By this charter the citizens were allowed the privilege of not being compelled to plead without the walls of the city, and excused from paying scot, lot, and danegelt, duties payable to the King by all his other subjects. The city was not to be amerced for the escape of a murderer; nor any citizen, when accused of a crime, be obliged to vindicate his innocence by a duel. They were exempted from paying toll in fairs or markets in any part of the kingdom; and if any was exacted, they might make reprisals in London, upon the inhabitants of the town where it was exacted, &c.
Before the grant of this charter, London seems to have been entirely subject to the arbitrary will of the King. But the liberties of the citizens being now guarded by so strong a fence, they endeavoured to secure their customs by converting them into written laws; and the several bodies professing the arts and mysteries of trade and manufacture, which had hitherto been kept up by prescription only, were now strengthened by being formed into established companies. The King however reserved to himself the power of appointing the Portreve, or chief officer of the city.
Upon the death of Henry I. the citizens assisted King Stephen in his endeavours 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 purchased 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 Henry 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 Judiciary of the city and county, so that no person could hold pleas in either, without his permission. This compact was executed with the greatest solemnity; and thus the citizens were divested of some of their most valuable privileges.
The citizens soon after humbly entreated Matilda to re-establish the laws of King Edward the Confessor, which had been confirmed to them by the Conqueror’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 concluded 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 Stephen was restored, and she compelled to fly the kingdom.
King Henry II. some years after, granted 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 Coeur de Lyon, was remarkable for the dreadful massacre of the Jews in this city. Intimation was given to that people not to appear at the ceremony; but many endeavouring to satisfy their curiosity, by carrying presents to the King, attempted to get into the abbey church of St. Peter’s Westminster: but being repulsed by his Majesty’s domestics, a rumour spread among the populace, that the King had given orders for the entire destruction of that people. Upon which the mob, barbarously falling upon these poor defenceless wretches, murdered all who fell in their way, and then hastening to the city, with a more than diabolical fury massacred all they could find, and then plundered and burnt their houses. However, the next day, the wicked ringleaders of these horrid barbarities were seized, and immediately hanged.
In the year 1197, the citizens purchased of King Richard a charter, for 15,000 marks, by which they were impowered to remove all wears out of the river Thames, and the King resigned all his right to the annual duties arising from them. This is the first charter from which the city claims its jurisdiction and conservacy of that river.
In the next reign the citizens obtained several charters from King John, by which this and all their other privileges were confirmed: and in the year 1207, Henry Fitz-Alwyn took the title of Mayor, instead of Custos and Bailiff, under which names he had held that dignity for twenty years successively.