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terms, begged that he would have mer-
cy on them for their negligence, and
compassion on the offenders, whom he
represented as a small number of light
persons. His Majesty let them know that
he was really displeased, and that they
ought to wail and be sorry for it; for as
they had not attempted to fight with
those whom they pretended were so small
a number of light persons, they must have
winked at the matter; he therefore or-
dered them to repair to the Lord Chan-
cellor, who would give them an answer.
Upon which they retired deeply morti-
fied.
Being informed that the King was to
be at Westminster Hall on the 22d of
May, they resolved to repair thither,
which they did with the consent of Car-
dinal Wolsey Lord High Chancellor.
The King sat at the upper end of West-
minster Hall, under a cloth of state,
with the Cardinal and several of the no-
bility: and the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
Recorder, and several of the Common-
Council attended; the prisoners, who then
amounted to about 400, were brought
in their shirts bound together with
cords, and with halters about their necks,
and among these were eleven women.
The Cardinal, having sharply rebuked
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the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty
for their negligence, told the prisoners,
that, for their offences against the laws
of the realm, and against his Majesty's
crown and dignity, they had deserved
death; upon which they all set up a pi-
teous cry, of "Mercy, gracious Lord,
mercy!" which so moved the King, that,
at the earnest intreaty of the Lords, he
pronounced them pardoned; upon which
giving a great shout, they threw up their
halters towards the top of the hall, cry-
ing God save the King! After this affair
the May-games were not so commonly
used as before.
By the following account the reader
will see, that our hospitable ancestors were
not less fond of the pleasures of the table,
than of outward pomp. Mr. Stow ob-
serves, that in the year 1531, eleven
gentlemen of the law being promoted to
the dignity of the coif, they gave a splen-
did and elegant entertainment in the Bi-
shop of Ely's palace in Holborn, for five
days successively, at which were present
the King, Queen, foreign Ministers, the
Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the Judges,
the Master of the rolls, the Masters in
chancery, the Serjeants at law, the prin-
cipal Merchants of London, with many
Knights and Esquires, and a certain num-
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