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unjust wars? If we look into the Parliamentary History, and observe Edward's reign narrowly, we shall scarce find fewer representations against the tyranny of the son than against the encroachments of the father. Who will own that he had not rather employ master William and Edward of Westminster to paint the guests of the kings of Antioch, than imitate the son in his barbarities in Wales and usurpations in Scotland * !"

Edward, however, seems to have understood his interest in keeping fair with the citizens, on several occasions; for when he appointed their mayor, Gregory de Rokeslie, as a person of more than ordinary consequence and ability to be his ambassador, in preference to so many dignitaries in church and state; he addressed a writ to the magistrates and principal citizens, directing them "to appoint four respectable and discreet persons, whom he might commission, during the mayor's absence, to preserve peace and good order, and to administer justice within the city's juris

diction."

The year 1277, was productive of a variety of municipal regulations for the better government of the city. An order of common council, the first on record, "prohibited a market to be held on London Bridge, or in any other place not specially appointed; and forbidding to all citizens the purchase of cattle or goods of any kind, in the town of Southwark, which could be had in the city, under a pain of forfeiting the commodity purchased." Millers were restricted to a certain rate of one halfpenny, for grinding every quarter of wheat. About this time also the iniquitous practices of engrossing and forestalling, had proved very prejudicial to the fair trader, so that it was necessary some laws fhould be established to repress the growing enormities. The legislature having provided for the prevention and punishment of these grievances, Edward issued his orders to the mayor and sheriffs to see them properly enforced +.

* Lord Orford's Anecdotes of Painting.
+ Leges Antiq. f. 122.

By

By these laws, the punishment ordained for the miller who should be convicted of offending against the statute, was to be carried through certain streets of the city, in a tumbrel or dust cart, and exposed to the contempt of the populace.

And the baker was to forfeit his bread, for the first offence; to be imprisoned for the second; and to stand in the pillory for the third.

In this year, the city was first divided into twenty-four wards, each to be governed by its alderman and commoncouncil, who were to be elected by the inhabitant freemen; the whole to form one great city council, to which the general concerns of the community were to be committed;they were named as at present, except the ward Foris, which we imagine to be now Farringdon Without; Ludgate and Newgate, now Farringdon Within; and Lodingeber, probably Lothbury, now Broad Street ward.

The king's paternal concern for the city was exercised at this time in his liberal letters patent, for the repair of London Bridge; and in return he received the most solid expressions of gratitude, loyalty, and attachment from the citizens.

Sensible also, of the infinite advantages that would accrue to his subjects from the encouragement of commerce, Edward published a charter, or declaration of his protection and privileges granted to foreign merchants, in the year 1302; and also ascertained the customs or duties which those foreign merchants, in return for his said charter, were to pay on merchandize exported and imported. This charter, of which, for its curiosity, is here subjoined, in substance, was afterwards confirmed by king Edward III. in the year

1328.

"The merchants of Almaine, France, Spain, Portugal, Navarre, Lombardy, Florence, Provence, Catalonia, the duchy of Aquitaine, Toulouse, Flanders, Brabant, and of all other foreign parts, who shall come to traffic in England, shall and may safely come with their merchandize into the king's cities, towns, and ports, and sell the same by whole. sale only, as well to natives as to foreigners. And the VOL. I. No. 3. merchandize

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merchandize called merceries (probably small wares, toys, haberdashery, &c.) as also spices, they may sell by retail.They may also carry beyond sea, the goods they may want in England, paying the usual customs; excepting wines, however, which being once imported, shall not be exported without the king's special licence."-He commands all his officers in fairs, cities, and towns, to do speedy or summary justice to the said foreign merchants, agreeably to the lawmerchant, or custom of merchants: particularly,

1. "That on any trial between them and Englishmen, the jury shall be one half foreigners, where such can be had. 2. "That a proper person shall be appointed in London, to be justiciary for foreign merchants.

