[132] For instance, one of the twelve whose names are handed down in the mayor-lists as winners of the freedom of the city was Walter Whitweb. He was master of the guild merchant in 1353 (Corp. MS. C. 148). Four of the twelve served afterwards as mayor, some others as bailiffs of the city. We may note that the leading families under the prior still continue to take the foremost place after the incorporation. Thus to Lawrence de Shepey, member of Edward I.'s assembly of merchants (Parl. Writs, i. 135), and in 1300 member for the borough (Ib., I. lii.), succeeded Jordan de Shepey whose name is yet commemorated in Jordan Well, second mayor of the city and first master of the guild merchant (Gross, ii. 49). A parallel case is shown in the Kelle family. Robert was burgess in 1298 (Parl. Writs, I. lii.), and Henry one of the founders of the Trinity guild in 1364, and four times mayor of the city.
[133] On the solemn consultations thus involved in the case of Ipswich, see Gross, Gild Merchant, i. 23.
[134] On the troubles attending the grant of a charter to Norwich in 1380, where the commonalty were "very contrarious," see Hudson, op. cit., I. liv. sqq.
[135] Bateson, op. cit., II, lxvi.
[136] Charter 17 Jas. I. On the corruption of the Coventry corporation, see Munic. Corp. Report (Coventry, 1835) 12; Webb, Local Government.
[137] Coventry Leet Book, 1420-1555, edited for the Early English Text Society by the present writer; part i. 1907, part ii. 1908, part iii. 1909, part iv. in progress.
[138] The mayor, recorder, and four lawful men of the city are allowed to exercise all that appertains to the office of justice of the peace for labourers and artificers in the county of Warwick, i.e. fix the rate of wages (Charter 22 Rich. II. Burton MS. f. 253). For a trial of felons by the justices of the peace, see Sharp, Antiq., 212.
[139] Hearnshaw, Leet Jurisdiction, passim.
[140] Leet Book, 420.
[141] Leet Book, 59.