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
be made unto such as had been disherited he began to raise new Tumults for having raised a great power in the Marches of Wales he came directly for London pretending at first as if he came to aid the King in his intended War with France upon which plausible pretence he obtained leave of the Mayor and Citizens to pass through the City into Southwark where he Encamped and shortly after Sir John de Evilli came and joyned him with about 2000 Horse and Foot upon which and some other Actions that had happened the Mayor caused the Bridge and Water-side to be guarded Day and Night with such Forces as could be raised and the Draw-bridge to be drawn up every Night but within a while the Earl used the Matter so that he was permitted to Lodge within the City with a considerable number of his men and getting into favour with such as bore most sway he by degrees got all his Army to Quarter there and having thus taken possession he got the Keys of all the Gates and set a Guard of his own men to Watch them upon which the Popes Legate who had fled to the Tower for safety came out and exhorted the Earl to desist his Rebellious Practises but in vain for the Earl not only commanded him to return from whence he came but likewise gave strict charge to such as kept the Guard on that side that no Provision should be permitted to be carried into the Tower notwithstand about 2000 persons were got into it resolving to defend it for the King till such time as he Arived with such Forces as he had gathered in Cambridge-shire and other places adjacent Upon the great abuses that were at that time used towards Strangers a considerable number of Jews with their Wives and Children got likewise into the Tower and had one quarter of at assigned them to defend which they did very Manfully so that many of the Londoners fearing new Insurrections might be occasioned by such proceedings went out of the City and carried with them the greatest part of their Substance and what they left behind them was seized by the Earls command who suffered his Men to spoil it at pleasure The greater part of the Commons of the City took part with the Earl which highly offended the King and the more for that they being as it were without Government tumultuously Assembled at Guild-hall and there chose for their Mayor Sir Richard de Colworth and for Bayliffs Robert de Linton and Roger Marshal discharging the Sheriffs of their Places Offices and Trusts contrary to the desires and endeavours of the more Moderate and Judicious part of the Citizens and carrying on their outrages yet farther they forc'd divers Aldermen and chief Citizens to Prison without Law or Process and having them in safe Custody went to their Houses where they not onely defaced them but took their Goods and spoyled them under a pretence of Sequestration as likewise all that had been Imprisoned within the City Prisons upon the Quarrel of the Barrons they set at Liberty Whilst these tumultuous Actions were at London the King lay at Cambridge with a considerable Army to hinder the Rovers that had fortified the Isle of Ely from making Incursions on that side notwithstanding they committed many outrages being emboldened so to do by reason of the London Tumults as well knowing they would oblige the King to draw off his Forces and such of them as were not intercepted by the Kings Forces frequently came to joyne with the Earl doing great Mischiefs by the way by whose assistance the Earl being much encouraged undertook to assail the Tower which held for the King in which was the Popes Legate and a great number of Armed men as is before recited upon the first News of which attempt the King dislodged his Army and Marched towards London but finding his Power too weak he was obliged to sell his Plate and Jewels to raise more Forces whereupon he sent Prince Edward and others into France and Scotland to raise them and again retired to Cambridge where he continued till the Prince came to him with an Army of 30000 Scots and French The King upon this Recruit leaving a sufficient power at Cambridge to defend those parts from the Rovers advanced with all diligence towards London resolving to give the Earl Battle if he durst leave the City to meet him sending a Herauld to give him notice of his intent When he was come to Windsor he there Encamped the better to inform himself how affairs stood in the City and how the people stood inclined not wanting many Loyal persons there to give him secret Intelligence what happened from time to time he had not long stayed at Windsor but his Army daily encreased which made Gloucester and his Party begin to doubt of the promised Success with which they had flattered themselves and thereupon were very desirous of Peace but the King would not hearken to their Proposals whereupon they appointed to give him Battle upon Houndslow-heath but the King coming thither with his whole Army at the day appointed found that they had altered their resolutions no person being there to oppose him after he had stayed some time and understood by his Scouts that no Army approached he set forwards towards London and wheeling about brought his whole Army to Stratford where he gave command they should Encamp In the mean while a Party of the Rebels that Quartered in Southwark went to Westminster where they dēstroyed the Church and much defaced the Abby then coming to the Kings Pallace and finding it disserted they broke open