LON 
till at lad the Londoners, to prevent further inquiries 
Into their conduct, paid into the exchequer 5000I. in three 
years. Thefe diforders, however, were at laft Hopped by 
the execution of John Senex 5 who, though a very rich 
(tnd reputable citizen, had engaged in thefe enterprifes. 
He offered 500 pounds weight of filver, a prodigious fuin 
fn thofe days, for his pardon, but was refuted. The king, 
however, ftill continued to drain the citizens of then- 
money by free gifts ; and at laft fined every feparate guild, 
fraternity, or company, that had prefumed to aft as bodies 
corporate without the royal letters-patent. 
It cannot be denied that London fuffered greatly during 
the civil wars 5 and, betides, from a raoft terrible cafual 
fire, which broke out near London-bridge, deftroyed it, 
aid raged in the mod horrible manner, as far weftward 
as St. Clement Danes. They had alfo to bear patiently the 
revenge of Matilda, till they received her into their city 
with great pomp and folemnity; but, forgetting- foon their 
fubmiflion and forbearance, fhe treated them with the ut- 
rnoft arrogance and feverity. However, that fpirit of free¬ 
dom, and impatience of unjuft means, which animated 
them, and glows ftill in the bread of the citizens of Lon¬ 
don, obliged her to leave the city privately, and to feelc 
for refuge out of the kingdom. 
Gold and filver, and even brafs and copper, mull have 
been uncommonly fcarce under thefe reigns; for we read, 
that, in the year 1145, the price of an ox in London was 
three fhillings; as much corn was fold for one (hilling as 
would fuffice 100 people for a day; a fheep could be 
bought for a groat; and a like fum would fill the manger 
of twenty horfes with corn and hay for twenty-four hours. 
In the 30th year of Henry II. thirty-three cows and 
two bulls were fold for 81. 7s. and 500 llieep coft but 22I. 
jos. or about 10ffi. per fheep. 
On the death of Henry II. the title of the firft magif- 
trate of London was changed from portreve to that of bai¬ 
liff '; and in 1189 he claimed and afted in the office of 
chief butler at the coronation of Richard I. In upr this 
monarch permitted the bailiff, named Hairy Fitz-Alzuine, 
to aflame the title of mayor. In 1192, we find certain 
orders of the mayor and aldermen to prevent fires ; where¬ 
by it was ordained, that “ all houfes thereafter to be 
etefted in London and the liberties thereof, fhould be 
built of ftone, with party-walls of the fame ; and covered 
either with dates or tiles, to prevent thofe dreadful cala¬ 
mities by fire, which were frequently and chiefly occa¬ 
sioned by houfes built of wood, and thatched with ftraw 
-or reeds.” And for this purpofe, it was alfo provided 
by the difcreeter men of the city, “ that twelve aldermen 
of the city fhould be chofen in full huftings, and there 
Sworn to affift the mayor in appealing contentions that 
might arife among neighbours in the city upon inclofure 
betwixt land and land; and to regulate the dimenlions of 
party-walls, which were to be of ftone, flxteen feet high 
and three feet thick ; and to give direftions about girders, 
windows, gutters, and wells.” Such confidence alfo did 
Richard put in the wifdom and faithfulnefs of the city of 
London, that, when it was refolved to fix a ftandard for 
weights and meafures for the whole realm, his majefty 
committed the execution thereof to the flieriffs of London 
and Middlefex, whom he commanded to provide meafures, 
gallons, iron .rods, and weights for ftandards, to he fent 
to the feveral counties of England. 
At the coronation of Richard I. a dreadful maflacre of 
the Jews took place, occafioned by the following circum- 
ftance: For fome caufe they were forbidden to appear at 
the ceremony; many, however, prompted by curiofity, 
attempted to get into Weftminfter abbey, but were re- 
pulfed by the attendants; and, a rumour being fpread 
among the populace, that the king had given orders for 
their entire deftruftion, the mob, in the moft barbarous 
manner, attacked thefe defencelefs people; and, not fatif- 
fied with murdering all who were unfortunate enough to 
fall in their way, proceeded to the city, where, with the 
moft diabolical fury, they robbed their houfe mafia-. 
Vgl. XIII. No. 888. 
