other mayre of oure seid Cite of sad discrete and sobre disposic'on in the place of the seid John accordynge to oure seid former writynge or els that xii or viii of you atte the leste for and in the name of you all appeare before us and the Lords of oure Counsaile atte oure palois of Westmynstre in the Ocptes + of Michelmasse next co'mynge to shewe the cause whi ye have not performed oure seid desire and co'maundement and to answere to suche thyngs concernynge the same as then shalbe laied and obiected ayenste you. And that ye faile nat herof as ye woll aboide the lawfull perill that of the contrary may ensuc Yeuen undre oure signette atte oure seid palois the xxiii day of Septembre.

"To oure trusty and welbeloved the Citezens and Co'mons of the Cite of Newe Salisbury."

The foregoing letter was dated on the 23d of September. It was, probably, delayed some short time, before it was forwarded, in the vain expectation, that Edward, the Fourth, would even yet receive tidings, that the tardy Citizens of Salisbury had elected "an nother mayre of sad sobre and discrete disposic'on;" but no!such tidings of obedience to his determined will did still not reach him; the letter of the Crown was then forwarded, not by post, but, as we may well presume, by an express messenger, who was yet somewhat longer impeded from the then bad state of the roads. By the arrival of the messenger it was plainly proved, that the potent Sovereign did neither sleep, nor slumber, and revived consternation ran throughout the City. The messenger, probably arrived on Saturday the 10th of October, as a Convocation seems to have been hastily held on the Sunday after the Feast of St. Michael; and we may rest assured, that nought but the most pressing

⚫ least.

+ Octaves of Mich. 8 days from the 10th Oct. inclusive.

exigency would have induced the good people of Salisbury to have held a public meeting on the Sabbath Day. The vital interests of the City appeared at stake; and they, doubtlessly, feared further, and impending, danger to their respected fellow-citizen, John Halle, if they longer disregarded this second letter of their Sovereign. The minute of the Convocation, as it stands in the Leger of the City, is, (in modern language,) as follows:

"At a convocation held on the Sunday next after the feast of St. Michael, in the 5th of Edward, the Fourth, before William Wotton, lieutenant of the office of the Mayoralty of the City of New Sarum, in the absence of John Halle, Mayor of the same City. It is agreed that William Wotton, William Hore the elder, John Wyse, draper, John Hylle, William Shyrwode, Guy Rutter, Nichs. Mason, brewer, William Pole, taverner, and Thomas Loker, in the place and name of all the Citizens of the City aforesaid, by virtue and authority of Letters Patent under the Common Seal then and there publicly sealed, should certify to our Lord the King the cause or causes why they cannot proceed to the election of a Mayor in the room and place of John Halle."

The Corporate Body then assembled, justly dismayed by this renewed application from their powerful, and energetic, Monarch, unanimously resolved, that the following address should be presented to him :

High and myghty and moste Christian prince oure all moste doubted liege Lord Willm Wotton lieutenant and depute of th'office of Mayraltie of the Cite of Newe Sarum in the absence of John Halle mayre of the seid Cite Citezens and Com'ons of the Cite aforeseid notifie to youre highnesse that where nowe late it pleased youre highnesse to addresse

• locum tenens.

