London and the Kingdom Volume I Part 26

In November of the same year (1516) the City was in difficulties with the recently erected Court of Star Chamber, and Wolsey, who practically kept the whole business of government in his own hands, came to the City's a.s.sistance with advice. It appears that a subsidy was due on the 21st of this month and the City had not paid its quota. The mayor and aldermen were cited to appear before the cardinal and other lords of the council in the Star Chamber at Westminster. Being asked if they had "sworne for their a.s.sayng," to the king's subsidy, the Recorder answered on their behalf that such procedure was contrary to Act of Parliament. The cardinal thereupon advised them to agree to give the king 2,000 in order to be discharged of their oaths "or ells every of theym to be sworn of and uppon the true value of their substance within the sum of 100 marks." This took place on Sat.u.r.day, the 22nd, and the mayor and aldermen were to give an answer to the Star Chamber by the following Wednesday. On Tuesday, the 25th, the Court of Aldermen met to consider what was best to be done under the circ.u.mstances. The decision they arrived at was that as the present a.s.sessment was less than the last, they would, in consideration of the king's letters, make up the sum then payable so that it should equal the last a.s.sessment.(1055)

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The seditious "brutes" or riots of which Wolsey had complained as daily occurring in the city were soon to a.s.sume a serious form. They were occasioned for the most part by the jealousy with which everybody who was not a freeman of the city was looked upon by the free citizen. The influx of strangers and foreigners has been daily increasing, notwithstanding the limitations and restrictions placed upon their residence and mode of trading,(1056) whilst the tendency of freemen had been to leave the city for the country.(1057)

Whilst the civic authorities were doing all they could to prevent the possibility of a disturbance arising on the coming May-day(1058)-a day kept as a general holiday in the city-occasion was taken by a minister of the church, whose duty it was to preach the usual Spital sermon on Easter Tuesday (14 April), to incite the freemen to rise up against the foreigner and stranger.(1059) When the 1st May arrived all might have been well, had not a city alderman allowed his zeal to outrun his discretion. It happened that John Mundy,(1060) Alderman of Queenhithe Ward, came across some youngsters playing "at the bucklers" at a time when by a recent order they should have been within doors, and he commanded them to desist. This they showed no disposition to do, and when force was threatened raised the cry for 'prentices and clubs. A large crowd quickly a.s.sembled and the alderman had to beat a hasty retreat. The mob, now thoroughly roused, proceeded to set free the prisoners in Newgate and the compters, and to attack the strangers and foreigners quartered at Blanchappleton(1061) and elsewhere.

Rioting continued throughout the night, but early the following morning they were met by a large force which the mayor in the meantime had collected, and 300 of them were made prisoners, so that by the time that a.s.sistance arrived from the court quiet had been restored. A commission of Oyer and Terminer was opened at the Guildhall to try the offenders. John Lincoln, who had not so long ago been appointed surveyor of goods bought and sold by foreigners,(1062) was charged with being the instigator of the riot, and being found guilty was hanged in Cheapside, whilst twelve others were hanged on gallows in different parts of the city. Others received the king's pardon with halters round their necks in token of the fate they deserved.(1063)

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The civic authorities were not unnaturally anxious to make their peace with the king, and to disclaim any complicity in the late outbreak. The Court of Aldermen met on the 11th May to consider how best to approach his majesty on so delicate a subject. It was decided to send a deputation to the lord cardinal to "feel his mind" as to the number of persons that should appear before the king. The next day eight aldermen and the Recorder were nominated by the court "to go the Kinges grace and to knowe his plesure when the Mayr and Aldremen and diverse of the substancyall commoners of this citie shall sue to beseche his grace to be good and gracious lord un to theym and to accept theym nowe beyng most sorrowful and hevye for thees late attemptates doon ayeynst their wylles."(1064)

