique tres duntaxat uti credere par est sed Regem relquos ommes quos imprimis ad supplicium petebat interfecisset that is If the enraged Common People had taken the Tower by force they would in all probability destroy not only those three but the King also and all the rest whom first of all they demanded to be deliver'd to them â—or punishment They drew Thirteen Flemings out of Austin-Fryers and Beheaded them in the Streets Seventeen more out of another Church And Thirty two out of the Vintry and several out of their own or others whom they Beheaded yet after all these barbarous and bloody Outrages the King proclaimed Pardon to all such as would lay down Arms and go quietly home which the Essex men did but the Kentish men continued still with their Captain Wat-Tyler of Maidstone a crafty Fellow of an acute wit but very graceless Polidore Virgil says He was Manibus promptus ac Consiliis praeceps of a ready hand and hasty or precipitate in counsel To this Ringleader of Mischief the King sent Sir John Newton to understand what his meaning was Wat Tyler was offended because he came on Horse-back telling him It became him to alight from his Horse in his presence and therewith drew out his Dagger to strike him The King perceiving this Noble Knight to be in danger to qualifie the severity of Wat for a time commanded Sir John to alight which did not pacifie but made Wat the more insolent and would have the King's Sword which Sir John carried offering again to assault him But the Lord Mayor of London William Walworth with other Persons of Quality being just come affirm'd it to be an unheard-of Indignity and a most intolerable Disgrace if the King should suffer so Noble a Knight to be basely murdered in his presence Upon which the King commanded the Lord Mayor to arrest him who did it to purpose for being a man of an invincible Courage and a brave Mind he regarded not the hazard that probably would follow his attacking that Darling and Leader of a Rude Numerous and Rebellious Rabble but prefer'd his Duty to his King and Countrey and the Generosity of rescuing an abused Gentleman even before life I insert this as a Remark due to this brave and memorable Action which deserves never to be forgotten The Mayor immediately rides up to Wat and Arrests him with such a salutation of his Mace on his head that he tumbles him down and then he was by some of the King's Servants some say by John Cavendish Esq run through in several places many persons encompassing him so as that he could not be seen by his Plebeian Army and then caus'd his dead Body to be drawn into St. Bartholomews Hospital But the Commons perceiving it they cry'd Their Captain was slain and animated each other to revenge Upon which the King though not above 15 years of age was so Couragious as to ride up to them telling them That now their Leader was dead he would be their Leader himself and if they would follow him into the Fields they should have whatsoever they desired In the mean time the Lord Mayor Walworth with one Servant Rides speedily into the City and raised One thousand armed Men where meeting Sir Robert Knolls a Citizen by accident got him to be their Leader who coming into the Field where the Rebels were so daunted them that throwing down their weapons they cry'd for mercy so that it was a wonderful thing to see how suddenly Fear overtook Presumption and how quickly terms of the most servile Submission succeeded their insolent Brags viz. That they had the King's life in their power c. and what else they would do On the other side 't was as strange to see how quickly Boldness surprized Fear in those about the King for a little before they trembled at the sight of the Rebels but now they are mad to be at them which the King would not suffer but commanded the Charter they had demanded to be scaled and delivered to them because these Commotions might have the speedier End for the Commons in other places were not yet quiet and the King thought it more prudent rather to pacifie than provoke them The Rabble being dispersed the King called for the Mayor and Knighted him in the Field as also five Aldermen his Brethren viz. Nicholas Brember John Philpot Robert Lawnd John Standish Nicholas Twyford and Adam Francis Some affirm that the Dagger was added to the City Arms for this Reason but Antiquaries make out that this Coat with the Sword of St. Paul not a Dagger belonged to the City long before this hapned The Mayor of London after this sate in Judgment upon Offenders where many were found Guilty and were Executed amongst others Jack Straw John Kirby Alane Tredder and John Sterling who gloried that he slew the Archbishop Sir Robert Tresilian the Chief Justice was appointed to sit in Judgment against the Offenders before whom above 1500 were found Guilty and in several places put to Death amongst whom was John Ball the Priest their Incendiary And thus ended that dangerous Rebellion About the Year 1450. 29 H. 6. there was another Insurrection in Kent headed by one Jack Cade who stiled himself John Mortimer Captain Mend-all He marches with a small but well-order'd Number to Black-Heath where he lay about a Month exercising his Men and in the mean time presents several Complaints to the King and Parliament of various Grievances and Oppressions but they were judged too insolent and therefore rejected