returned to the hill, where the great band was, and then showed them
what answer they had, and how the king was returned to the Tower of
London. Then they all cried out: "Let us go to London," and so they
took their way thither: and in their going they beat down abbeys and
houses of advocates and of men of the court, and so came into the
suburbs of London, which were great and fair, and there beat down
divers fair houses, and specially they brake up the king's prisons,
as the Marshalsea and others, and delivered out all the prisoners
that were within: and then they did much hurt; and on the bridge
foot they threatened them of London because the gates of the bridge
were closed, saying how they would bren all the suburbs and so
conquer London by force, and slay and bren all the commons of the
city. There were many within the city of their accord, and so they
drew together and said: "Why do ye not let these good people enter
into the city? They are our fellows, and that that they do is for
us." So therewith the gates were opened, and then these people
entered into the city, and went into houses and sat down to eat and
drink. They desired nothing but it was incontinent brought to them,
for every man was ready to make them good cheer, and to give them
meat and drink to appease them.
Then the captains, as John Ball, Jack Straw, and Wat Tyler, went
throughout London, 20,000 with them, and so came to the Savoy on the
way to Westminster, which was a goodly house, and it pertaineth to
the Duke of Lancaster. And when they had entered, they slew the
keepers thereof, and robbed and pillaged the house; and when they
had so done, then they set fire on it, and clean destroyed and brent
it. And when they had done that outrage, they left not therewith,
but went straight to the fair hospital called St. John's, and there
they brent house, hospital, minster, and all. Then they went from
street to street and slew all the Flemings that they could find in
church or in any other place, there was none respited from death.
And they brake up divers houses of the Lombards, and robbed them and
took their goods at their pleasure, for there was none that durst
say them nay. And they slew in the city a rich merchant called
Richard Lyon, whom before that time Wat Tyler had served in France;
and on a time this Richard Lyon had beaten him, while he was his
varlet, which Wat Tyler then remembered, and so came to his house
and strake off his head, and caused it to be borne on a spear-point
before him all about the city....
The Saturday the king went to Westminster and heard mass in the
church there, and all his lords with him; and then he leapt on his
horse, and all his lords, and so the king rode toward London; and
when he had ridden a little way, on the left hand there was a way to
pass without London.
The same morning Wat Tyler, Jack Straw, and John Ball had assembled
their company together in a place called Smithfield, where every
Friday there is a market of horses; and there were together all of
one affinity more than 20,000, and yet there were many still in the
town, drinking and making merry in the taverns, and paying nothing,
for they were happy that made them best cheer.
And therewith the king came the same way unaware of them, for he had
thought to have passed that way without London, and with him forty
horse.... The mayor of London came to the king with twelve horsemen
well armed under their coats, and so he broke the press and saw and
heard how Wat Tyler demeaned himself, and said to him: "Ha, thou
knave, how art thou so hardy in the king's presence to speak such
words? It is too much for thee to do so." Then the king began to
chafe and said to the mayor: "Set hands on him." And while the king
said so, Tyler said to the mayor: "A God's name, what have I said to
displease thee?" "Yes, truly," quoth the mayor, "thou false knave,
shalt thou speak thus in the presence of the king, my natural lord?"
And with these words the mayor drew out his sword and strake Tyler
so great a stroke on the head, that he fell down at the feet of his
horse, and as soon as he was fallen, they environed him all about,
whereby he was not seen of his company. Then a squire of the king
alighted, called John Standish, and he drew out his sword and put it
through Wat Tyler's body, and so he died.
Then the ungracious people there assembled, perceiving their captain
slain, began to murmur among themselves and said: "Ah, our captain
is slain, let us go and slay them all;" and therewith they arrayed
themselves on the same place in manner of battle, and their bows
before them. Then the king began a great deed; howbeit, all turned
to the best: for as soon as Tyler was on the earth, the king
departed from all his company, and all alone he rode to these
people, and said to them: "Sirs, what aileth you? Ye shall have no
captain but me: I am your king: be all in rest and peace." And so
the most part of the people that heard the king speak and saw him
among them, were shamefast and began to wax peaceable and depart.
LONDON LICKPENNY (EARLY FIFTEENTH CENTURY).
