Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs: 1247-8

1247-8

A. D. 1247. Sheriffs.: William Vyel,; Nicholas Bat, again,

This year, on the Translation of Saint Edward the King and Confessor (fn. 1) [9 June] a portion of the blood of our- Lord Jesus Christ was brought to London, being sent by the Patriarch of Jerusalem to his lordship the King, and was deposited at Westminster. In the same year, Michael Thovy was again made Mayor, and by precept of his lordship the King it was published that if any clipped penny or halfpenny should be found offered for the purchase of anything, the same should immediately be perforated. At this time, the money was entirely made anew, that is to say, immediately after the Feast of All Saints [1 November].

In the same year, on the Monday after the Feast of Saint Peter's Chains [1 August] Henry de (fn. 2) Ba, a Justiciar sent by his lordship the King, came to Saint Martin's le Grand, to hear the record which had been given upon the plaint of Margery Vyel, on the Monday after Hokeday in the previous year, as already noticed in this book; as to which judgment the said Margery had made complaint to his lordship the King, and had found pledges to prove that the same was false. Whereupon, the Mayor and citizens meeting there, the record having been read through, and all the writs of his lordship the King which the said Margery had obtained, having been read and heard, the Justiciar said:—"I do not say that this judgment is false, but the process therein is faulty, as there is no mention made in this record of summons of the opponents of the said Margery, and, seeing that John Vyel, her husband, made a will, it did not pertain to your Court to determine such a plea as this." To which the citizens made answer;— There was no necessity to summon those who had possession of the property of the deceased, for they were always ready, and proffered to stand trial at suit of the said Margery in our Court; and besides, we were fully able to entertain such plea by assent of the two parties, who did not at all claim or demand the ecclesiastical Court, and seeing that his lordship the King by his writ commanded us to determine the same."

At length, after much altercation had taken place between the Justiciar and the citizens, the Justiciar said that they must shew all this to the King and his Council, and so they withdrew. Afterwards however, and solely for this cause, his lordship the King took the City into his hand, and by his writ entrusted it to the custody of William de Haverille and Edward de Westminster, namely, on the Vigil of Saint Bartholomew [24 August]; whereupon, the Mayor and citizens went to the King at Wudestok, and shewed him that they had done no wrong; but they could not regain his favour. Wherefore upon their arrival in London, the aforesaid William de Haverille exacted an oath of the clerks and all the Serjeants who belonged to the Shrievalty, that they would be obedient unto him, the Mayor and Sheriffs being removed from their bailiwicks. Afterwards, on the Sunday before the Nativity of Saint Mary [8 September], the Mayor and Sheriffs, by leave of the King, received the City into their hands, and a day was given them to make answer as to the aforesaid judgment before the King and his Barons, namely the morrow of the (fn. 3) Translation of Saint Edward, at Westminster.