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The deputation forthwith proceeded, clothed in gowns of black, to Greenwich, whither the king had gone on the 11th May. The Recorder as usual acted as spokesman, and humbly prayed the royal forgiveness for the negligence displayed by the mayor in not keeping the king's peace within the city. The king in reply told them plainly his opinion that the civic authorities had winked at the whole business, and referred them to Cardinal Wolsey, his chancellor, who would declare to them his pleasure.(1065) With this answer the deputation withdrew and reported what had taken place to the mayor, who had wisely kept away. It was clear that above all things the favour of the cardinal had to be obtained. For this purpose a committee was appointed, whose duty it was to "devise what thinges of plesur shalbe geven to my lord Cardynall and to other of the lordes as they shall thynk convenient for their benevolences doon concernyng this last Insurreccioun."(1066) By the 22nd May matters had evidently been accommodated. On that date the king sat at Westminster Hall in great state, surrounded by the lords of his council and attended by the cardinal. The mayor and aldermen and chief commoners of the city, chosen from the leading civic companies,(1067) had arrived by nine o'clock in the morning clad in their best liveries, "according as the cardinal had commanded them."(1068) Wolsey knew the king's weakness for theatrical display. At Henry's command all the prisoners were brought into his presence. They appeared, to the number of 400 men and eleven women, all with ropes round their necks. After the cardinal had administered a rebuke to the civic authorities for their negligence, and had declared that the prisoners had deserved death, a formal pardon was proclaimed by the king, the cardinal exhorting all present to loyalty and obedience. It was some time before the effects of the late outbreak disappeared. Compensation for losses had to be made;(1069) some were bound over to keep the peace;(1070) and counsel were employed to draw up a statement of the points of grievance between the citizens and merchant strangers for submission to the king.(1071) In September there were rumours of another outbreak, but the civic authorities were better prepared than formerly, and effectually stopt any such attempt by putting suspected persons into prison.

Lest any unfavourable report should reach the cardinal, the Recorder and another were ordered to ride in all haste to Sion, where Wolsey was thought to be, and if they failed to find him there, to follow him to Windsor and to report to him the active measures that had been taken to prevent any further insurrection in the city.(1072) "Evil May-day" was long remembered by the citizens, who raised objection to Thomas Semer or Seymer, who had been sheriff at the time, being elected mayor ten years later.(1073) In May, 1547, all householders were straitly charged not to permit their servants any more to go maying, but to keep them within doors.(1074)

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With gibbets all over the city, each bearing a ghastly freight, and the summer approaching, it is scarcely surprising that the city should soon again be visited with an epidemic. "At the city gates," wrote an eye-witness, "one sees nothing but gibbets and the quarters of these wretches"-the wretches who had been hanged for complicity in the late disturbance-"so that it is horrible to pa.s.s near them."(1075) The "sweating sickness," which had again made its appearance in 1516, and had never really quitted the city (except for a few weeks in winter), now raged more violently than ever, accompanied by measles and small-pox. The king ordered all inhabitants of infected houses to keep indoors and hang out wisps of straw, and when compelled to walk abroad to carry white rods.(1076) This order, however, was badly received in the city and gave rise to much murmuring and dissatisfaction.(1077) The civic authorities did what they could to mitigate the evil by driving out beggars and vagabonds, and removing slaughter-houses outside the city walls,(1078) as well as by administering relief to the poorer cla.s.ses by the distribution of tokens or licences to solicit alms. These tokens consisted of round "beedes" of white tin, bearing the City's arms in the centre, to be worn on the right shoulder.(1079) In the midst of so much real suffering, there were not wanting those who took advantage of the charitable feeling which the crisis called forth and were not ashamed to gain a livelihood by simulating illness. Such a one was Miles Rose, who on the 11th March, 1518, openly confessed before the Court of Aldermen that he had frequently dissembled the sickness of the "fallyng evyle" (or epilepsy) in divers parish churches in the city, on which occasions "jemewes" of silver, called cramp rings, would as often as not be placed on his fingers by charitable pa.s.sers-by, with which he would quickly make off, pocketing at the same time many a twopence which had been bestowed upon him.(1080)

