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ful pestilence 100,000 persons are said to
have died in this city. This is a very
convincing proof that London was at that
time extremely populous.
By this terrible pestilence provisions were
reduced so low, that the best fed ox was
sold for 4s. the best cow at 1s. the best
heifer or steer at 6d. the best wether at
4d. the best ewe at 3d. the best lamb at
2d. the best hog at 5d. and a fine horse,
formerly worth 40s. at 6s. 8d. Arnold's
Chronicle.
But notwithstanding this deplorable ca-
lamity, the wealth and dignity of the city
were soon after so great, that in the year
1363, the Kings of Scotland, France, and
Cyprus, who came into England to visit
King Edward III. were entertained at din-
ner, with his Majesty, the Prince of Wales
his son, and most of the nobility, by Henry
Picard, late Mayor of London.
In the fifth year of the reign of King
Richard II. the city suffered greatly by the
rebellion of Wat Hilliard, commonly
called Wat Tyler, from his employment;
he being a tyler of Dartford in Kent.
This fellow, exasperated at the impudence
and insolence of the collectors of the poll
tax, one of whom pulled up his daughter's
cloaths to see if she was arrived at the age
of puberty; after killing the collector,
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excited the people to join him, in defence
of their daughters, and to abolish the laws
and taxes, which were thought extremely
burthensome. They readily entered into
this proposal, marched to Black Heath, and
were soon increased to 100,000 men.
This prodigious mob entered Southwark
on the 10th of June 1381, set at liberty
the prisoners in the King's Bench and
Marshalsea prisons, and levelled to the
ground the houses of all lawyers and
questmen, and while one party went to
Lambeth, where they burnt the archi-
episcopal palace, with the rich furniture,
books and registers, another destroyed the
common stews along the bankside, then
kept by Flemish bawds, who farmed them
of the city.
In this dreadful confusion, the Lord
Mayor caused the bridge gate to be shut,
and fortified; but the next day they were
admitted into the city, and the shambles
and wine cellars set open for their accom-
modation. Being now joined by the city
rabble, they hasted to the Savoy, the Duke
of Lancaster's palace, which was the most
magnificent edifice in the kingdom, and
setting fire to it, caused proclamation to
be made, that none should appropriate any
thing to his own use, upon pain of death.
They then ran to the Temple, which at
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