the Gates and plundered it breaking all the Windows and defacing the Images or Statues scarce forbearing to set it on Fire they likewise Robbed several other great Houses about London As the King lay thus Encamped at Stratford there came to him from beyond the Sea the Earls of Bullogne and St. Paul with 2000 Men at Armes also there Arived in the Thames a Fleet of great Ships with a considerable Supply of Gascoines which lay before the Tower waiting the Kings command to oppose whose Landing Gloucester drew Trenches and raised Bullworks but when no Man hoped for Peace by the mediation of the King of Almaigne the Lord Philip Basset and others the King consented to a Treaty wherein the Ordinance of Killingworth was in all points observed and in that Treaty of Peace the Londoners were comprehended and taken into favour upon condition that they forthwith payed 1000 Marks to the King of Almaigne for the Burning his House at Thisleworth and the Officers that had been displaced during the Tumults to be restored to their respective Trust and such as had been wrongfully Imprisoned to take their course at Common-Law against so many of the offendors as they could Learn were concerned therein In the 51 year of the Reign of Edward the third Anno Dom. 1377 the Duke of Lancaster using the Kings Authority directed Warrants to all the Lords and
suffered the Citizens to depart to their respective Habitations The morrow after there were sent into London from the King the Lord Latimer Sir Nicholas Bond Sir Simon Burly and Sir Richard Adderbury to give them a farther Confirmation of the Kings affection towards them and how that he had spoken to the Duke of Lancaster in their behalfs and that he had submitted himself in all things to the King touching their Cause and that it was the Kings pleasure they should do the like and then he would do his endeavour that an Honourable Agreement might be made on the behalf of the City When the Citizens heard this Message they were not well pleased by reason they knew that the King being young must do what was done by Substitutes and that the Duke being powerful at Court would not miss of finding favour yet notwithstanding they promised to submit themselves if so be the afore-mentioned Knights would undertake upon their Oath of Fidelity and Knighthood that they should not suffer either in Body or Goods which they consenting to the Chief Citizens went with them to Sheene where the young King was with his Mother the Duke of Lancaster and a great number of Nobility when the King knew they were come he caused them to be brought before him and in the full Assembly so handled the matter that the Duke and they entred into an intire Amity and perpetual Friendship and after that the Duke behaved himself so Courteously towards the Common people that all their former hatred was turned into Love and Good-will towards him And so much of the Citizens Reconciliation with the Duke of Lancaster and now to my purpose In the 15th Year of the Reign of King Richard the Second Anno. 1392. the Parliament then Sitting and not having concluded upon any speedy way of raising money the King to supply his present Occasions sent to the City to borrow the Summ of a 1000 pounds the which they not only uncourteously refused to lend him but likewise beat and grievously wounded a Lumbard who offered to supply him with the like Summ of which the King being advertized was greately displeased with the Citizens whereupon calling together most of the Peers and Noble men of his Kingdom he complained to them of the froward dealings of the Londoners and desired them to take notice of the Affront they had put upon him When the King had told them his mind the Lords after a short Conference about the matter gave Counsel That it was not only Expedient but very requisite that the Insolent Pride of those presumptious Persons should be speedily Repressed The Citizens of London as it appeareth in those days using their Authority to the utmost had devised and set forth divers Orders and Constitutions to abridge the Liberties of Forreigners that came to the City to utter their Wares which likewise caused great Complaints against them They in many particulars as some Writers affirm having stretched beyond their Bounds all which served but as Fuel to increase the Kings displeasure against them And now because I will omit nothing that may occasion any Objection It is not amiss to give the Reader another Relation though different from the former how the City fell into the Kings displeasure though it was Written by an unknown Author and therefore of what Credit I must leave to the judgement of the Reader many having rejected it as Fabulous and affirm that what is before mentioned was the real occasion that which was pretended being as followeth viz. That one of the Bishop of Salisbury's Servants meeting a Bakers Boy in Fleet-street took out of his Basket a Loaf and utterly refused to restore it again for which when the Boy became Clamorous he broke his head and gave him many blows upon his body which the Inhabitants perceiving they came together and would have taken the Bishops man in order to have conveyed him to Prison but that his Fellow-Servants hearing in what danger he was came to his Rescue and carried him by force into the Bishops house which was at that time in Fleet-street whereupon the multitude increasing they threatned to pull down the house unless the Offender was delivered up and had effected it had