London and the Kingdom - Volume 1: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
History
London and the Kingdom - Volume 1: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.
Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
London (England) -- History
In August (1415) another Lollard, John Cleydone by name, a currier by
trade, was tried in St. Paul’s Church before the new Archbishop and
others, the civic authorities having taken the initiative according to the
provisions of the recent Statute, and arrested him on suspicion of being a
heretic. The mayor himself was a witness at the trial, and testified as to
the nature of certain books found in Cleydon’s possession; they were "the
worst and the most perverse that ever he did read or see." Walsingham, who
styles Cleydon "an inveterate Lollard" (_quidam inveteratus Lollardus_),
adds, with his usual acerbity against the entire sect, that the accused
had gone so far as to make his own son a priest, and have Mass celebrated
by him in his own house on the occasion when his wife should have gone to
church, after rising from childbed.(758) Having been convicted of heresy
by the ecclesiastical court, the prisoner was again delivered over to the
secular authorities for punishment.(759) Both he and his books were
burnt.(760)
(M402)
Two years later Oldcastle himself was captured in Wales and brought to
London. At his trial he publicly declared his belief that Richard II was
still alive; he was even fanatic enough to believe that he himself would
soon rise again from the dead.(761) He was sentenced to be hanged and
burnt on the gallows, a sentence which was carried out in St. Giles’s
Fields.(762) Lollardry continued to exist, especially in London and the
towns, for some years, but it ceased to have any historical or political
significance.(763)
(M403)
Henry V was resolved to maintain not only the old religion of the days of
Edward III, but also the old foreign policy, and in 1414 he commenced
making preparations for renewing the claim of his great-grandfather to the
crown of France. In 1415 this claim was formally made, and Henry gathered
his forces together at Southampton. On the 10th March he informed the
civic authorities of his intention of crossing over to France to enforce
his claim and of his need of money. On the 14th a brilliant assembly,
comprising the king’s two brothers, John, Duke of Bedford, and Humphrey,
Duke of Gloucester, Edward, Duke of York, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Bishop of Winchester, and others, met at the Guildhall to consider the
matter.
(M404)
A question arose as to order of precedence, and it was arranged that the
mayor, as the king’s representative in the City, should occupy the centre
seat, having the Primate and the Bishop of Winchester on his right, and
the Duke of York and the king’s brothers on his left.(764) This question
having been settled, the meeting, we presume, got to business; but what
took place is not recorded in the City’s archives. We know, however, that
in June the king pledged his jewels to the City for a loan of 10,000
marks,(765) and that on the 1st August—just as he was preparing to set
sail—he raised a further loan of 10,000 marks on the security of the
customs.(766)
(M405)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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