| 12 | L O N | |
King however reserved to himself the
power of appointing the Portreve, or
chief officer of the city.
Upon the death of Henry I. the citi-
zens assisted King Stephen in his endea-
vours to obtain the crown, and in 1135
received him into the city; but the next
year, a dreadful fire laid the greatest part
of the city in ashes; for according to
Mr. Stow, it began near London Stone,
and consumed all the buildings east to
Aldgate, and west to St. Erkenwald's
shrine in St. Paul's cathedral; both of
which it destroyed, together with London
bridge, which was then of wood.
In the year 1139, the citizens pur-
chased of King Stephen, for an hundred
marks of silver, the right of chusing their
own Sheriffs; but that prince being soon
after defeated and taken prisoner by the
Empress Matilda, the daughter of Hen-
ry I. she resolved to be revenged on the
citizens, for the assistance they had given
to that usurper; and therefore, entering
into a convention with Geffrey, Earl of
Essex, she granted him all the possessions
and places which either his grandfather,
father, or himself had held of the crown,
among which were the sheriffwicks of
London and Middlesex: and also the
office of Justiciary of the city and county,
|
| 4 | so |
|
| L O N | 13 |
so that no person could hold pleas in ei-
ther, without his permission. This com-
pact was executed with the greatest so-
lemnity; and thus the citizens were di-
vested of some of their most valuable pri-
vileges.
The citizens soon after humbly en-
treated Matilda to re-establish the laws
of King Edward the Confessor, which
had been confirmed to them by the Con-
queror's charter, and to ease them of
their insupportable taxes: but instead of
granting either of these requests, she,
with a disdainful countenance, told them,
that since they had assisted her enemy to
the utmost of their power, they were to
expect no favour from her.
From this haughty answer, they con-
cluded that they had no other treatment
to expect from this imperious Princess,
than that of slaves. To prevent this, it
was resolved to seize her person; she
however escaped; but the populace
plundered her palace; after which Ste-
phen was restored, and she compelled to
fly the kingdom.
King Henry II. some years after, grant-
ed the citizens a charter, by which he
confirmed their liberties and immunities.
The 2d of September 1189, the day
preceding the coronation of Richard I.
|
| | surnamed |
|
HomeVolume IVPage Group 1 - 19