not the Mayor and Sheriffs with considerable number of Halberts come in time to appease them and oblige them to depart every man to his own House And that of this the Bishop being advertized made his Complaint to the King and for that cause says this unknown Author was it that the Citizens fell into the Kings displeasure but by this his conclusion it proved fictitious for he tells us that the Cities Charter upon that cause being taken away it was restored by the Intercession of Richard Gravesend and Bishop of London In acknowledgement of which the Citizens for a long time after repaired once a year to his Grave in the Middle Isle of St. Pauls Church c. But that is utterly false for at that time Robert Braybrook was Bishop of London the aforesaid Gravesend having been Bishop in the Reign of Edward the First Anno. 1303. almost 90 years before this time after whom succeeded him in the Bishoprick Ralph Baldock Gilbert Seagrave Richard Newport Stephen Gravesend Richard Went worth Ralph Stratford Michael Norbrook Simon Sudbury William Courtney and Robert Braybrook who sate Bishop 1381 until the year 1403. Moreover The place of Burial in St. Pauls whereunto the Mayor and Citizens of London were wont to repair was of William who sat Bishop of London in the time of William the Conqueror and of him purchased the Charter of the said City Having thus as I think cleared all Objections that might have been started as to the beginning of the Feud I shall proceed to relate what happened e're the Citizens could appease the Kings Anger After the Lords had given their opinions as is before recited the King commanded that the Mayor Sheriffs and several of the most wealthy Citizens should be Arrested and brought to Nottingham where on the 11th of June in the year aforesaid John Hind the Mayor was Deposed and sent to Windsor-Castle as likewise the Sheriffs one of them being sent to Wallingford-Castle and the other to Odam-Castle and the other Citizens to several adjacent Prisons there to continue till such time as the King with his Councel should determine what should be done in that Affair The Council had not long consulted about it before they Unanimously consented and determined that from thenceforth the Londoners should not chuse nor have any Mayor but that the King should appoint one of his Knights to Govern the City immediately under him and that their Priviledges should be Revoked their Liberties Disanull'd and their Laws Abrogated all which was accordingly done the King immediately appointing for Warden or Governour Sir Edward Darlingrug Impowering him not only to Rule the City but to see the Administration of Justice done in all Cases being stiled Lord Warden of the City and so continued for
Aliens and Strangers eat the Bread from the Fatherless Children and take the Living from the Artificers and the Intercourse from all Merchants whereby Poverty is so increased that every one bewaileth the Misery of the other for Crafts-men be brought to Beggery and Merchants to Neediness wherefore the Premises considered the Redress must be of the Commons knit and united to one part and as the hurt and dammages grieveth all men that they set their willing power for the Remedy and not to suffer the said Aliens so highly in their Wealth and the Natural born men of this Kingdom to come to Poverty Of this Letter or Bill there was more but the Dr. would read no farther finding it greatly tended to Sedition by stirring up and exasperating the hot-headed multitude against Strangers yet he took a Text to the purpose viz. The Heaven of Heavens is the Lords but the Earth hath he given to the Sons of Men. And thereupon went on to encourage the people to stand up for their Callings and Imployments insinuating the Lawfulness of fighting for and defending what was their Right saying That the Birds defended their Nests with their Bills and Claws as also the wild Beasts of the Forrests their Dens This and some other occasions of offence that ministered themselves so inflamed the Youths and a certain company of Deboist persons who hoped for Plunder if it came to a Tumultuous Insurrection that on the 28th of April they gathered together in small Companies and quarrel'd with such Strangers as they met in the Streets beating and throwing them in the Kennels insomuch that notice being given the Lord Mayor sent and apprehended the chief Authors of such Incivilities viz. Stephen Studly a Skinner Bets Stevenson and divers others who were imprisoned Whereupon a Rumor without any certain Author was spread That on the May-day following the City would Rise slay all the Aliens of which the Kings Council having notice they sent for the Lord Mayor and some of the Aldermen telling them what had been reported to them advising them to look well to the City and be in a readiness to suppress any Riotous Assembly which they promised to do and so departed Being arrived at Guild-Hall the Mayor Assembled the Court of Aldermen to consider what course was most convenient to be taken and after many debates concluded that every Alderman should take charge of his respective Ward and that notice should immediately be given to every Master to keep in their Servants till Nine of the Clock the next morning upon pain of his being imprisoned if he were found abroad and so they broke up After this Commandment in the Evening as Sir John Mundie one of the Aldermen was going home he found two young men in Cheapside playing at Cudgels and a great company