DON. G i 
cring all the inhabitants they could find, and then fet fir® 
to them. 
While Richard was in Paleftine, John his brother, af¬ 
terwards king, with the archbiffiop of Rouen, the bifhops, 
earls, and barons, and the citizens of London, met in St. 
Paul’s cathedral, to deliberate upon the mal-adminiftration 
of William Longchamp, bifliop of Ely, chancellor, and 
one of the regents of the kingdom, who, by an unanimous 
refolution of the convention, was degraded from all his 
offices, for his tyrannical government and contumacious 
deportment. Here, according to Dr. Brady, a new char¬ 
ter and community was granted to the city of London, to 
be a corporation, for their ready concurrence in the above 
refolution. In return for this recognition of their privi¬ 
leges, for it was no more, the citizens fwore to be true 
and faithful to their fovereign, king Richard, and his 
heirs; and that, if he died without iflue, they would re¬ 
ceive his brother John as king. This is an additional 
proof that no meafure'of confequence to the flate was un¬ 
dertaken without afking the concurrence of the Londoners. 
Under this reign a great difturbance took place in 
London, occafioned by the fedition of William Fitz- 
Ofbert, a man whole perfo.n was deformed, and who was 
nicknamed Longbeard on account of his letting his 
beard grow to an unnfual length, partly from an aifefta- 
tion of gravity, partly in derifion of the Norman cuftont 
of (having the face. He was, however, a man of powerful 
elocution ; and he became fo extremely popular, by hav¬ 
ing frequently pleaded the caufe of the poor before the 
magiftrates, that the lower orders of the people were en¬ 
tirely and univerfally at his command and devotion. 
Matters being thus fituated, Fitz-Olbert began to aft more 
openly, and made life of all his rhetoric to incenfe the peo¬ 
ple againft a certain aid or tallage, which was to be railed 
for the fervice of the public. He infifted that this tax 
was proportioned in a very unjuft manner; for that the 
poor were to bear the burden of almoft the whole, while 
the rich were in a manner exonerated; and this infinua- 
tion wrought fo powerfully on the minds of the people* 
that a tumult enfued near St. Paul’s church, in which 
many of the citizens were killed. Advice of this infur- 
reftion being tranfmitted to Hubert archbifhop of Canter¬ 
bury, who was the king’s judiciary, that prelate fura- 
moned Fitz-Ofbert to appear before him, at a fixed time 
and place. Fitz-Olbert obeyed the fummons, but was at¬ 
tended by fuch a numerous crowd of his adherents, that 
the archbifhop, inftead of feizing his perfon, thought it 
neceflary for his own fafety to difinifs him with a gentle 
reproof, and his advice not to appear in any unlaw¬ 
ful afiembly for the future. The more wealthy among 
the citizens, however, being greatly terrified at the pro¬ 
ceedings of Fitz-Ofbert and his party, it was at length 
agreed that a number of men fhould lie in wait to feize 
him at a time when he had but few attendants; and an 
opportunity of this kind foon offered; but Fitz-Ofbert, 
with the few friends he had with him, made a tnoft def- 
perate defence; and, having poflefled themfelves of the 
church of of;. Mary-Ie-bow, in Cheapfide, they fortified 
the fteeple, with a full determination of defending them¬ 
felves till further affiftance fhould arrive. The fituation 
of Fitz-Ofbert and his friends was no fooner known, than 
the populace from all parts in and near the city, aflembled 
in Cheapfide, with the view of fetting their champion at 
liberty; but the magiftrates ufed fuch perfuafive argu¬ 
ments, that the people were at length prevailed ,on to dif- 
perfe. Matters were in this fituation, when"a refolution 
was formed of fetting fire to the fteeple, fo that Fitz-Ofbert 
and his abettors had no chance, but to force their way 
through the flames, arid fight for their lives, or be burnt 
on the (pot. They chofe the former expedient, as the'Jefs 
dreadful of the two ; wherefore, making an impetuous 
fally, they endeavoured to feek their fafety by wa'dini 
through the blood of their opponents; but, being over¬ 
powered by fuperior numbers, Fitz-Ofbert and eight of his 
adherents -were made prifoners, and committed to tjie 
> R Tows? 