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The city could scarcely have recovered its wonted appearance after the ravages of the pestilence before its streets were enlivened with one of those magnificent displays for which London became justly famous, the occasion being an emba.s.sy from the French king sent to negotiate a marriage treaty between Henry's daughter Mary, a child but two years of age, and the still younger Dauphin of France. The City Records, strange to say, appear to be altogether silent on this subject, and yet the emba.s.sy, for magnificent display, was such as had never been seen within its walls before. We can understand that the emba.s.sy was not acceptable to the thrifty middle-cla.s.s trading burgess, when we read that it was accompanied by a swarm of pedlars and petty hucksters who showed an unbecoming anxiety to do business in hats, caps and other merchandise, which under colour of the emba.s.sy had been smuggled into the country duty free.(1081) The foreign retail trader was at the best of times an abomination to the free burgess, and this sharp practice on the part of the Frenchmen, coming so soon after the recent outburst against strangers on Evil May-day, only served to accentuate his animosity-"At this dooing mannie an Englishman grudged, but it availed not."(1082) The amba.s.sadors were lodged at the Merchant Taylors' Hall, which, owing to the ill-timed action of the French pedlars, had the look of a mart. On Sunday, the 3rd October, the king, with a train of 1,000 mounted gentlemen richly dressed, attended by the legates and foreign amba.s.sadors, went in procession to St. Paul's to hear ma.s.s; after which the king took his oath-a ceremonial which the French admiral declared to be "too magnificent for description." On the following Tuesday (5 Oct.) the marriage ceremony-so far as it could be carried out between such infants-was celebrated at Greenwich, and a tiny gold ring, in which was a valuable diamond, placed upon Mary's finger.(1083)

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In the following year (July, 1519) the streets witnessed another scene of gaiety. This time it was a visit of the legate, Cardinal Campeggio, for which the civic authorities made great preparations.(1084) In the first place the mayor and aldermen, in their gowns and cloaks of scarlet, were ordered to take up their position at 9 o'clock on the morning of Relic Sunday (_i.e._, the third Sunday after Midsummer Day) at St. Paul's stairs (_the stayers w__t__in poulys_). Next to them were to stand the Skinners, then the Mercers and other worshipful crafts in their order, clothed in their last and best livery. In this manner the street was to be lined on either side from the west door of St. Paul's down to Baynard's Castle.

Upon the arrival of the lord cardinal and other lords at the Cathedral the mayor and aldermen were to head the procession and seat themselves in the choir to hear _Te Deum_ sung. Bonfires or "pryncypall fyres" were to be lighted at St. Magnus corner, Gracechurch, Leadenhall, the conduit on Cornhill, St. Thomas "of Acres," the Standard and little conduit in Cheap, the Standard in Fleet Street, and in Bishopsgate Street; whilst cresset lights and small fires "made after the manner of Midsummer-night" were to add to the gaiety of the scene. Men-at-arms, well harnessed and apparelled, were to keep certain streets, whilst the aldermen and their constables were to keep watch and ward in their best array of harness. The amba.s.sadors, who were to be lodged in Cornhill, were to be escorted home at night by the aldermen with torches, and to await their commands. There was one other, perhaps not unnecessary, direction to be followed, which was to the effect that if by any chance the strangers should be overcome by the hospitality of the city, or, in the words of the record-"yf eny oversyght be wt moche drynke of the strangers"-the citizens were to "lett theym alone and no Englishemen to medyle wt theym."

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The legate landed at Deal on the 23rd July, and by slow stages was conducted with every mark of respect to London. His pa.s.sage through the city was a.s.sociated with an episode of a decidedly comic character if we are to believe the chronicler. A story is told(1085) that the night before Campeggio entered London, Wolsey sent him twelve mules with (empty) coffers, in order to give a semblance of wealth to the legate and his retinue. In Cheapside one of the mules turned restive and upset the chests, out of which tumbled old hose, shoes, bread, meat, and eggs, with "muche vile baggage," at which the street boys cried "See, see my lord legate's treasure!" The story, however, is on good authority deemed more malicious than probable.

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In January, 1519, the Emperor Maximilian died and left the imperial crown to be contested for by the kings of France and Spain. It eventually fell to the latter, and Charles V of Spain was elected Emperor Charles I, the event being celebrated by a solemn ma.s.s and _Te Deum_ at St. Paul's, followed by a banquet at Castle Baynard.(1086)

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Both France and Germany were eager to secure the co-operation of Henry.

