Some there be that write, how the king piked the first quarell against
the maior and shiriffes, for a riot committed by the vnrulie citizens,
against the seruants of the bishop of Salisburie: for that where one
of the same bishops seruants had taken a horsse-lofe frō a bakers man,
as he passed by in Fléetstréet with his basket to serue his masters
customers, and would not deliuer it againe, but brake the bakers mans
head, when he was earnest to haue recouered the lofe, the inhabitants
of the stréet rose, and would haue had the bishops man to prison for
breaking the kings peace: but he was rescued by his fellowes, and
escaped into Salisburie house, that stood there within the allie, and
as then belonged to his master the bishop of Salisburie, being at that
time high treasuror of England. The people being set in a rage for the
rescue so made, gathered togither in great multitudes about the bishops
palace gate, and would haue fetched out the offendor by force.
[Sidenote: Walter Romane.]
To conclude, such a hurling was in the stréet, that the maior, with
the shiriffes, & diuers aldermen came thither with all speed, to take
order in the matter, and to sée the peace kept; but after the cōming
thither of the maior, the commons of the citie resorted to the place
in far greater numbers than before; and the more they were the worsse
they were to rule, and would not be persuaded to quiet themselues,
except the bishops seruant, whose name was Walter Romane, might be had
out of the house, and committed to prison: but at length, after manie
assaults, lifts, & other indeuours made to haue broken vp the gates of
the house, the maior & aldermen, with other discréet commoners appeased
the people so, as they brought them to quiet, and sent euerie man to
his house.
[Sidenote: The bishop of Salisburie maketh a gréeuous cōplaint of the
Londoners to the king.
The maior & shiriffes of London sent for to Windsore to the king, &
there imprisoned.]
The bishop was then at Windesor where the court laie, who being
informed of this matter, by a gréeuous report and happilie in worsse
manner than the thing had happened indeed, tooke such indignation
therewith, that taking with him Thomas Arundell archbishop of Yorke,
then lord chancellor of England, he went to the king and made an
heinous complaint against the citizens for their misdemeanor, so that
his displeasure was the more kindled against the citizens, in so much
that, whether in respect of this last remembered complaint, or rather
for their vncourteous deniall to lend him the thousand pounds, and
misusing the Lombard that offered to lend the same, I cannot saie;
but sure it is, that the maior and shiriffe, and a great sort more
of the citizens, were sent for to come to the court, where diuerse
misdemeanors were obiected and laid to their charge: |819| and
notwithstanding, what excuse they pretended, the maior and shiriffes
with diuerse other of the most substantiall citizens, were arrested.
The maior was committed to the castell of Windesor, and the other, vnto
other castels and holds, to be safelie kept, till the king, by the
aduise of his councell, should determine further what should be doone
with them.
[Sidenote: The liberties of London seized. A gardian appointed to
gouerne the citie of London.
An. Reg. 16.
Sir Edward Darlingrug lord warden of London.
Darlingrug remooued, & sir Baldwine Radington made lord warden of
London.]
The liberties of the citie were seized into the kings hands, and the
authoritie of the maior vtterlie ceassed, the king appointing a warden
to gouerne the citie, named sir Edward Darlingrug knight, that should
both rule the citie, and see that euerie man had iustice ministred,
as the case required. This sir Edward Darlingrug began to gouerne the
citie of London by the name of lord warden, the one and twentith of
Iune, on which day the king entered into the 16 yeare of his reigne:
by reason it was thought that the said sir Edward Darlingrug was
ouerfauourable to the citizens, he continued in his office but till the
first of Iulie, and being then discharged, one sir Baldwine Radington,
a right circumspect and discréet knight, was put in that roome, who
knew how both to content the kings mind, and to comfort the citizens,
and put them in hope of the kings fauour in time to be obteined, to the
reliefe of their sorow and heauinesse.
[Sidenote: The liberties of London in part confirmed in part condemned.]
At length, the king, through sute and instant labour made by certeine
noble men, speciallie the duke of Glocester, began somewhat to relent
and pacifie himselfe, as touching his rigorous displeasure against
the Londoners, calling to mind the great honour he had diuerse waies
receiued at their hands, with the great gifts which they had likewise
bestowed vpon him, wherevpon he purposed to deale the more mildlie
with them, and so sent for diuerse of the chiefe citizens to come
vnto Windesor, where he then kept his court, there to shew foorth the
priuileges, liberties, and lawes of their citie, as well the new as
old, that with the aduise of his councell, he might determine which
should remaine in force, and which should be abolished. Herevpon,
when the said priuileges, and liberties were laid foorth, to the view
of such persons as had to consider of them, some were ratified, some
permitted by tolleration, and some vtterlie condemned and abrogated.