This poem is generally ascribed to John Lydgate, a disciple of Chaucer,
but the authorship is doubtful. Whatever its poetical merit may be, it
is full of interest as a picture of contemporary life in London, and the
description of the adventures of the poor countryman, endeavouring to
obtain legal justice in the metropolis, lacks neither pathos nor humour.
=Source.=—_Minor Poems of Lydgate_, edited by Halliwell, p. 103.
To London once my stepps I bent,
Where trouth in no wyse should be faynt,
To Westmynster-ward I forthwith went,
To a man of law to make complaynt,
I sayd, "For Marys love, that holy saynt!
Pity the poore that wold proceede;"
But for lack of mony I could not spede.
And as I thrust the prese amonge,
By froward chaunce my hood was gone,
Yet for all that I stayd not longe,
Tyll to the kyngs bench I was come.
Before the judge I kneled anone,
And prayd hym for Gods sake to take heede;
But for lack of mony I myght not speede.
Beneth them sat clarkes a great rout,
Which fast dyd wryte by one assent,
There stoode up one and cryed about,
Rychard, Robert, and John of Kent.
I wyst not well what this man ment,
He cryed so thycke there indede;
But he that lackt mony myght not spede.
Unto the common place I yode thoo,
Where sat one with a sylken hoode;
I dyd hym reverence, for I ought to do so,
And told my case as well as I coode,
How my goods were defrauded me by falshood.
I gat not a mum of his mouth for my meed,
And for lack of mony I myght not spede.
Unto the Rolls I gat me from thence,
Before the clarkes of the chauncerye,
Where many I found earnying of pence,
But none at all once regarded mee.
I gave them my playnt uppon my knee;
They lyked it well, when they had it reade:
But lackyng money I could not be sped.
In Westmynster hall I found out one,
Which went in a long gown of raye;
I crowched and kneled before hym anon,
For Maryes love, of help I hym praye.
"I wot not that thou meanest," gan he say:
To get me thence he did me bede,
For lack of mony I cold not speed.
Within this hall, neither rich nor yett poore
Wold do for me ought, although I shold dye.
Which seing, I gat me out of the doore,
Where Flemynges began on me for to cry,
"Master, what will you copen or by?
Fyne felt hattes, or spectacles to reede?
Lay down your sylver, and here you may speede."
Then to Westmynster-Gate I presently went,
When the sonn was at hyghe pryme;
Cookes to me, they tooke good entente,
And proffered me bread, with ale and wyne,
Rybbs of befe, both fat and ful fyne.
A fayre cloth they gan for to sprede;
But wantyng mony I myght not then speede.
Then unto London I dyd me hye,
Of all the land it beareth the pryse:
Hot pescodes, one began to crye,
Strabery rype, and cherryes in the ryse;
One bad me come nere and by some spyce,
Peper and safforne they gan me bede,
But for lack of mony I myght not spede.
Then to the Chepe I began me drawne,
Where mutch people I saw for to stande;
One ofred me velvet, sylke, and lawne,
An other he taketh me by the hande,
"Here is Parys thred, the fynest in the land;"
I never was used to such thyngs indede,
And wantyng mony I myght not spede.
Then went I forth by London stone,
Throughout all Canwyke streete;
Drapers mutch cloth me offred anone;
Then comes me one cryed hot shepes feete;
One cryde makerell, ryster grene, an other gan greete;
One bad me by a hood to cover my head,
But for want of mony I myght not be sped.
Then I hyed me into Est-Chepe;
One cryes rybbs of befe, and many a pye;
Pewter pottes they clattered on a heape;
There was harpe, pype, and mynstrelsye.
"Yea, by cock! nay, by cock!" some began crye;
Some songe of Jenken and Julyan for their mede;
But for lack of mony I myght not spede.
Then into Corn-Hyl anon I yode,
Where was mutch stolen gere amonge;
I saw where honge myne owne hoode,
That I had lost amonge the thronge:
To by my own hood I thought it wronge,
I knew it well as I dyd my crede,
But for lack of mony I could not spede.
The taverner took mee by the sleeve,
"Sir," sayth he, "wyll you our wyne assay?"
I answered, that can not mutch me greve,
A peny can do no more then it may,
I drank a pynt and for it dyd paye;
Yet sone a hungerd from thence I yode,
And wantyng mony I cold not spede.
Then hyed I me to Belyngsgate;
And one cryed, "hoo! go we hence!"