youre honorable L'res of privic signet unto us youre seid Citezens and Com'ons by the whiche we andrestonde that for certayne causes and considerac'ons movynge youre highnesse the seid John Halle is com'ytted to warde-and also that we shulde applie and dispose us to an election of a nother mayre of sadde discrete rule and good disposicion in the rome and place of the seid John-and also it sithen hath liked yor. highnesse to addresse youre other L'res undre youre privie signette to us yor. trewe oratours undre the name of Burgeses and Inhabitaunts of the seid Cite Willynge and chargynge us by vertu of the same fully to applie and dispose us to procede to the seid ellecion accordynge to yor. seid former writynge or els that xii or viii of us atte the leste for and in the name of us all shulde appere before youre highnesse and the lordes of yor. noble Counseyll atte yor. palays of Westmynstre in the Ocptast of Mychelmasse next com'ynge to shewe the cause whye we have natte performed yor. seid desire and com'aundement as in yor. seid L'res to yor. highnesse more playnly it may appere. Besechynge yor, highnesse of yor. moste noble and habundaunt grace as humble and as lowly as any pore trewe ligemen may their lige lorde to amytte before youre moste notable persone and youre lordes of youre Counseyll Will'm Wotton Will'm Hore th❜elder John Wyse draper John Hylle Will'm Shyrwode Guydo Rutter Nicholas Mason Will'm Pole and Thomas Loker Citezens and Inhabitaunts of the seid Cite whiche be chosen and assigned in the name of us all Citezens of ye seid Cite yevynge thaym full power and auctorite by thes oure writynge sealed undre the common seale of the scid Cite to utter and declare to youre highnesse the causes why we proceded nat to th'elleccion of a newe maire to occupie in the rome and place of the seid John Halle accordynge to yor. seid writynge and com'aundement and we shall pray to God for you."

It may be remembered, that, in his second letter, the displeased Monarch desired the Citizens of Salisbury, "in all possible haste," to proceed to the election of another mayor, or else that xii, or viii, of them at the least should attend + giving.

since.

+ octaves.

TT

before him, and his Council, at his "palois of Westmynstre," and render reason, wherefore they had not duly obeyed the injunction of his letter. He thus proffered them an alternative; and they, as it has been seen, immediately convened a general meeting to consult on the most prudent measures to adopt-the result of which was, gentle reader, the address, which you have just perused; and this, you may rest assured, was committed to the trust of the royal messenger; who, of course, hastened his return to the metropolis on the following day.

We cannot doubt, that the Citizens of Salisbury, tremblingly alive to the anxious situation of the City, and themselves—ardently desirous to see their beloved, but incarcerated, friend, were ready-most ready-to appear before their august Sovereign, and his Council; but it does seem, that, their humble address having reached the hands of their Royal Master by the return of his messenger, his heart was softened thereby; and, desirous to prove to them the moderation of his measures, he again, in haste, despatched his faithful, and speedy, courier to his goodlie Citie of Salisbury with a renewed epistle, postponing their meditated journey until the sixth of the following month of November; and, instead of then demanding the attendance of xii or viii of the Citizens, he courteously reduces the number to that of iiii, or vi; and, by this postponement, he considerately gave to the City a further locus penitentiæ -he yielded them still the power of adopting, as in his opinion, the better alternative of his

proposal--by choosing to themselves, in the interim, another mayor in lieu of the contumacious John Halle. Edward, the Fourth, was evidently moved by the humility of the good people of Salisbury-his messenger, I ween, related to him the general gloom-the heartfelt sorrow, and consternation, which prevailed. He possessed the fury of the tiger against those, by whom he was opposed, but he was swayed by lamb-like feelings in favour of those, who yielded obedience, and bent their necks, to his yoke.

Edward, the Fourth, was "a marchant," and so was the worthy John Halle, and their ships, had, in all probability, often plowed the main in company. I am sure, that he was actuated neither by vindictive, nor by supercilious, feelings against him; yet did he esteem it a duty, which he owed to himself, and his realm, by way of example, to commit, temporarily, the intrepid John Halle to durance vile. This potent Sovereign was naturally of good temper, and a man of infinite jest withal-a great lover of fun; (see the ballad of " Edward IV., and the Tanner of Tamworth," in Percy's "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," Vol. II. p. 83;) and, I trow, he well enjoyed the encagement of the civic mayre—the captivitie of his brothere marchant ; yet, tempering justice with mercy-content with proving his power, and determination, I should not wonder, if he daily sent his captive-a dinner of the best, that his royal table could supply, and if he, in his gallantry, graciously condescended by letter, under his own hand and seal, to assure