A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



second year, 10 or nearly one-eighth of the whole, comes under the 

 heading in tvasto.* 7 



We hear nothing of Middlesex during the reign of Henry II except 

 in connexion with the demands made by the king upon London. The 

 yearly farm for the City and shire was raised above the. original sum of 

 300, and was not reduced until John's reign. The right to appoint 

 the sheriffs was not exercised by the Londoners under Henry and his 

 successor, and in the charter granted by Henry to the citizens no men- 

 tion is made of Middlesex being let to farm. 48 The king strengthened 

 his hold on the City and shire just as he increased his control over the 

 barons. In 1174 Brichter de Haverhalle and Peter Fitz Walter held 

 office, not as sheriffs, but as ' custodes,' showing that they were acting as 

 the direct agents of the crown. Two years later the farm was raised to 

 490. John was frequently at Fulham during the early part of his 

 reign, 49 but nothing of importance occurred in the county until the crisis 

 of 1215 drew near. In May, 1215, safe-conduct was granted to the 

 archbishop to come to Staines to treat of peace with the barons. 50 On 

 8 June safe-conduct was granted to all who would come to treat with the 

 king at Staines, 51 but the signing of the Great Charter took place just 

 beyond our boundaries. During the nominal peace which followed 

 London remained in the hands of the barons until 1 5 August. 52 Fitz 

 Walter, the baronial leader, was so fearful of treachery on the king's part 

 that he thought it wiser to postpone the tournament fixed at Stamford 

 for the Monday of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, and ordered that it 

 should be held instead on Hounslow Heath, 53 so that the barons should 

 be in a better position to protect London if need arose. To this tourna- 

 ment came Walter de Albini by special invitation, for he represented 

 the barons who were less hostile to the king. 54 



When Louis of France was called upon to act as arbitrator between 

 the two parties, a conference was held at Hounslow during the first 

 months of the reign of Henry III. Safe-conduct was granted to four peers 

 and twenty knights on the Dauphin's side, to meet an equal number of 

 peers and knights representing the king. 65 The conference known as 

 the Treaty of Lambeth was possibly held at Staines, when Henry 

 under the guidance of William Earl Marshal concluded peace with Louis 

 and the baronial party. 66 



There was a continual struggle between the king and the Londoners 

 during the early part of Henry's reign. In 1227 the citizens secured a 

 reduction of the farm for London and Middlesex to jCs 00 / 7 but the dis- 

 putes with regard to the shrievalty soon broke out again, and Henry 

 took the City into his own hand on the least excuse. About 1250 a 

 quarrel arose between the citizens and the abbot of Westminster over a 

 concession made by the king to the abbot which in some way infringed 



47 Pipe R. (Pipe R. Soc.), 2 Hen. II, 5. Charter preserved in the Guildhall. 



Rot. Lit. Pat. (Rec. Com.), i, pt. I. Itinerary. M Ibid, i, 142. 



" Rymer, FoeJ. (Rec. Cora.), i, 129. Ibid. 133. M Ibid. 134. 



M Ibid. Pat. i Hen. Ill, m. 6. 



M Rymer, FoeJ. i, 148. Chart. R. 1 1 Hen. Ill, m. 16.. 



20 



