654 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences , Arts, and Letters. 
Pinners, Embroiderers, Spurriers, and Bladesmiths. Their 
complaint was that Brembre with the aid of the King was 
using his influence against the wishes of the citizens. Let 
us look more in detail at some of the facts. Brembre, the 
Mayor of London, 1 was a grocer, consequently favored by 
the King. John Northampton was the leader of the non¬ 
victuallers, whose arch-supporter was John of Gaunt. A 
crucial moment in the strife between the two parties was 
reached 28 March (1386) when the Mayor and citizens 
stated upon oath that for the peace of the City, Northamp¬ 
ton (who had been banished) should not approach within 
100 miles of London. 2 
John of Gaunt, who had been the patron of Northampton, 
and had been doing his best for two years to free him, imme¬ 
diately became roused to indignation. Though he was 
preparing to leave for Spain on his wild-goose chase, he 
found time to defend his client. On the 7th and again on 
the 12th of May he wrote Brembre upbraiding him for his 
“unreasonable and outrageous conduct” in winning the 
King’s confidence. 3 On 3 June a compromise was effected 
when the King “at the urgent prayer” of the Duke ordered 
Northampton to be set free. 4 7 July Gaunt set sail. 5 
Furthermore, Brembre’s relations with the King became 
more intimate as time went on. In this year the King’s 
servants, including his esquires, were granted the dwell¬ 
ings above the City gates. Moreover, though Gaunt was 
gone, his cause was at once taken up by one of the noblemen. 
For the King, times were equally troublesome. At the 
meeting of Parliament (October -and November, 1386) his 
power was noticeably checked. Loans of money were re¬ 
fused him. A committee was appointed to investigate his 
household expenses. Ten days later, however, the city 
loaned him £4000, and afterwards took an oath to support 
him. Chaucer, it must be remembered, sat in this Parlia- 
1 He was succeeded 13 October (1386) by Nicholas Exton—another 
victualler (fishmonger). Letter Book , H, pp. 289-290. Exton went into 
office 28 October. 
2 Ibid., pp. 279-282. 
3 Letter-Book, H, Intro, p. XLI. 
4 Ibid., p. 307. Cf. p.XLI. 
5 Knighton, II. p. 207. Cf. S. Armitage-Smith, pp. 310-311. For 
additional details concerning this strife see my article on Chaucer and 
Aldgate , which will appear shortly. 
