No. 17.

Letter from Henry VI to the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs of London touching the prevention of disturbance within the City. Dated Lichfield, 3 Sept., 35 Hen. VI [1456].

Letter Book K, fo. 287.

By the king.

Right trusty and trusty and welbeloved we doubt not but that it is in yo^r remembraunce what inconvenience have late fallen and more were likly to have falle if it had not myghtly have be resisted not oonly by suche as with multitude of people otherwise then that their power & degree wold have entred oure chambre and citee of London by what meanes it is not unknowen unto you, but also by thinsolence of evil disposed and mysgoverned people of our saide citee whereof as nowe ye have þe governaunce the which thing hath be to the breche of our peas and grete trouble of our people and whereof we have had cause to be gretely displeased. And we willyng to eschew all suche inconveniences from hensforward will and charge you straitely that considered that our saide citee is called and named oure chambre and so we holde it wherein shuld be rest and peas and the whiche ought to be of goode governaunce to ensample of all this oure Reaume that from hensforthward ye ne suffre any persone or persones of what estate degree or condicioun that he or they be of at any tyme to entre into oure saide cite and chambre but peasiblie and with moderate nombre of people according to his and their estate and degree. And also þat not onely aftre their entree into our saide citee and chambre ye have suche awaite & and [sic.] attendaunce that they ne make any assemblees nor gadringes of any suche evil disposed people as is abovesaide but also þat ye have suche awaite & attendaunce to oure saide citee and chambre þat by the people beyng in or resorting to o^r saide citee no gadringes nor assemblees be made the which in any wise may sowne or shuld be to þe breche of o^r peas or trouble of our people. And if any suche hap to be as god defend þat ye lette it as ye wol answere unto us at your perill. And furþermore we wolle and charge you on þe feith and ligeance that ye owe unto us þat ye kepe o^r saide citee in due obeisaunce unto us as ye ought to doo. And not to suffre any such multitude of people entre into our saide citee neiþer to be in þe same but as ye may be at alle tymes of power to suppresse them and to be governours for us of þe same as reason wille ye shuld. Yeven under our privee seal at Lychefeld the iij daye of Septembre the yeer of o^r regne xxxv^th [1456].