Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs: 1255-6

1255-6

A.D. 1255. Sheriffs.: Matthew Bukerel,; John le Mynur,

This year, upon the Feast of Saint Eldreda [23 June] which was on a Sunday, the sister of the King of Spain, wife of Sir Edward, eldest son of his lordship the King, came to London, and a countless multitude of Bishops, Earls, Barons, Knights, and citizens, went forth from the City to meet her, as also his lordship the King, in person; the City of London being most nobly tapestried and arrayed.

In this year, seeing that it is specified in the Charters as to the Mayoralty, that the citizens may remove their Mayor at the end of the year, and substitute another, or retain him, if they will, on condition that he be presented to the King, Ralph Hardel was continued Mayor, and did not even vacate the Mayoralty, as all the Mayors before had been wont to do; and on the third day was presented to the King, sitting at the Exchequer, and there admitted, not being sworn, but only charged in accordance with the oath that he had made in the preceding year. On the same day, the King took the City into his hand, because the citizens, who had been repeatedly pressed for the (fn. 1) Queen's Gold, would not agree to pay it; and so the City remained in the hands of the Treasurer, to whom the King had entrusted it, until the Octaves of Saint Martin [11 November]; on which day, by writ of his lordship the King, the City was restored .to the citizens, in accordance with their request made at Windlesore.

In the same year, upon the Feast of Saint Cecilia [22 November], which was on a Monday, two-and-ninety Jews were brought to Westminster from Lincoln, and were imprisoned in the Tower of London, for the death of a certain male child, whom they purposely slew at Lincoln, in despite of the Christian faith. Eighteen of these, who, when the King was at Lincoln, had declined to put themselves upon the verdict of Christians, without Jews, as concerning that death, and had been then indicted for the same before the King, were on the same day drawn, and, after the hour of dinner, and towards the close of the day, hanged. The other 74 were taken back to the Tower.

In the same year, Sir Edward, the King's eldest son, came to London from Gascoigne, on the Vigil of Saint Andrew [30 November], the City being handsomely hung with tapestry for the occasion. In this year, the Queen, for a sum of 400 marks, remitted to the citizens of London all claim which she had against them on account of her Gold; which Gold all the other men of the realm were wont to pay upon fine made to his lordship the King. In the same year, the King of Scotland and his Queen, daughter of the King of England, came into England, and, on the Assumption of Saint Mary [15 August] were with his lordship the King at Wudestok; upon which day, the said King held a great and most noble Court, nearly all his Earls and Barons being present. After this, on the Sunday before the Decollation of Saint John [29 August] the King of Scotland and his Queen came to London, the City being decorated and hung with tapestry.