The Story of LondonWheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
History
The Story of London
Wheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
London (England) -- History
Stow gives a vivid account of the King's visit to the Abbey: 'The same
day (June 15), after dinner, about two of the clock, the King went from
the Wardrobe called the Royal, in London, toward Westminster, attended
only by the number of 200 persons, to visit Saint Edward's shrine, and
to see if the Commons had done any mischief there. The abbot and convent
of that Abbey, with the chanons and vicars of Saint Stephen's Chappell,
met him in rich copes with procession, and led him by the charnel-house
into the Abbey, then to the church, and so to the high altar, where he
devoutly prayed and offered. After which he spake with the anchore
[anchoret], to whom he confessed himself; then he went to the chapel
called Our Lady in the Pewe, where he made his prayers.' Froissart tells
us that the figure of the Virgin in this chapel was renowned for its
many virtues, and that the Kings of England had much faith in the
miracles performed at this shrine. When Richard left Westminster he
'made proclamation that all the Commons of the country that were in
London should meet him in Smithfield.'[45]
In the Stowe MS. there is a very full and clear record of the subsequent
proceedings: The King went to the house of the canons of Saint
Bartholomew, 'and then the Mayor of London, William Walworth, came to
the King, who commanded him to go to the Commons to make their
chieftain come to him, and when he was called by the Mayor, Wat Tighler
of Maidstone by name, he came to the King with great countenance mounted
on a small horse, so as to be seen by the Commons, and dismounted,
carrying a dagger in his hand, which he had taken from another man; and
when he was dismounted he took the King by the hand, half kneeling, and
shook his arm sharply and strongly, saying to him: "Brother, be of good
comfort," ... and the King said to the said Wat, "Why will you not go to
your country?" and the other replied with a great oath, that he and his
companions would not go unless they had their charter such as they
wished to have.'[46]
The points are then set forth in fuller particularity than they were in
the previous meeting at Mile End. Such demands as were not mentioned
previously are as follows:--
'That there should be no law outside the law of Winchester.
'That no outlawry should be by any process of law made henceforth.
'That the goods of Holy Church should not be in the hands of men of
religion, nor of the parsons and vicars, nor of others of Holy Church,
but the "avantés" should have their sustenance easily, and the remainder
of the goods should be divided among the parishioners, and no bishop
should be in England except one ... and all the lands and tenements of
the possessors should be taken from them and parted among the Commons,
saving to them their reasonable sustenance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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