THE COMMUNE OF LONDON THE COMMUNE OF LONDON AND OTHER STUDIES BY J. H. ROUND M.A. AUTHOR OF ‘GEOFFREY DE MANDEVILLE’, ‘FEUDAL ENGLAND,’ ETC. With a Prefatory Letter by Sir Walter Besant WESTMINSTER ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO. 2 WHITEHALL GARDENS 1899 BUTLER & TANNER, THE SELWOOD PRINTING WORKS, FROME, AND LONDON. Prefatory Letter Dear Mr. Round, I have to thank you for kindly letting me see the advance proofs of your new book. It is difficult for me to explain the very great advantage which the study of your books has been to me in my endeavour to get at the facts, especially those of the 12th century, connected with the history of London. For instance, I have found in your pages for the first time a working theory of the very difficult questions connected with the creation of the municipality. I have adopted your conclusions to the best of my ability with, I hope, an adequate expression of thanks to the source from which they are derived. I would also point out the great service which you have rendered to the history of the City by giving, for the first time, the exact truth regarding the conveyance of the Portsoken to the Priory of the Holy Trinity, an event which has been hitherto totally misunderstood. Thirdly, I must acknowledge that it is only from your pages, especially a certain appendix to ‘Geoffrey de Mandeville,’ that one can understand the ordinary position of the clergy of the City of London in the 12th century. It is unnecessary for me to enumerate many other obligations which I owe to your pages. I remain, dear Mr. Round, Very faithfully yours, WALTER BESANT. OFFICE OF THE SURVEY OF LONDON, _July 6th, 1899_. Contents I THE SETTLEMENT OF THE SOUTH-SAXONS AND EAST-SAXONS 1 II INGELRIC THE PRIEST AND ALBERT OF LOTHARINGIA 28 III ANGLO-NORMAN WARFARE 39 IV THE ORIGIN OF THE EXCHEQUER 62 V LONDON UNDER STEPHEN 97 VI THE INQUEST OF SHERIFFS (1170) 125 VII THE CONQUEST OF IRELAND 137