Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & SocialBesant, Walter
History
Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & Social
Besant, Walter
London (England) -- History -- To 1500; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- To 1500
Next year Henry was taken over to Paris, and there also solemnly
crowned, with no doubt another Coronation banquet. In the same year
there was a small and unimportant tumult which shows the lingering of
Lollardy. The leader who called himself Jack Sharpe wanted to have a
rising in London in order to take away the temporalities of the Church.
The _Chronicle of London_ says that his name was William Maundeville,
some time a weaver of Abingdon. He chose his time when the King and
most of the lords were away in France, when, with his friends, he
spread abroad bills and placards in every town. Nothing came of it
except to himself and his party, for he and some of his friends were
hanged, drawn, and quartered, and their heads set upon London Bridge.
And, the same year, there was one Russell, a craftsman of free and
independent thought, who purposed to create an entirely new House of
Lords after his own ideas. He, a Reformer before his age, was hanged,
drawn, and quartered. In the same year it is casually mentioned “that
Pucylle was brent at Rone and that was upon Corpus Christi Even.”
In January 1432 the King returned to England, and on St. Valentine’s
Day (Sharpe says 20th February: Gregory says Valentine’s Day) he was
received by the City, the Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs, with an
immense following of citizens, who rode out as far as Blackheath to
meet him. They presented him with the following address:—
“Sovereign Lord as welcome be ye to your Roiaulme of Englond, and in
especial to your notable Cite London, otherwise called your Chambre,
as ever was Christen Prince to place or people, and of the good and
gracioux achevying of your Coronne of Fraunce, we thank hertlich our
Lord Almighty which of His endless mercy sende you grace in joye and
prosperite on us and all your other people long for to regnew.”
The King receiving this address rode on to Deptford, where he was met
by a whole regiment of clergy all in their robes, with monks chanting
psalms of praise. Thence into London where a noble reception awaited
him. The description which follows is also taken from Gregory’s
_Chronicle_.
“At the south end of London Bridge was erected a tower: and in the
tower stood a giant holding a sword and saying solemnly _Inimicos ejus
induam confusione_. On each side of the giant was an antelope, one with
the arms of England and one with that of France. At the drawbridge
was another tower with three crowned empresses namely, Nature, Grace,
and Fortune who gave the young king gifts. On the right hand of the
Empresses stood seven fair maidens in white powdered with stars of
gold, who gave the king seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in the likeness
of seven white doves. On the left side were seven maidens in white
powdered with stars of gold, who gave the king seven gifts of worship,
and the maydens sang an hevynly songe unto the kynge of praysynge and
of hys victorye and welle comynge home.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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