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
Such conduct very naturally incensed the king and his son against the
citizens. Henry was angry with them, moreover, for having admitted the
barons contrary to his express orders.(246) It is not surprising,
therefore, that when Fitz-Thomas presented himself before the Barons of
the Exchequer to be admitted to the mayoralty for the third year in
succession, they refused to admit him by the king’s orders, Henry "being
for many reasons greatly moved to anger against the city."(247)
(M154)
Before the end of the year (1263), both king and barons agreed to submit
to the arbitration of the King of France. The award known as the Mise of
Amien—from the place whence it was issue—which Louis made on the 23rd
Jan., 1264, proved of so one-sided a character that the barons had no
alternative but to reject it. However unjustifiable such repudiation on
the part of the barons may have been from a moral point of view, it was a
matter of necessity. Many of them, moreover, including those of the Cinque
Ports, as well as the Londoners, and nearly all the middle class of
England, had not been parties to the arbitration, and therefore, were not
pledged to accept the award.(248)
(M155)
The citizens and the barons now entered into solemn covenant to stand by
each other "saving however their fealty to the king." A constable and a
marshal were appointed to command the city force, which was to stand
prepared night and day to muster at the sound of the great bell of St.
Paul’s. The manor of Isleworth, belonging to Richard, King of the Romans,
the king’s brother, was laid waste, and Rochester besieged, but,
disturbances again breaking out at home, Leicester had to hurry back to
restore order and prevent the city being betrayed to the king’s son.(249)
(M156)
In May the earl set out again with a force of Londoners(250) to meet the
king, who was threatening the Cinque Ports. In the early morning of the
14th he came upon the royal army at Lewes. Prince Edward himself led the
charge against the Londoners—he had not forgotten the insult they had
recently offered to his mother—and succeeded in driving them off the
field. They scarcely indeed awaited his onslaught, so unpractised in
warfare had they become of recent years, but turned their backs and sped
away towards London, followed in hot pursuit by Edward. When he returned
he found that, owing to his absence, the day was lost, and that his father
and brother had been made prisoners.(251) In spite of his own success, he
also had to surrender.
(M157)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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