Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 1: From the twelfth to the eighteenth century — John Shaqi
Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 1: From the twelfth to the eighteenth centuryGriffiths, Arthur
History
Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 1: From the twelfth to the eighteenth century
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
In 1327 a further point was gained. The support of the citizens had
been freely given to Queen Isabella and her young son in the struggle
against Edward II. On the accession of Edward III a new charter, dated
in the first year of his reign, was granted to the city of London.
After confirming the ancient liberties, it granted many new privileges;
chief among them was the concession that the mayor of London should be
one of the justices for gaol delivery of Newgate, and named in every
commission for that purpose. The king's marshal might in future hold no
court within the boundary of the city, nor were citizens to be called
upon to plead, beyond them, for anything done within the liberties. No
market might be kept within seven miles of London, while the citizens
were permitted to hold fairs and a court of "pye powder" therein;
in other words, a court for the summary disposal of all offences
committed by hawkers or peddlers, or perambulating merchants, who have
_les pieds poudres_, or are "dusty-footed."[29:1] Other privileges
were obtained from the king during his reign. A second charter granted
them the bailiwick of Southwark, a village which openly harboured
"felons, thieves, and other malefactors," who committed crimes in
the city and fled to Southwark for sanctuary. Again, the election of
the mayor was established on a more settled plan, and vested in the
mayor and aldermen for the time being. Another charter conceded to the
Corporation the honour of having gold and silver maces borne before the
chief functionary, who about this period became first entitled to take
rank as lord mayor. The vast wealth and importance of this great civic
dignitary was to be seen in the state he maintained. The lord mayor
even then dispensed a princely hospitality, and one eminent citizen in
his reign, Henry Picard by name, had the honour of entertaining four
sovereigns at his table, viz., the Kings of England, France, Scotland,
and Cyprus, with the Prince of Wales and many more notables. This
Picard was one of the Guild of Merchant Vintners of Gascony, a Bordeaux
wine-merchant, in fact, and a Gascon by birth, although a naturalized
subject of the English king. The vintners gave the city several lord
mayors.
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