3. "That there shall be but one weight and measure throughout the kingdom; in consideration of which, and of the king's freeing them from prisage, and all other burdens, the said foreign merchants shall pay a custom of two shillings for every tun of wine which they shall import, over and above the old customs; and for every sack of wool which they shall export, forty pence over and above the old custom of half a mark; and the like for three hundred wool-fells. Item, two shillings for every piece of scarlet cloth dyed in grain; and one shilling and six-pence for every other dyed cloth, in the dying of which, grain shall be mixed; also twelve pence for any dyed without any grain; and the like sum for every quintal of wax: they shall likewise pay threepence per pound, ad valorem, for such merchandize imported, and also when re-exported, as cannot well be reduced to a certain custom, in the above manner, such as silks, sarcenets, lawns, corn, horses and other live cattle, and many other kinds of merchandize, both imported and exported, over and above all the old customs on such sort of merchandize."

About the year 1306, the use of coal became common in London. This species of fuel, when first introduced, was only employed in such occupations as required great fires, such as brewing, dying, &c. The burning and smoke of coal becoming offensive to the resident nobility and gentry,

they remonstrated against its use as a nuisance, and obtained a royal proclamation to prohibit it, under severe penalties. Wood-fuel becoming scarce as the population and trade of the city increased, prejudice soon gave precedence to utility, and the power of the proclamation diminished *.

The monastic foundations in the city during this reign, were the Abbey of Nuns of the order of St. Clare, called the Minories, founded by Edmund earl of Lancaster, the king's brother: the monastery of the order of Black Friars, founded by Robert Kilwardby, archbishop of Canterbury, in 1276; the Crouched Friars, founded in 1289; and St. James's Hospital, for lepers, now St. James's Palace.

Edward II. being incapable of any great action, we are not to seek much improvement during his distressing and disorderly reign. Attached to minions who used unlimited tyranny on one hand, and hated by an ambitious and traiterous queen on the other, it is not to be wondered at, when we find the city torn by the contending adherents of the prevailing party. And though we pity the sufferings of a monarch, who was more imbecile than vicious, and despise the villainous means contrived to accomplish his unusually

* An estimate of living at this time, is not unworthy of perusal. The archbishop of Saint Andrew's, in Scotland, a prisoner at Winchester, in 1307, was allowed one shilling a day for the maintenance of himself and servants, in the following proportions:

For the archbishop's own daily expence
One man servant to attend

One boy to attend him likewise

A chaplain to say daily mass to him

£. S. d.

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It must be recollected, that this was equal to three shillings present currency, that the necessaries of life were at the following prices, and every other article of provisions in proportion: a quarter of wheat 4s. ditto of ground malt, 3s. 4d. ditto of pease, 2s. 6d. ditto of oats, 25. a bull, 7s. 6d. a cow, 65. a fat mutton, 1s. an ewe-sheep, 8d. a capon, 2d. and a cock or hen, 1d. When the queen of Robert Bruce was a prisoner in England, in 1314, her allowance was twenty shillings per week for herself and household. Hunter. K 2

cruel

cruel death; we cannot but rejoice that the realm and city were alike liberated from his ill-fated government, and the brutal control of Isabella and the iniquitous Mortimer.*

When Edward III. assumed the reins of royalty in his own person, the circumstances of the state appeared in a better view than many years experience had given reason to expect; and the city very sensibly felt the benefit of the change; her chief magistrate supported the dignity and expence of his office with respectability and importance, and rose into the highest degree of consideration: and to shew to what a pitch of opulence the citizens were arrived, they advanced to the king the sum of twenty thousand marks, to be repaid out of the subsidy afterwards granted towards accomplishing his warfare against France.†

In

"Mr. Pennant informs us, that a menagery had very long been a piece of regal state; Henry the first had his at his manor of Woodstock, where he kept lions, leopards, lynxes, porcupines, and several other uncommon beasts. They were afterwards removed to the Tower. He issued his orders to the sheriffs, to supply four-pence a day for the maintenance of his white bear, (urso nostra alb»), and his keeper in the Tower of London. They were also to provide a muzzle, and an iron chain to hold the said bear out of the water; and a long cord to hold it during the time it was fishing in the Thames; they were besides ordered to build a small house in the Tower, for the king's elephant, (elefantem nostrum) and to make provision both for beast and keeper. Edward II. commanded the sheriffs of London, to pay the keepers of the king's leopards, six pence a day, for the sustenance of the leopards; and three halfpence a day for the diet of the keeper, out of the fee-farm of the city."

† An inhabitant of modern London, after a lapse of four centuries, will probably be amused to see the relative situation of the several wards, in point of size, importance, population, and opulence, at this time.

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