SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY 



craftily caused a pece of an other old tolne disshe beyng sealed w'h the seale therunto appoynted to be 

 framed and glewed thereto. And after that bothe he and his wife disobedyently and unfyttyngly hath 

 used theymselfs within the said citie. The sayd Thomas therfor shalbe punysshed for his sayd 

 extorton offense and disobedynce by imprisonment in forme foUowyng that is to say be putt in the cage 

 in the sayd pavement three severall markett dayes from tenne of the clock of every of the said dayes 

 unto one of the clock at afternoone. And soo to begynne on Saturday next and than on Tewysday 

 and Thursday the next weke and then he and his wife shall submytt themselves to M' Shadlock 

 Alderman and desire him to be good maistre to theym and sayyve them specially for that his wit 

 wyss''^'' a vengeance of hym wth other desptefuU wordes and also that M' Shadlock shall deliver unto 

 hym toln disshes lawfully sealed from tyme to tyme as he shall nede theym." 



The dispute shows clearly that, in the years between the granting of the charter by Henry VIII 

 and the early years of the reign of Elizabeth, the craft gilds had fallen into decay, and that the 

 commons felt that their powers of controlling the government of the city were being gradually 

 weakened. They marshalled their case with considerable skill. The dearness of provisions was a 

 factor in their final success, for during a period of dearth, both central and provincial governments 

 were chary of inflaming popular discontent that was always smouldering at such times. The 

 language in which the commons drew up their petition was singularly humble : — 



We the said comon counsell and other the comonars of our humble seute desyre yor Lordship 

 and worshypfull brethren with other yor Lordshippes counsell to have nowe reformaton had for 40//'. 

 that Girdlington did gyve to the comons and freemen of this citie and for that cause that if any free- 

 man will desyre to borowe of the same money upon they are pledges not to be denyed so that all the 

 same money may be used alwayes accordyng to the Girdlyngton will. 



Also we desyre that from hensforth nothyng to be lette that belongith to the comons but that all 

 the comons before maye have knowledge of it, that it may be lette to the most wallowe for the profit 

 of the citie of that thyng that the comons may forbeare and nothing to be allowed that belongeth to 

 the comons but that is sealed with the comon seale and for this we desire youe of yo' goodnes nowe 

 that this may be inacted 



Also we desire that our milnars shall not take no mowter at all but one penny for a bushell hard 

 come and for malt ii<^. a quarter and not above as was used when the come was better cheape and for 

 the same we desyre reformacon 



And also where the xiii crafts and xv crafts named in the charter hath voyces for the electon of 

 the Mayor and SheryfFe and certeyne of the said occupacon be decayed so that there is none of them 

 to have voyces our desyre ys that for suche occupacons as is decayed that so many other at the reneviyng 

 of the chartre may be put in the charter to have voyces. 



The only reply given to the petitioners was that the lord mayor and his brethren would 

 peruse the said articles ' at tyme convenyent.' But Miles Cooke, in the name of the commoners, 

 refused to proceed to the election of the mayor unless the articles were agreed to. 



' Wherefore in avoydyng further clamor of the rest of the comons they gave them faire wordes 

 willyng the comon clerke to make assemblant to entre them as confirmed and stablisshed.' ** The 

 mayor was elected ; then the common council discovered that they had been tricked. They possibly 

 felt that a change of leadership was advisable, for Miles Cooke disappears for the time, and John 

 Myddleton and Richard Aynley, vintners, took charge of the articles. The lord mayor refused 

 to be dictated to, but evidently the two vintners were less choleric than Miles Cooke. ' They in 

 right humble wyse besechyd my seyd 1. Mayor at his pleasure ' to appoint a date when he would 

 read the said petitions. He ' seeing the conformitie and obedyaunce of the said comon counsel ' 

 passed their requests ; only reserving to himself the right to deal with common rents under xxi. 

 without consultation with the commoners, but the rest of their requests were passed uncondition- 

 ally.*^ Miles Cooke, who had been committed to the Kidcote ' for certain unfyttinge and oppro- 

 brious wordes,' *° spoken against one of the aldermen, was released on giving bond for future good 

 behaviour.*' How far the civic authorities fulfilled the promise that they gave it is impossible to say. 

 But beneficial as the institution of a strong central government was to the general development of 

 industrial and commercial Yorkshire, the consequent concentration of parliamentary and court life 

 in London decreased the prestige of the northern capital, already weakened by the decay of ecclesiastical 

 power. During the 1 6th century complaints are rife against the ruthless way in which the London 

 merchants strove to monopolize mercantile enterprise and by unfair competition steal trade 

 from the Yorkshiremen. Although Yorkshire as a whole was progressing, the older towns were 

 suffering from the exodus of their more energetic and enterprising inhabitants into the country 



" York Munic. Rec. xx, fol. 9917, Apr. 1552. I 



" Ibid, xxiii, fol. Si a, Feast of St. Mary Abbatis. 



« Ibid. fol. 816. « Ibid. fol. Sia, 18 Tan. i C62 



"Ibid. fol. 88, 26 Jan. 1562. 



3 449 57 



