8. And that the city liberties shall not be seized for a personal offence, or iniquitous judgment of any of its magistrates, &c.
By the second charter, Southwark is granted for the good and benefit of the citizens.
The same Prince, in the year 1354, granted the city the privilege of having gold or silver maces carried before the chief magistrate; a privilege then peculiar to London; for all other cities and towns in the kingdom were, by a royal precept, expresly commanded not to use maces of any other metal than copper; and this is the time when, it is supposed by some, that the title of Lord was first added to that of Mayor.
In the year 1348, the city was visited by a most terrible pestilence, which continued to rage till the church yards were found not capacious enough to receive the bodies. This induced several persons to purchase ground to supply that defect; and in one of these burying grounds, bought by Sir Walter Manny, were interred the next year 50,000 persons; an amazing number, considering the small extent of this metropolis at that time: by this dreadful 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 calamity, 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 dinner, 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, 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 archiepiscopal 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 accommodation. 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 that time belonged to the Lord High Treasurer; that edifice they also burnt, with all the records in Chancery, and the books and papers belonging to the students of the law; and all the inns of court they served in the same manner.
After this, dividing themselves into three bodies, one proceeded to the rich priory of St. John of Jerusalem, near Smithfield, which they likewise burnt; and then marching to the stately mansion house at Highbury, beyond Islington, set fire to that edifice, through hatred to Sir Robert Hales, the High Treasurer, who was prior of the one, and proprietor of the other.