Charles antic.i.p.ated the meeting which was to take place between Henry and Francis on the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold by coming over in person to England (May, 1519) and having a private conference with his uncle. The young emperor did not visit the city on this occasion; but in 1522, when war had broken out between him and Francis and he was again in England, he was escorted to the city with great honour and handsomely lodged in the palace of Bridewell. Nearly 1,000 was raised to meet the expenses of his reception and of furnishing a body of 100 bowmen for the king's service.(1087)

The king and his guest and ally were met at St. George's Bar in Southwark by John Melborne,(1088) the mayor, accompanied by the high officers of the city, clothed in gowns of "pewke," each with a chain of gold about his neck.(1089) A "proposicioun" or address was made by Sir Thomas More, now under-treasurer of England, who was afterwards presented by the City with the sum of 10 towards a velvet gown,(1090) whilst other speeches made in the course of the procession were composed by Master Lilly,(1091) of Euphues fame, the first high master of Colet's School.

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Between the first and second visits of the emperor the citizens had witnessed some strange sights and had gone through much suffering and privation. The city had scarcely ever been free from sickness, and famine and pestilence had followed one another in quick succession. In September, 1520, the fellowships or civic companies subscribed over 1,000 for the purchase of wheat(1092) to be stored at the Bridgehouse, where ovens were fitted up.(1093) Mills for grinding corn already existed in the Thames hard by.(1094) The following year the plague raged to such an extent that every house attacked was ordered to be marked with St. Antony's cross, "otherwise called the syne of Tav,"(1095) and citizens were forbidden to attend the fair at Windsor for fear of carrying infection to the court.(1096)

Again a scarcity of corn was feared, and the Bridge-masters were authorised by the Court of Common Council to purchase provisions, the corporation undertaking to give security for the repayment of all monies advanced by the charitably disposed for the purpose of staving off famine.(1097) Early in 1522 (15 Jan.) died Fitz-James, Bishop of London, carried off with many others by "a great death in London and other places of the realm."(1098)

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The citizens had also in the meanwhile witnessed the arrest and execution of the Duke of Buckingham, son of the duke who figured so prominently before the citizens when the crown was offered to Richard III at Baynard Castle. He was seized one day whilst landing from his barge at the Hay Wharf, on a number of charges all more or less frivolous. His attendants were dismissed to the duke's "Manor of the Rose," in the parish of St.

Laurence Pountney(1099)-on the site of which recently stood Merchant Taylors' School-whilst he himself was conducted to the Tower (16 April, 1521). An indictment was laid against him at the Guildhall before Sir John Brugge, lord mayor, and others (8 May). After a trial at Westminster which lasted some days, he was found guilty of high treason, and condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered, and to suffer such other atrocities as usually accompanied the death of a traitor in those days. The king, however, satisfied with his condemnation, spared him these indignities, and the duke was allowed to meet his death at the block. His corpse was reverently carried from the Tower to the Church of the Austin Friars by six poor members of that Order.(1100)

The duke had other friends in the city besides these poor religious men, who thus requited in the only way they could many acts of kindness done to their Order by Buckingham in his life time, and his death gave rise to much disaffection and seditious language for some time afterwards.(1101)

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Before the emperor left England he succeeded in committing Henry to an invasion of France. In order to carry out his object the king needed money, and the City was asked to furnish him with the sum of 100,000.(1102) Ten days later (26 May) the City agreed to advance 20,000. The livery companies were to be called upon to surrender their plate, and foreigners as well as citizens were to be made to contribute.(1103)

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The question arose whether the aldermen should be jointly a.s.sessed with the commoners or by themselves. The mayor and aldermen were willing to contribute the sum of 3,000,(1104) but this offer the Common Council "nothyng regarded," but sent the common sergeant to talk the matter over with them. After long consultation the mayor and aldermen sent back word that it was more "convenient" that they should be a.s.sessed with the commoners and not to be severed.(1105)

In the meantime a hasty valuation had been made by the command of Wolsey of the plate of the livery companies, and of the ready money lying in their halls, the whole value of which was estimated to be 4,000. This, together with the sum of 10,000 which the Court of Aldermen purposed raising among the wealthier cla.s.s of citizens, was all that the cardinal was given to expect from the City.(1106) On the 24th May the deputation, which had ridden with all speed after the cardinal in order to make this report, returned to the city and reported to the Court of Aldermen that his grace was in no wise satisfied with the City's offer, and that he expected the City to furnish the king with at least 30,000, of which 10,000 was to be ready within three days.(1107) The matter was compromised by the City consenting to advance 20,000.