I prayd a barge man, for God's sake,
That he wold spare me my expence.
"Thou scapst not here," quod he, "under ij. pence;
I lyst not yet bestow any almes dede."
Thus lackyng mony I could not speede.
Then I convayd me into Kent;
For of the law wold I meddle no more;
Because no man to me tooke entent,
I dyght me to do as I dyd before.
Now Jesus, that in Bethlem was bore,
Save London, and send trew lawyers there mede!
For who so wantes mony with them shall not spede.
WHITTINGTON'S SECOND MAYORALTY (1406).
Richard Whittington was the son of a Gloucestershire knight, and was
born in 1350. The familiar stories of his roadside adventure in Highgate
and of his fortune-making cat are, in common with many other delightful
and picturesque incidents of history, rejected by historians; but he is
certainly a great and famous man, even when his story is robbed of these
interesting particulars. He was four times Mayor, and his justice and
patriotism became proverbial. He vigorously opposed the admission of
foreigners to the freedom of the City; he was exceedingly generous, and
performed many deeds of charity. The following account of his second
election to the highest dignity of the City illustrates the form and
manner in which the appointment was made in the Middle Ages.
=Source.=—Riley's _Memorials_, p. 565.
On Wednesday, the Feast of the Translation of St. Edward the King
and Confessor [October 13], in the 8th year etc., John Wodecok,
Mayor of the City of London, considering that upon the same day he
and all the Aldermen of the said city, and as many as possible of
the wealthier and more substantial Commoners of the same city, ought
to meet at the Guildhall, as the usuage is, to elect a new Mayor for
the ensuing year, ordered that a Mass of the Holy Spirit should be
celebrated, with solemn music, in the Chapel annexed to the said
Guildhall; to the end that the same Commonalty, by the grace of the
Holy Spirit, might be able peacefully and amicably to nominate two
able and proper persons to be Mayor of the said city for the ensuing
year, by favour of the clemency of Our Saviour, according to the
customs of the said city.
Which Mass having in the said Chapel been solemnly celebrated, there
being present thereat the said John Wodecok, the Mayor, John
Prestone, Recorder, Nicholas Wottone and Geoffrey Broke, Sheriffs,
the Prior of the Holy Trinity, John Hadlee, William Staundone,
Richard Whytyngtone, Drew Barentyn, Thomas Knolles, John Shadworth,
William Askham, William Bramptone, John Warner, William Walderne,
William Venour, Robert Chychely, Thomas Fauconer, Thomas Polle,
William Louthe, William Crowmere, Henry Bartone, and Henry
Pountfreyt, Aldermen, and many reputable Commoners of the City
aforesaid; the same Mayor, Recorder, Sheriffs, Aldermen, and
Commoners, entered the Guildhall, where the precept of the said
Mayor and Aldermen, as the cause of the said congregation, was
becomingly set forth and declared by the said Recorder to the
Commoners aforesaid; to the end that such Commoners should nominate
unto the said Mayor and Aldermen such able and proper persons as had
before filled the office of Sheriff in the City aforesaid; it being
for the said Commoners to take no care which one of the persons so
to be nominated should be chosen by the Mayor and Aldermen to be
Mayor for the ensuing year. Which being done, the said Mayor,
Recorder, Sheriffs, and Aldermen, went up into the Chamber of the
Mayor's Court, within the Guildhall aforesaid, there to await the
nomination of such two persons. Whereupon, the Commoners peacefully
and amicably, without any clamour or discussion, did becomingly
nominate Richard Whytyngtone, mercer, and Drew Barentyn, goldsmith,
through John Westone, Common Countor of the said city, and presented
the same.
And hereupon, the Mayor and Aldermen, with closed doors, in the said
chamber chose Richard Whytyngtone aforesaid, by guidance of the Holy
Spirit, to be Mayor of the City for the ensuing year: after which,
the Mayor and Aldermen, coming down from the Chamber into the Hall,
to the Commoners there assembled as the custom is, notified by the
Recorder unto the same Commoners, how that, by Divine inspiration,
the lot had fallen upon the said Richard Whytyngtone, as above
stated.
THE PERSECUTION OF THE LOLLARDS (1413).