Neither might they recouer at that present, either the person or
dignitie of their maior, nor obteine the kings entire fauour, till
they had satisfied the king of the damages and iniuries by them doone,
either to him or his people. And where he had beene at great charges,
in preparing forces to chastise them, as he was determined, if they
had not submitted themselues vnto him, they were sure that their
pursses must answer all that he had laid foorth about that matter. They
therfore with humble submission, in recompense & satisfaction of their
trespasses, offered to giue him ten thousand pounds, but they were for
this time sent home, and appointed to returne againe at a certeine day,
not vnderstanding what they must pay, till the king with the aduise of
his councell had taken further order for them. At length, through such
dailie sute as was made for the quieting of the kings hot displeasure
towards the Londoners, he was contented to pardon all offenses past.
But first, the citizens were told, that the king meant to come from his
manor of Shene, to the citie of London, and then vndoubtedlie, vpon
knowledge had of their good meanings, hereafter to beare themselues
like louing subiects, they should obteine his fauour.
[Sidenote: A swéet sacrifice.
He was met with procession of the bishop & clergie at S. Georges church
in Southwarke.
Gifts presented to the K. by the Londoners to pacifie his displeasure
conceiued against them. K. Richard roiallie receiued into London.]
The citizens aduertised hereof, did not onelie prepare themselues to
meet him and to present him with gifts in most liberall manner; but
also to adorne, decke, and trim their citie with sumptuous pageants,
rich hangings, and other gorgeous furniture, in all points like as is
vsed at anie coronation. At the day appointed, there met him (beside
other) foure hundred of the citizens on horsebacke, clad in one
liuerie, presenting themselues in that order, vpon the heath on this
side Shene, and in most humble wise, crauing pardon for their offenses
past, besought him to take his waie to his palace of Westminster,
thorough the citie of London. This sute made by the recorder, in
name of all the citizens, he gratiouslie granted, and so held on his
iournie, till he came to London bridge, where vnto him was presented
a passing faire stéed, white, saddled, bridled, and |820| trapped in
rich cloth of gold, parted with red and white. And likewise to the
quéene was giuen a milke white paltrie, saddled, brideled, and trapped
in the same sort, as the other was. These presents were thankefullie
accepted, and so both the king and the queene passing forward, entered
the citie, prepared and hanged with rich clothes (as before you haue
heard) the citizens standing on ech side the stréets in their liueries,
crieng; King Richard, king Richard.
[Sidenote: More gifts by the Lōdoners to the king.
_Tho. Walsin._ The liberties of London ratified by king Richard.]
At the standard in Cheape, was a right sumptuous stage ordeined, on
which were set diuerse personages, and an angell that put a rich crowne
of gold, garnished with stone and pearle vpon the kings head, as he
passed by, and likewise an other on the queenes head. This doone, the
king rode to Paules, and there offered, and so tooke his horsse againe,
and rode to Westminster, where the maior and his companie taking their
leaue, returned to London. On the morrow, the maior and his brethren
went againe to Westminster, and there presented the king with two
basens gilt, & in them two thousand nobles of gold, beséeching him to
be good and gratious lord to the citie; he receiued their present in
courteous manner, and gaue them manie comfortable words. The third daie
after, they receiued a new confirmation of all their old liberties
(at the least such as might be an aid to the citie, and no detriment
to forreners) wherefore, by counsell of their freends, they ordeined
a table for an altar of siluer and gilt, ingrauen with imagerie, and
inameled in most curious wise, conteining the storie of saint Edward,
it was valued to be worth a thousand marks. This was presented to the
king, the which he shortlie after offered to the shrine of saint Edward
within the abbeie. The Londoners beléeued, that by these gifts they
had beene quite rid of all danger; but yet they were compelled to giue
the king after this, ten thousand pounds, which was collected of the
commons in the citie, not without great offense and grudging in their
minds.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._ out of _Henrie Knighton_ canon of Leceister
abbeie.]
