Medieval London (Vol. 1&2) - Walter Besant

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Aldermen and the better sort, not at Guildhall, but at the Chapter House of Westminster. They began by offering the King 5000 marks, which is £3333: 6: 8. This the King refused, with an intimation that if they could do no better than that, he should ask for a list of the principal citizens. They therefore held another meeting and offered to lend the King £5000—“although it was a hard thing and difficult to do.” This offer was accepted. To raise this sum the whole of the City was assessed, sparing none. The richest man in the City was William de Caustom, Alderman, who was assessed at £400; that is to say, his share of the loan was set down at £400.

      In 1338 there was a scare about a French descent. The King ordered the City to be “strictly closed” and fortified against any sudden attack by water. Everybody was to aid in this work, whether belonging to a religious community or not.

      An inventory of munitions of war was drawn up in 1339. It shows that at a house near the Tower called the “Bretasche” there were 7 springalds (large crossbows); 380 quarels or bolts feathered with leatten or latone (a mixed metal); 500 quarels of wood; 29 cords; and 8 bows of ash for the springalds. At Aldgate 1 springald and 40 quarels; in the Chamber of the Guildhall 6 engines of latone usually called “gonnes” and 5 rollers for the same; also pellets of lead weighing 4½ cwt.; and 32 pounds of powder. This is the earliest mention of guns in England, the next earliest occurring five years later. Riley suggests that they had been brought over to this country by the Bardi from Florence whose guns had been used in war as early as 1326. He quotes Chaucer, House of Fame, book iii.:

      “Swift as a pellet out of a gonne

      When fire is in the powder ronne.”

      The King and the citizens were on friendly terms throughout: but from time to time we see a touch of the Plantagenet.

      The assessment shows the comparative wealth of the various wards:

£ s. d.
Tower Ward 365 0 0
Billingsgate Ward 763 0 0
Bridge Ward 765 6 8
Dowgate Ward 660 10 0
Langburn Ward 352 6 8
Wallbrook 911 0 0
Bishopsgate Ward 559 6 8
Limestreet Ward 110 0 0
Cornhill Ward 315 0 0
Cheap Ward 517 10 0
Broadstreet Ward 588 0 0
Vintry Ward 634 16 8
Bread Street Ward 461 16 8
Queenhithe Ward 435 13 4
Cordwainer Street Ward 2195 3 4
Faringdon Ward Within 730 16 8
Faringdon Ward Without 114 13 4
Cripplegate Ward 462 10 0
Colemanstreet Ward 1051 16 8
Candlewickstreet Ward 133 6 8
Aldgate Ward 30 0 0
Portsoken Ward 27 10 0
Castle Baynard Ward 63 6 8
Bassisshaw Ward 79 13 4
Aldersgate Ward 57 10 0
Sum Total £12,385 13 4

      A riot in the streets between the Fishmongers and the Skinners led to results much more useful than a King’s letter, for two rioters were executed—an example greatly needed and extremely useful.

      Among the ships of Edward’s Fleet were three belonging to London: “La Jonette,” “La Cogge,” and “La Sainte Marie Cogne.” The last ship belonged to William Haunsard, ex-Sheriff. London also sent a contingent of nearly 200 men fully armed on board these ships. These ships were among those which fought in the great victory of Sluys. The battle is thus described by the French Chronicle:—

      “In this year all the mariners of England, by commission of our Lord the King, had all their ships speedily assembled and victualled, and hardy and vigorous men from all parts well equipped and armed at all points, in every place to fight for life

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