The Lollards were disciples of Wyclif, and increased very considerably
in numbers and in power at the beginning of the fifteenth century. A
large number of the citizens of London appear to have become attached to
the new doctrines, which repudiated some of the most important dogmas of
the Church. The clergy were active in their efforts to suppress the new
beliefs, and applied to the King for assistance. Whatever may have been
the personal views of Henry IV. and Henry V. on the matter, they were
compelled by force of circumstances to keep on good terms with the
Church, and measures of repression were adopted. The leader of the
Lollards, Sir John Oldcastle, a man of distinguished military ability,
was imprisoned, but rescued from the Tower by a band of Londoners. A
huge meeting was held in St. Giles's Fields, but was prevented from
doing any damage by Henry V.'s vigilance; the party was vigorously
persecuted, and Oldcastle was captured and hanged. After this Lollardry
languished, and gradually disappeared.
The King to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London: Greeting.
Inasmuch as we have been given to understand that certain priests,
not privileged by law for this purpose, nor licensed by the diocesan
of the place, nor permitted by the Church, who are said to be of
this new sect of the Lollards, have been preaching in public places
within the aforesaid city, and in the suburbs and vicinity thereof,
in order to excite and win over some who are ill disposed to the
Catholic faith and the doctrine of holy mother Church; and by their
own rashness, and contrary to the laws and ordinances of the Church,
they have preached, nay, rather have profaned the Word of God; or at
least under pretext of preaching they have in such places been
emboldened to propagate discord among our people on the pestiferous
seeds of Lollardism and evil doctrine, after the manner of
preachers; and as some of our people of our said city and its
vicinity, under pretence of hearing such preaching, have assembled
to those places, and have congregated together in large multitudes;
and, in consequence, murmurs and seditions have in part arisen, and
will probably arise, to the disturbance and no small marring of our
peace, unless a remedy be more quickly applied to abolish such
meetings and pull down such conventicles:
We, desiring especially to provide for the defence of the Catholic
faith, the laws and ordinances of the Church, and for preserving our
peace, command you, that you cause proclamation publicly to be made,
within our city aforesaid, and its suburbs, in every place where you
shall find it expedient:
That no chaplains, of whatsoever degree, state, or condition they
may be, shall henceforward hold, cherish, affirm, preach, or defend
such opinions, heresy, or error, contrary to the decision of holy
mother Church; and that none other our lieges and subjects in this
matter adhere to or abet them, or lend them counsel or assistance,
under penalty of imprisonment of their bodies, and the forfeiture of
all their goods and chattels, to our will and disposal. We further
command and positively enjoin you that, if henceforth you shall be
able to find within your bailiwick any such chaplains preaching and
affirming publicly or secretly, contrary to the aforesaid rescript,
or any other our lieges and subjects making conventicles and
meetings, or receiving the same chaplains, or being under probable
or great suspicion concerning the premises, or in any way
counselling, favouring, or helping such chaplains in this matter,
then arrest ye them without delay, and commit them to prison, there
to remain, until they shall obey the commands of the diocesan in
whose diocese they may have preached....
Witness the King, at Westminster, the 21st day of
August, 1413.
IMPRISONMENT FOR REFUSING OFFICE (1415).
Reluctance to accept positions of dignity and importance is rarely met
with nowadays; we are accustomed to witness keen competition for the
honour and privilege—even if there be no more solid advantage—of a seat
in Parliament or a civic office. But in medieval times there was
frequently considerable unwillingness to hold these now coveted posts;
most men had their own affairs to attend to, and these were almost
certain to be seriously prejudiced by the distractions of public life.
More especially was this the case where Parliamentary representation of
a remote constituency was concerned. The danger, expense, and time
involved in the necessary journeys to the capital were a very serious
consideration, and fines had to be imposed frequently upon burgesses or
knights of the shire, who resented the greatness which their
constituents thrust upon them. The following instance shows that even in
London pressure had to be applied in order to induce the acceptance of
an important office; and it was not until the holders of such posts
began to realise the possibility of deriving profit from them, as, for
example, by exempting their own property from taxation, that these
difficulties were entirely overcome.
=Source.=—Riley's _Memorials_, p. 601.