standing about them whereupon he in the Kings Name commanded them to depart to their respective homes but they refusing he ordered one of the most resolute to be carryed to the Compter whereupon his Fellows came to his Rescue crying Out Prentices and Clubs whereupon the doors flew open on every side and out came a number of Armed Youths who altogether setting up a cry a great multitude gathered insomuch that the Alderman and his followers were forced to flye for by Eleven of the Clock that Evening there were no less then seven hundred gathered in a company of all sorts by whose Shouting they still increased there coming at least 300 more out of St. Pauls Church-yard who had no sooner joyned them but they went and broke up the Compters releasing not only those that were in Custody of their own gang but likewise a considerable number of other Prisoners and from thence they went to Newgate where entring by force they delivered the rest of their Companions without any regard to the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs who were come thither and made Proclamation in the Kings Name that every one should depart to their respective homes Then away they went to St. Martins-Le-Grand which at that time was Inhabited for the most part by Strangers where they were met by Sir Thomas Moor and others who advized them to desist but nothing was obeyed for whilst he was Treating with them the Strangers threw Stones Bats and scalding Water out of their Windows insomuch that several honest Persons were hurt and amongst the rest one Nicholas Downs a Serjeant at Arms who in a fury cry'd Down with 'um whereupon the Rabble broke up the doors and spoiled about 20 Houses not discerning between the Goods of Aliens and Natives From thence they went to Cornhill where they committed the like Outrages upon the Houses of French-men Lumbards and others that dwelt within the Gate of one Mr. Mutas called Green-Gate this Man being by Birth a Pickard and a great promoter of the Forraigners Trade and Manufacturies in England for which he had past doubt been slain had he fallen into the hands of the Rabble but finding him not they Riffled his House and carried thence things of great price And thus they continued to range from place to place till Eleven a Clock the next day which was the first of May but by Three of the Clock they were many of them dispersed upon which the Watches of the City being in a readiness several of them were Apprehended and committed Prisoners to the Tower Compters and Newgate but they were for the most part the young Fry the Knaves that had set them on with such Rich Bootys as they desired timely withdrawing themselves About 5 of the Clock the Earls of Shrewsbury and Surry Thomas Dokercie Lord of St. Johns and George Nevill Lord of Avergavenny with their Attendants came into the City having at least 600 Men in their company but whether for fear of their approach or otherwise the Rioters were all dispersed yet some of the Prisoners were brought before them in the Guild-Hall and Examined as also Dr. Bele for the Seditious Sermon he Preached upon which he was committed Prisoner to the Tower A while after the King issued out a Commission of Oyer and Terminer for the Tryal of the Offenders directed to the Duke of Norfolk and divers other Lords as also to the Lord Mayor Aldermen Justices and others so that the Duke came into the City attended by 1300 Men in Arms and in the Guild-Hall Examined the matter yet upon Examination it did not appear that there had been any former Meetings but that it happened rather by chance unless what Lincoln had done therein by stirring up the peoples hatred against Strangers After this they went to the House of the Lord Chief Justice Fineux Seituate in Fleet-street there to adjudge and determine the matter where when the Judges and the Kings Council had well considered the Statute Anno Tertio of Henry the Fifth in Relation to the Breach of Leagues which they said was manifestly done by the abuse offered to Merchants Strangers and Reteiners to Forreign Ambassadors they concluded that all
Persons who were actually in the Insurrection aiding abetting or encouraging the same were Guilty of High-Treason The business being brought to this pass they Adjourned to Guild-Hall where on the 2d of May the Offenders were brought before them and Indicted as well for the Insurrection as the several Robberies that were Committed during the Uproar to which they pleaded Not Guilty a great many of them not exceeding 14 years of Age yet were there amongst them Laborours Husband-men and others that were not of the City the whole number amounting to 278 Persons amongst whom was John Lincoln who was Indicted as the principal Contriver of the said Insurrection to which he pleaded Not Guilty and had three days given him to prepare for his defence so that for that day there were no farther Proceedings but upon the day affixed the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Surry came again attended with 2000 Armed men who kept the Streets and the Prisoners being brought upon their Tryals 13 were found Guilty and adjudged to be Hanged whereupon Eleven pair of Gallows were set up in divers parts of the City when at the day appointed for Execution the Prisoners were brought forth with Ropes about their Necks and Arms and in the presence of the Lord Edmund Son to the Duke of Norfolk to whom the charge of seeing it done was committed they were Executed without any respect