¶ You haue heard hitherto, what means was made by the maior, aldermen,
and whole bodie of the commonaltie of London to procure the kings
maiesties (in whose disfauour they were deeplie drowned) gratious
reconciliation. Wherein though there hath beene large matter deliuered;
yet to set foorth the dignitie thereof the fuller, take heere by the
waie the report of Henrie Knighton. In the yeare (saith he) 1392, the
king called a great councell on the morrow after Trinitie sundaie at
Stamford, about certeine affaires concerning the Frenchmen, in which
councell he assembled togither all the old soldiers of his relme,
that by the aduise of the elder sort he might sée what were best for
him to doo in the premisses. The king also held a great councell at
Notingham, on the feast of S. Iohn the Baptist, whereat he caused the
maior of London with the foure and twentie aldermen, the two shiriffes,
and foure and twentie of the best commoners of the citie in the second
degrée to be conuented before him. Héere he charged them that they
had forfeited a certeine bond of 9000 pounds to the king, besides the
losse of their liberties and priuileges. Which obligation or bond they
had made in former time to the king, their deserts requiring the same.
Now the king, after rehearsall made of their new offenses & faults,
discharged the maior, the two shiriffes, and the rest of his officers
of their offices, and sent the maior and the two shiriffes to certeine
places of custodie as his prisoners, defeating the citie of London
of the honour of all their priuileges; in so much that a citizen or
fréeman should haue no more prerogatiue than a forrener or stranger. He
appointed also the lord Edward Balerige to be gouernor therof, to kéepe
and see kept the kings lawes and his liege people within London in due
order, vntill such time as the king had otherwise prouided for them.
And he set them a day to answer the king and his councell to certeine
interrogatories on the feast of S. Marie Magdalen then next insuing, at
Windsore. In the meane while, at the mediation of certeine freends and
welwillers, the kings indignation was somewhat mitigated and asswaged
towards them; in somuch that at length he released the maior and the
shiriffes, and sent them home to their houses; setting ouer them
notwithstanding a new kéeper or gouernour of the citie, and reseruing
in his hand all the priuileges of the citie. In the meane time, on the
sundaie next after the feast of the |821| Assumption of the blessed
virgin Marie; all the wealthiest and worthiest commoners of the citie
came to the king, and submitted themselues and all their goods to his
grace, and then did he first receiue and take them into his fauour. On
the wednesdaie insuing, the king was purposed to come into London, and
the citizens in multitudes innumerable met him on horssebacke; & they
that had no horsses went out on foot to welcome him thither; women also
and infants shewed themselues vnto him; likewise the bishop of London,
with all the clergie, no order, degree, condition, estate, or sex of
ecclesiasticall dignitie being excused, went out in procession to meet
the king and the quéene with great reioising. It was reported how in
that procession there were aboue fiue hundred boies in surplisses.
Moreouer, the citizens of London trimmed the outsides of their houses
and chambers in euerie stréet through which the king and the queene
were to passe, from S. Georges to Westminster. As for the houses of the
welthier sort, they were brauelie garnished with cloth of gold, siluer,
tissue, veluet, & other sumptuous stuffe whatsoeuer by any possible
means could be gotten. In Cheapside there was a conduit, out of the
which two spouts ran with read wine & white, and vpon the conduit stood
a little boie apparelled in white like an angell, hauing a golden cup
in his hand, who presented wine to the king and queene to drinke as
they passed by. In the meane time they offered to the king a golden
crowne of great value, and another golden crowne to the quéene; and
a while after passing forwards, they presented to the king a golden
tablet of the Trinitie, to the value of eight hundred pounds: and to
the queene another golden tablet of S. Anne, whome she had in speciall
deuotion and reuerence, bicause hir owne name was Anne. Such, and so
great, and so wonderfull honors did they to the king, as the like in
former times was neuer doone to anie king of this realme: and so going
forward, they brought the king and the quéene to Westminster hall. The
king sitting in his seat roiall, & all the people standing before him;
one in the kings behalfe as his speaker, gaue the people thanks for
the great honour and princelie presents which they had bestowed vpon
the king; and being bidden to fall euerie man to his businesse and
affaires, it was told them that in the next parlement they should haue
their finall answer.
[Sidenote: The duke of Glocester made duke of Ireland.
His iournie into Ireland vnluckilie staied.