In the reign of king Henry VIII., a great jealousy arose in the citizens
of London towards foreign artificers, who were then called “strangers.”
By the interference of Dr. Standish, in a Spital sermon, at Easter, this
was fomented into so great rancour, that it violently broke forth in the
manner hereafter related by Stow, and occasioned the name of “Evil
May-day” to the first of May, whereon the tumult happened. It appears
then from him that:--
“The 28th day of April, 1517, divers yong-men of the citie picked
quarels with certaine _strangers_, as they passed along the streets:
some they smote and buffetted, and some they threw in the channell: for
which, the lord maior sent some of the Englishmen to prison, as Stephen
Studley, Skinner, Stevenson, Bets, and other.
“Then suddenly rose a secret rumour, and no man could tell how it began,
that on May-day next following, the citie would slay all the aliens:
insomuch that divers strangers fled out of the citie.
“This rumour came to the knowledge of the kings councell: whereupon the
lord cardinall sent for the maior, and other of the councell of the
citie, giving them to understand what hee had heard.
“The lord maior (as one ignorant of the matter) told the cardinall, that
he doubted not so to governe the citie, but as peace should be observed.
“The cardinall willed him so to doe, and to take good heed, that if any
riotous attempt were intended, he should by good policy prevent it.
“The maior comming from the cardinals house, about foure of the clocke
in the afternoone on May eve, sent for his brethren to the Guild-hall,
yet was it almost seven of the clocke before the assembly was set. Vpon
conference had of the matter, some thought it necessary, that a
substantial watch should be set of honest citizens, which might
withstand the evill doers, if they went about any misrule. Other were of
contrary opinion, as rather thinking it best, that every man should be
commanded to shut in his doores, and to keepe his servants within.
Before 8 of the clock, master recorder was sent to the cardinall, with
these opinions: who hearing the same, allowed the latter. And then the
recorder, and sir Thomas More, late under-sheriffe of London, and now of
the kings councell, came backe againe to the Guild-hall, halfe an houre
before nine of the clock, and there shewed the pleasure of the kings
councell: whereupon every alderman sent to his ward, that no man (after
nine of the clocke) should stir out of his house, but keepe his doores
shut, and his servants within, untill nine of the clocke in the morning.
“After this commandement was given, in the evening, as sir Iohn Mundy,
alderman, came from his ward, hee found two young-men in Cheape, playing
at the bucklers, and a great many of young-men looking on them, for the
command seemed to bee scarcely published; he commanded them to leave
off; and because one of them asked him why, hee would have him sent to
the counter. But the prentices resisted the alderman, taking the
young-man from him, and cryed prentices, prentices, clubs, clubs; then
out at every doore came clubs and other weapons, so that the alderman
was forced to flight. Then more people arose out of every quarter, and
forth came servingmen, watermen, courtiers, and other, so that by eleven
of the clocke, there were in Cheape, 6 or 7 hundred, and out of Pauls
church-yard came about 300. From all places they gathered together, and
brake up the Counter, took out the prisoners, which had been committed
thither by the lord maior, for hurting the strangers: also they went to
Newgate, and tooke out Studley and Bets, committed thither for the like
cause. The maior and sheriffes were present, and made proclamation in
the kings name, but nothing was obeyed.
“Being thus gathered into severall heaps, they ran thorow saint Nicholas
shambles, and at saint Martins gate, there met with them sir Thomas
More, and other, desiring them to goe to their lodgings.
“As they were thus intreating, and had almost perswaded the people to
depart, they within saint Martins threw out stones and bats, so that
they hurt divers honest persons, which were with sir Thomas More,
perswading the rebellious rout to cease. Insomuch as at length, one
Nicholas Dennis, a serjeant at arms, being there sore hurt, cryed in a
fury, Downe with them: and then all the unruly persons ran to the doores
and windowes of the houses within St. Martins, and spoiled all that they
found. After that they ran into Cornehill, and so on to a house east of
Leadenhal, called the Green-gate, where dwelt one Mewtas a Piccard or
Frenchman, within whose house dwelled divers French men, whom they
likewise spoyled: and if they had found Mewtas, they would have
stricken off his head.
