¶ It was a miserable time now for préests and churchmen, which were spoiled on euerie hand, without finding remedie against those that offered them wrong. It is reported that in the borders of Wales, the officers of a shiriffe brought before the king a fellow which had robbed and slaine a préest, desiring to vnderstand his pleasure what should be doone with that offender: vnto whom the king made this answer, "He hath slaine mine enimie, and therefore set him at libertie." [Sidenote: Lord William de Breuse.] The king also doubting least the pope should procéed further, and absolue all his subiects of their allegiance which they owght to him, and that his lords would happilie reuolt and forsake him in this his trouble, tooke hostages of them whom he most suspected. And as the messengers, which were sent abroad for that purpose, came vnto the lord William de Breuse, requiring to haue his sonnes for the said purpose, his wife (like a quick and hastie dame) taking the word out of hir husbands mouth, made this round answer, "that she would not deliuer hir sonnes vnto king John, who alreadie had slaine his owne nephue Arthur, whome he ought rather honourablie to haue loued and preserued." These words being signified vnto the king, set him in such an heat against hir husband (though he rebuked hir sharpelie for the same) that the said lord was glad togither with his wife and children to flée out of the realme into Ireland for safegard of their liues. [Sidenote: Lond[=o]n Bridge repaired.] Whereas before this time London bridge was made of timber, and was ruled, guided, & repaired by a fraternitie or colledge of préests; this yéere by great aid of the citizens of London and others passing that waie, the same bridge was begun to be made of stone. And in the same yeare S. Marie Oueries in Southwarke was begun to be repaired. The same yeare also, the citizens of London made such suit vnto the king, that he granted vnto them by his letters patents, licence to choose to themselues a maior, and two shiriffes euerie yeare. After which grant vnto them confirmed, they chose for their maior Henrie Fitz Alwin, who was sworne and charged at that present maior of that citie, vpon the day of saint Michaell the archangell, in the said tenth yeare of king John his reigne. On the same day and yeare, were Peter Duke & Thomas Nele sworne for shiriffes. Thus the name of bailiffes from thenceforth was clearelie extinguished. [Sidenote: _John Stow._]