In June the Recorder had an interview with Wolsey respecting the security to be given for repayment of the loan. The cardinal refused to allow that certain abbots, abbesses and priors, who had been named, should enter into bond, and the citizens were obliged to be content with the personal securities of the king and Wolsey himself. Touching the plate of the halls, the cardinal wished only to take it in case of absolute necessity, and then only at a fair price. He desired the owners to bring it to the Tower, "there to be coyned and they [_i.e._, the government] to pay the seyd money that so shalbe coyned." The result of the Recorder's interview was reported to the Court of Aldermen the 17th June.(1108) A committee had already (2 June) to take an account of the plate brought in and to enter its true weight in a book.(1109)

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The recent loan of 20,000 had scarcely been raised(1110) before the citizens found it necessary to make a further advance of 4,000 marks.

Their liberality was repaid by a gracious letter from Wolsey himself, in which he promised to see the money repaid in a fortnight,(1111) and to extend to them his favour. What vexed the citizens more than anything was being compelled to make oath before the cardinal's deputy sitting in the Chapter House of St. Paul's as to the amount each was worth in money, plate, jewels, household goods and merchandise,-a system of inquisition recently introduced.(1112)

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As if all this were not enough Wolsey demanded another loan before the end of the year. This was too much even for the patient and open-handed London burgess. The Common Council determined (4 Nov.) to put a stop to these extortionate demands, and resolved that, "As touchyng the Requeste made by my lorde cardynalles grace for appreste or aloone of more money to the kynges grace, they can in no wise agre thereto, but they ar and wilbe well contendid to be examyned uppon their othes yf it shall please his grace so to do."(1113) The stand thus made by the citizens against illegal exactions gave courage to others. The king's commissioners were forcibly driven out of Kent, and open rebellion was threatened in other counties.(1114)

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There was only one course left open to Henry, and that was to summon a parliament. For nearly eight years no parliament had sat. It was now summoned to meet on the 15th April, 1523, not at Westminster, but at the house of the Blackfriars.(1115) The names of the city's representatives are on record. The aldermen elected one of their body, George Monoux, and with him was a.s.sociated "according to ancient customs," the city's Recorder, William Sh.e.l.ley; whilst the commons elected John Hewster, a mercer, and William Roche, a draper(1116)

A few days after the election a committee of fourteen members was nominated to consider what matters should be laid before parliament as being for the welfare of the city.(1117) Sir Thomas More was chosen Speaker. The enormous sum of 800,000 was demanded. Expecting some hesitation on the part of the Commons, Wolsey himself determined to argue with them, and suddenly made his appearance in state. Finding that his speech was received in grim silence, he turned to More for a reply. The Speaker, falling on his knees, declared his inability to make any answer until he had received the instructions of the House, and intimated that perhaps the silence of the Commons was due to the cardinal's presence.

Wolsey accordingly departed discomforted.(1118) His attempt to overawe parliament marks the beginning of his downfall. He still kept well with the city, however, and rendered it several small services.

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Emboldened by their recent success the citizens determined to make a stand against other exactions, and when in May, 1523, another demand was made for one hundred bowmen, as in the previous year, they sent their charter to the cardinal and begged that the article touching citizens not being liable to foreign service might remain in force. A similar demand was made in the following November, and again the a.s.sistance of Wolsey was called in.(1119) The City on the other hand had recently conferred a favour on the cardinal by discharging Robert Amadas, his own goldsmith, from serving as alderman when elected in March of this year.(1120)

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In June the king and queen of Denmark paid a visit to the city and attended ma.s.s at St. Paul's,(1121) when the Court of Aldermen made them a present of two hogsheads of wine, one of white and another of claret, and two "awmes" of Rhenish wine, two fresh salmon, a dozen great pike, four dozen of "torchettes," and eight dozen of "syses."(1122)

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The joint attack of Henry and the emperor against France in 1523 proved as great a failure as that of 1522. In the midst of the campaign Henry was threatened with danger nearer home. The Scots marched southward, and created such a panic in the city that a solemn procession, in which figured Cuthbert Tunstal, Bishop of London (successor to the unfortunate Fitz-James), the mayor and aldermen, all the king's justices, and all the sergeants-at-law, took place every day for a week.(1123) After a futile attack upon Wark Castle the invaders withdrew and all danger was over.(1124)