“Some ran to Blanchapleton, and there brake up the strangers houses, and
spoiled them. Thus they continued till 3 a clocke in the morning, at
which time, they began to withdraw: but by the way they were taken by
the maior and other, and sent to the Tower, Newgate and Counters, to the
number of 300. The cardinall was advertised by sir Thomas Parre, whom in
all haste he sent to Richmond, to informe the king: who immediately sent
to understand the state of the city, and was truely informed. Sir Roger
Cholmeley Lievtenant of the Tower, during the time of this business,
shot off certaine peeces of ordnance against the city, but did no great
hurt. About five of the clock in the morning, the earles of Shrewsbury
and Surrey, Thomas Dockery, lord prior of saint Iohns, George Nevill,
lord Aburgaveny, and other, came to London with such powers as they
could make, so did the innes of court; but before they came, the
business was done, as ye have heard.
“Then were the prisoners examined, and the sermon of doctor Bell called
to remembrance, and hee sent to the Tower. A commission of oyer and
determiner was directed to the duke of Norfolke, and other lords, for
punishment of this insurrection. The second of May, the commissioners,
with the lord maior, aldermen, and iustices, went to the Guildhall,
where many of the offenders were indicted, whereupon they were
arraigned, and pleaded not guilty, having day given them till the 4. of
May.
“On which day, the lord maior, the duke of Norfolke, the earle of Surrey
and other, came to sit in the Guildhall. The duke of Norfolke entred the
city with one thousand three hundred men, and the prisoners were brought
through the streets tyed in ropes, some men, some lads but of thirteen
or foureteene yeeres old, to the number of 278 persons. That day Iohn
Lincolne and divers other were indicted, and the next day thirteen were
adjudged to be drawne, hanged, and quartered: for execution whereof, ten
payre of gallowes were set up in divers places of the city, as at
Aldgate, Blanchapleton, Grasse-street, Leaden-hall, before either of the
counters, at Newgate, saint Martins, at Aldersgate and Bishopgate. And
these gallowes were set upon wheels, to bee removed from street to
street, and from doore to doore, whereas the prisoners were to be
executed.
“On the seventh of May, Iohn Lincoln, one Shirwin, and two brethren,
named Betts, with divers other were adjudged to dye. They were on the
hurdles drawne to the standard in Cheape, and first was Lincolne
executed: and as the other had the ropes about their neckes, there came
a commandement from the king, to respit the execution, and then were the
prisoners sent againe to prison, and the armed men sent away out of the
citie.
“On the thirteenth of May, the king came to Westminster-hall, and with
him the lord cardinall, the dukes of Norfolke, and Suffolke, the earles
of Shrewsbury, Essex, Wiltshire, and Surrey, with many lords and other
of the kings councell; the lord maior of London, aldermen and other
chiefe citizens, were there in their best liveries, by nine of the
clocke in the morning. Then came in the prisoners, bound in ropes in a
ranke one after another, in their shirts, and every one had a halter
about his necke, being in number 400 men, and 11 women.
“When they were thus come before the kings presence, the cardinall laid
sore to the maior and aldermen their negligence, and to the prisoners he
declared how justly they had deserved to dye. Then all the prisoners
together cryed to the king for mercy, and there with the lords besought
his grace of pardon: at whose request, the king pardoned them all. The
generall pardon being pronounced, all the prisoners shouted at once, and
cast their halters towards the roofe of the hall. The prisoners being
dismissed, the gallowes were taken downe, and the citizens tooke more
heed to their servants: keeping (for ever after) as on that night, a
strong watch in Armour, in remembrance of Evill May-day.
“These great Mayings and Maygames made by the governours and masters of
this city, with the triumphant setting up of a great shaft (a principall
May-pole in Cornehill, before the parish of saint Andrew) therefore
called Vndershaft, by meane of that insurrection of youths, against
aliens on May-day, 1517. the 6. of Henry the eighth, have not been so
freely used as before.”