POLITICAL HISTORY 



Government Act of 1888, although the grant was a frequent cause of 

 dispute between London and the crown, and was on occasion temporarily 

 withdrawn. As early as 1130 the citizens had been deprived of their 

 right to elect the sheriff, for in that year they paid 100 marks that they 

 might have a sheriff of their own choice. 88 



The Civil War of Stephen's reign fell as heavily on Middlesex as 

 on the rest of England. In the summer of 1141 the empress came 

 towards London after the election at Winchester. She received a depu- 

 tation of Londoners at St. Albans, and then leaving the abbey proceeded 

 by the old Roman road through Edgeware towards Westminster. 58 She 

 was met by the citizens and rulers of London when nearing the City." 

 Geoffrey de Mandeville, grandson of the Geoffrey of the time of William I, 

 was then at the height of his power. He was practically master of 

 London as hereditary constable of the Tower, and one of the empress's 

 first acts was to confirm the charter of the earldom and shrievalty of Essex 

 granted to him by Stephen. 88 Meanwhile the queen was marching on 

 London from Kent. She crossed the Thames and, ravaging Middlesex, 

 spread a belt of desolation round the City. 89 The Londoners, who were 

 already incensed against the empress, rose in arms for the queen. Matilda 

 was forced to leave the City with all haste, and having galloped clear of 

 the suburbs, her followers fleeing in all directions, she took the road 

 towards Oxford. 40 



London admitted the queen, and Geoffrey de Mandeville made his 

 peace with her likewise. To signalize his defection from the empress, he 

 sallied out of the Tower and seized Sigillo, whom Matilda had lately 

 installed as bishop of London,* 1 and who was then at the episcopal manor 

 of Fulham. 43 It is said that he held Sigillo to ransom for an enormous 

 sum, but the bishop was present at Matilda's court a month later. 43 After 

 Geoffrey had assisted at the liberation of Stephen, 44 and after the latter 

 had been crowned for the second time at Canterbury, the king granted 

 him the shrievalty of London and Middlesex, and of Herts, as well as 

 that of Essex, which he already held. 46 Even these privileges could not 

 hold him to Stephen's side. He deserted to the empress in six months' 

 time, but after she left England he was captured and deprived of his lands 

 by Stephen. From that time until his tragic death in September, 1 143, 

 his power was broken. Of his estates in Middlesex he gave the 

 churches of Enfield, Edmonton, South Mimms, Northolt, with the 

 hermitage of Hadley, to endow Walden Abbey, 4 ' which he had founded 

 in 1 136. 



The effect of the military operations in Middlesex and of the con- 

 tinual anarchy of Stephen's reign is shown in the Pipe Rolls under 

 Henry II. Of the 85 os. 6d. danegeld due from the county in Henry's 



u Pipe R. (Rec. Com.), 31 Hen. I, 143, 145. * Cent. Flor. Wore. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), 131. 



r Ibid. M Round, Geofre-j de Mandeville, 88-95. " Geita Stephani (Rolls Ser.), 78. 



40 Ibid. 79. " Coat. Flor. Wore. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), 131. 



Trivet, Annals (Engl. Hist. Soc.), 13. " Coat. Flor. If on. (Engl. Hist. Soc.), IJI. 



44 Will, of Malmesbury, Hist. Nov. ii, 580. * Round, Geoffrey de Mandevillt, 138-44. 



46 Walden Abbey Chronicle, Harl. MS. 3697, fol. I, cart. I. 



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