Forasmuch as a laudable custom which has hitherto prevailed in the
City of London, has so prescribed and ordained, that the inhabitants
of each of the Wards of the said city are at liberty to elect an
Alderman whensoever they need one, to rule them in their own Ward;
provided always, that the person so elected is presented to the
Mayor and Aldermen, for the time being, and by them is deemed worthy
to be admitted and approved.—And whereas, on the 3rd day of January,
in the 2nd year of the reign of King Henry etc. one Ralph Lobenham,
late Alderman of the Ward of Farndone Without, having voluntarily
resigned the rule of that Ward, the inhabitants of the Ward
thereupon, according to the usual custom, met together at the usual
place within the Ward, for the purpose of electing an Alderman
thereof, and there unanimously chose one John Gedeney, citizen and
draper, to hold the office of Alderman of the Ward aforesaid....
The said John Gedeney appeared before the Mayor and Aldermen, in the
Chamber aforesaid, and after the reason for his being summoned had
been first stated to him, precept was given to him forthwith to take
his seat there in Court, that he might take the oath that pertains
unto the office and rank of Alderman. Whereupon, the same John
Gedeney, after first setting forth his excuses on the ground of his
inability, and his insufficiency for the office, wholly refused to
accept it: upon which, he was informed by the Court that he could
not refuse this office, to which, as being a fit person, he was
admitted by the Court, without breach of his freedom, and of the
oath which by him, when he was admitted to the freedom of the City,
had been made; and this the more especially, as every freeman is
bound to be a partaker in Lot, which is liability to hold office,
and in Scot, which means contribution to taxes and other charges, by
reason of such oath.
But all and singular the matters before stated notwithstanding, he
altogether refused to accept the office, like a person who was
utterly obdurate. And hereupon, the matter having been considered by
the Mayor and Aldermen, because that it appeared to them that if any
one, when elected to such office, should be at liberty at his own
will and pleasure to refuse the post, and pass it by, not improbably
the City before long would be left destitute, as it were, of all
rule and governance whatsoever; the same John Gedeney was by the
said Mayor and Aldermen committed to prison, there to remain until
the Court should be better advised what to do as to the matters
aforesaid.
OATHS OF THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN (1419).
The following extracts are from the _Liber Albus_, a book on the
government of the City of London, by John Carpenter, who was Town Clerk
from 1417 to 1438. It contains a complete description of the
administration of the City at this interesting point in its history, and
gives particulars of the duties and responsibilities of all the civic
officers. The author explains that before the office of Mayor was
established, the chief person in the City was the Portreeve, who was
also the King's representative and justiciar. Then the "Barons of the
City," who may have been the Aldermen, obtained the privilege of
electing their own Mayor every year; and gradually a custom arose for
the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, and certain chosen commoners to meet for
the purpose of choosing a new Mayor. At first the same Mayor was
frequently re-elected, so long as there was no expense attached to the
office; but when it became customary for him to give feasts and
liveries, the cost was generally too great for him to continue in office
for more than one year, and the practice arose for the Mayor to retire
at the end of his term, when the Aldermen might offer him a second year.
The Aldermen held their office for life, and had almost despotic
authority in their ward, having their own serjeants to attend them.
=Source.=—_Liber Albus_, translated by Riley.
You shall swear, that well and lawfully you shall serve our lord the
King in the office of the Mayoralty of the City of London, and the
same City you shall surely and safely keep to the behoof of the King
of England, and of his heirs, Kings of England; and the profit of
the King you shall do in all things that unto you belong to do, and
the rights of the King, in so far as unto the Crown they belong
within the said City, you shall lawfully keep. You shall not assent
unto the decrease, or unto the concealment of the rights or of the
franchises of the King; and where you shall know the rights of the
King or of the Crown, be it in lands, or in rents, or in franchises,
or in suits, to be concealed or withdrawn, to your utmost power you
shall do to repel it; and if you cannot do it, you shall tell it
unto the King, or unto them of his Council, of whom you shall be
certain that they will tell it unto the King. And that lawfully and
rightfully you will treat the people of your bailiwick, and right
will do unto everyone thereof, as well unto strangers as to
denizens, to poor as to rich, in that which belongeth unto you to
do; and that neither for highness, nor for riches, nor for promise,
nor for favour, nor for hate, wrong you shall do unto any one; nor
the right of anyone shall you disturb, nor shall you take anything
whereby the King may lose, or by which his right may be disturbed.
And that in all things which unto the Mayor of the said City it
pertaineth to do, as well in the regulation of victuals as in all
other things, well and lawfully you shall behave yourself.
So God you help, and the Saints.
* * * * *