1255-6
A.D. 1255. Sheriffs.: Matthew Bukerel,; John le Mynur,
This year, upon the Feast of Saint Eldreda [23 June] which was on a
Sunday, the sister of the King of Spain, wife of Sir Edward, eldest son
of his lordship the King, came to London, and a countless multitude of
Bishops, Earls, Barons, Knights, and citizens, went forth from the City
to meet her, as also his lordship the King, in person; the City of London
being most nobly tapestried and arrayed.
In this year, seeing that it is specified in the Charters as to the
Mayoralty, that the citizens may remove their Mayor at the end of the
year, and substitute another, or retain him, if they will, on condition that
he be presented to the King, Ralph Hardel was continued Mayor, and
did not even vacate the Mayoralty, as all the Mayors before had been
wont to do; and on the third day was presented to the King, sitting at
the Exchequer, and there admitted, not being sworn, but only charged
in accordance with the oath that he had made in the preceding year.
On the same day, the King took the City into his hand, because the
citizens, who had been repeatedly pressed for the (fn. 1) Queen's Gold, would
not agree to pay it; and so the City remained in the hands of the
Treasurer, to whom the King had entrusted it, until the Octaves of Saint
Martin [11 November]; on which day, by writ of his lordship the King,
the City was restored .to the citizens, in accordance with their request
made at Windlesore.
In the same year, upon the Feast of Saint Cecilia [22 November],
which was on a Monday, two-and-ninety Jews were brought to Westminster from Lincoln, and were imprisoned in the Tower of London, for
the death of a certain male child, whom they purposely slew at Lincoln, in
despite of the Christian faith. Eighteen of these, who, when the King
was at Lincoln, had declined to put themselves upon the verdict of
Christians, without Jews, as concerning that death, and had been then
indicted for the same before the King, were on the same day
drawn, and, after the hour of dinner, and towards the close of
the day, hanged. The other 74 were taken back to the Tower.
In the same year, Sir Edward, the King's eldest son, came to London
from Gascoigne, on the Vigil of Saint Andrew [30 November], the City
being handsomely hung with tapestry for the occasion. In this year, the
Queen, for a sum of 400 marks, remitted to the citizens of London all
claim which she had against them on account of her Gold; which Gold all
the other men of the realm were wont to pay upon fine made to his lordship the King. In the same year, the King of Scotland and his Queen,
daughter of the King of England, came into England, and, on the
Assumption of Saint Mary [15 August] were with his lordship the King
at Wudestok; upon which day, the said King held a great and most
noble Court, nearly all his Earls and Barons being present. After this,
on the Sunday before the Decollation of Saint John [29 August] the
King of Scotland and his Queen came to London, the City being
decorated and hung with tapestry.