In the year 1394 the Queen Anne of Bohemia died. She had the reputation of being a good friend to the City. In the Latin poem of “Richard of Maidstone” (Camden Society, _Deposition of Richard the Second_), the Queen is represented as pleading with the King for the City:— Ingreditur Regina suis comitata puellis, Pronaque regales corruit ante pedes. Erigitur, mandante viro, “Quid,” ait, “petis Anna, Exprime, de votis expediere tuis.” _Supplicatio Reginae pro eisdem civibus._ “Dulcis,” ait, “mi Rex, mihi vir, mihi vis, mihi vita, Dulcis amor, sine quo vivere fit mihi mors. Regibus in cunctis similem quis possidet urbem? Quae velut haec hodie magnificaret eum? Et rogo constanter per eum quem fertis amorem Ad me, condignum si quid amore gero, Parcere dignemini plebibus, qui tanta dedere Munera tam prompte nobis ad obsequia. Et placeat veteri nunc urbem reddere juri, Ac libertates restituisse suas.” Two years later the King went through the form of marriage with the French princess Isabel who was brought over at the age of eight. The Mayor and Aldermen went out to meet the “little Queen” at Blackheath, and escorted her to Kennington Palace, and the next day from that Palace to the Tower, the roads and streets being crowded with an innumerable throng. The extravagance of the King had now become an intolerable burden to the country, especially to London. He is said to have maintained 10,000 persons at his Court. There were 300 employed in the kitchen alone. There was never any prince who clad himself more gorgeously: one cloak he had made of gold and silver cloth studded with jewels which cost him £2000, or about £40,000 of our money. He seems to have been unable to understand the meaning of money or the relation between things he desired, and the taxable wealth of the country. His last method of extortion was to issue blank charters which the merchants were to sign and he was to fill up at his pleasure. This proved too much for the long-suffering City. John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, had recently died; so they sent for his son Henry, Duke of Lancaster. [Illustration: HENRY OF LANCASTER BRINGS KING RICHARD BACK TO LONDON From MS. in British Museum. Harl. 1319.]