Matt. Paris.
Matth. West.
A bell-wedder some saie.
This yeare also was the building of the stéeple belonging to the church of S. Paule in London finished. And this yeare also vpon saint James day the citizens of London kept a plaie of defense and wrestling at the hospitall of saint James, against other their neighbours of the suburbes, and the quarters next adioining. In the end whereof it so fortuned, that the Londoners had the vpper hand: and amongst other that were put to the foile, the steward of the abbat of Westminster with his folkes went awaie with the worst, to their great gréefe. Wherevpon the same steward deuised an other game of wrestling to be holden at Westminster on Lammas day next following, and that whosoeuer could get the vpper hand there, should haue a ram for the price, which the steward had prepared.
A riot committed vnder pretense of wrestling.
Robert Serle maior of London.
Constantine, a citizen of London procureth the citizens to reuenge their cause by waie of rebellion.
Matth. Paris.
At the day appointed, there was a great assemblie, and the steward had got togither out of all parts the best wrestlers that might be heard of, so that there was hard hold betwixt them and the Londoners. But finallie, the steward vpon desire of reuenge, procured them to fall togither by the eares without any iust cause, so that the Londoners were beaten and wounded, and constreined to flée backe to the citie in great disorder. The citizens sore offended to sée their people so misused, rose in tumult, and rang the common bell to gather the more companie to them. Robert Serle maior of the citie would haue pacified the matter, persuading them to let the iniurie passe, till by orderlie plaint they might get redresse, as law and iustice should assigne. But a certeine stout man of the citie named Constantine Fitz Arnulfe, of good authoritie amongst them, aduised the multitude not to harken vnto peace, but to séeke reuenge out of hand (wherein he shewed himselfe so farre from true manhood, that he bewraied himselfe rather to haue had a womans heart,
----quòd vindicta
Nemo magis gaudet quàm fœmina)