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
it in a place apart without making a grave, and his esquire near him
all naked, and without any office of priest or clerk: and this spot
is called ‘the Lawless Church.’ The same night there was a burgess
robbed, John de Charltone by name. Also, on the Thursday following, the
Manors of Fynesbury and of Yvilane, which belonged to Master Robert
Baldok, the King’s Chancellor, were despoiled of the wines and of all
things that were therein, and many other robberies were committed in
the City. Also, upon the same day, the commons of London were armed
and assembled at the Lede Hall on Cornhille, and the Constable of the
Tower there agreed with the commons that he would deliver unto them
Sir John de Eltham, the King’s son; as also, the children of Sir Roger
Mortimer, Sir Moriz de Berklee, Sir Bartholomew de Burghasche, and the
other persons who had been imprisoned in the Tower, by reason of the
dissensions for which Sir Thomas de Lancaster and other great men had
been put to death: those who were released being sworn unto the commons
that they would live and die with them in that cause, and that they
would maintain the well being of the City and the peace thereof. Also,
there were sworn and received into the protection of the City, the Dean
of Saint Paul’s, the Official of Canterbury, the Dean of the Arches,
the Abbots of Westminster and of Stratford, and all the religious, and
all the justices and clerks, to do such watch and ward as unto them
belonged to do. At the same time, upon the Vigil of Saint Luke (October
18) the tablet which Saint Thomas de Lancastre had painted and hung up
in the church of Saint Paul was replaced upon the pillar: which tablet
had been removed from the pillar by the rigorous command of the King’s
writ. At the same time, the Friars Preachers took to flight, because
they feared that they should be maltreated and annihilated: seeing
that the commonalty entertained great enmity against them by reason of
their haughty carriage, they not behaving themselves as friars ought to
behave. At this time, it was everywhere the common talk that if Stephen
de Segrave, Bishop of London, had been found, he would have been put to
the sword with the others who were beheaded: as well as some Justiciars
and others, who betook themselves elsewhere in concealment so that they
could not be found.”
[Illustration:
_G. W. Wilson & Co._
SHRINE OF KING EDWARD II., GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL]
The condition of London during the later years of Edward II. was
miserable. There was no authority: the King deposed one Mayor and set
up another; the crafts quarrelled and fought with each other; the
popular sympathies were with Queen Isabella: we have seen how these
sympathies ended with robbery and murder; the Black Friars who were
thought to favour the King had to fly for their lives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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