to their Youth On the 17th of May Lincoln Sherwin and the two Bettses being Brothers with several of their Confederates were found Guilty and received Sentence as the former when within a short time after they were drawn upon Hurdles to the Standard in Cheapside where Lincoln was first Executed but as the rest were about to be turn'd off a Reprieve came from the King to stay Execution upon which the people Shouted crying God Save the King and thereupon the Prisoners were carryed back to Prison there to attend the Kings farther pleasure After this all the Armed Men which before had kept Watch in the City were withdrawn which gave the Citizens hope that the Kings displeasure towards them was not so great as themselves conceived whereupon on the 11th of May the King Riding at his Mannor of Greenwich the Mayor Recorder and divers Aldermen went in Mourning Gowns to wait upon him and having admittance to the Privy-Chamber door and after they had attended there for some time the King attended with several of his Nobles came forth whereupon they falling upon their Knees the Recorder in the Name of the rest spake as followeth Most Natural Benign and our Soveraign Lord we well know that your Grace is highly displeased with us of your City of London for the great Riot done and Committed there wherefore we assure your Grace that none of us nor no Honest Person were condescending to that Enormity yet we our Wives and Children every hour lament that your Favour should be taken from us and forasmuch as Light and Idle Persons were the doers of the same we most humbly beseech your Grace to have Mercy on us for our negligence and compassion on the Offenders for their Offences and Trespasses To which the King Replyed Truly you have highly displeased and offended us and therefore you ought to wail and be sorry for the same and whereas you say that you the Substantial Citizens were not consenting to what happened it appeareth to the contrary for you never moved to let them nor stirred to fight with those whom you say were so small a number of light persons wherefore we must think and you cannot deny but that you did wink at the matter therefore at this time we will neither grant you our Favour nor Good-will nor to the Offenders mercy but resort to our Lord Chancellor and he shall make you an Answer and declare to you our pleasure At this Speech of the Kings the Citizens departed very sorrowful but having notice that the King intended to be at his Pallace of Westminster on the 22d of May they resolved to repair thither which they did accordingly though not without the appointment of Cardinal Wolsey who was then Lord Chancellor when as a Cloth of Estate being placed at the upper-end of Westminster-Hall the King took his place and after him the Cardinal the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk the Earls of Wilt-shire Surry Shrewsbury and Essex with several others the Lord Mayor Recorder and Aldermen together with many of the Commons attending in their Liveries when about Nine of the Clock order was given for the bringing forth the Prisoners which was accordingly done so that in they came in their Shirts bound together with Ropes and Halters about their Necks to the number of 400 Men and Eleven Women one after another which fight so moved several of the Nobility that they became earnest Intercessors to the King for their pardon When silence was made and they were all come into the Kings presence the Cardinal sharply Rebuked the Mayor Aldermen and Commonalty for their Negligence and then addressing his Speech to the Prisoners he told them That for their Offences against the Laws of the Realm and against his Majesties Crown and Dignity they had deserved Death whereupon they all set up a piteous cry saying Mercy Gracious Lord Mercy which so moved the King that at the earnest Intreaty of the Lords he pronounced them pardoned upon which giving a great Shout they threw up their Halters towards the Roof of the Hall crying God Save the King When this News was bruited abroad several that had been in the Insurrection and had escaped came in upon their own accords with Ropes about their Necks and received the benefit of the Kings pardon after which the Cardinal gave them several good Exhortations tending to Loyalty and Obedience and so dismissed them to their no small joy and within a while after the Gallowses that were set in the several parts of the City were taken down which so far pleased the Citizens that they expressed infinite thanks to the King for his Clemency This Company was called the Black VVaggon and the day whereon this Riot and Insurrection hapned bears the name of Ill-May-day to these our present times And thus have you heard how the Citizens escaped the Kings displeasure and were again received into favour though as it is thought not without paying a considerable Summ of Money to the Cardinal to stand their Friend for at that time he was in such Power that he did all with the King This Broil being over the Citizens lived in Peace all the days of King Henry the Eighth lending him at divers times great Summs of Money to carry on his Wars against France and upon other occasions During the Reign of his Son King Edward likewise all things were preserved peaceably within the City a good Understanding being for the most part between them and their Prince insomuch that the City greatly flourished under his Pious Goverment he giving to them his Pallace of Bridewell Christ's-Hospital