594 Constitutional History. [chap.
interests ; and all elections were to be made by a similar
assembly of representatives, twelve, eight, or six, from each
ward, specially summoned1. The deliberative council was thus
a standing body of citizens, the elective courts were composed
of persons summoned for the occasion. The qualification for
membership of the council, or for the electoral summons, was
simply freedom or citizenship, although that freedom may
already have been closely connected with guild-membership. The
Thetrading plan did not work well, and was superseded in 1375. The
nbtSn"χciu- governing body had summoned the representatives of the wards
the councils.11 to both councils and elections very much as they pleased : it
was now established that the common councilmen should be
nominated by the trading companies and not by the wards ;
and that the same persons so nominated, and none others, should
be summoned to both councils and elections2. The consider-
able body of citizens who were not members of the companies
were thus altogether excluded from municipal power, although
they retained the right of choosing their aidermen ; and to this
they were not disposed to submit.
Possible ΛVe can but regret that we have no information as to the part
without!- played by Philipot, Walworth and John of Northampton, in
caieιents. ∣pege c]ιanges ; we know however that political and party spirit
ran high during these years in London, and the history of John
of Gaunt, Wycliffe, and Wat Tyler, shows that the factions
were fairly balanced3. The history and fate of Nicholas
Brember, who forced himself into the mayoralty to further the
designs of Richard If and Michael de la Pole, assume the
importance of a constitutional episode.
Further In 1384 another change was made: the election of the
dιangeβ. deliberative council was given back to the wards, but the choice
of the electoral bodies was left to the companies4. From this
date the greater companies appear to engross the power thus
secured to the traders. In 1386 Nicholas Brember was elected
to the mayoralty ‘ by the strong hand of certain crafts,’ in
1 Norton, Commentaries, p. 114, quoting Liber F. ultimo fol. 5 b.
2 Norton, Commentaries, p. 115, quoting Liber Leg. fol. 25 b.
3 See above, vol. ii. p. 464.
f Norton, Commentaries, p. n6, quoting LiberH. fol. 173.
XXi.]
JLunieipal History.
595
opposition to the great body of the freemen. The mercers, Thestronger
. companies
cordwaιners, Iounders, saddlers, painters, armourers, em- and Nicholas
Broiderers, spurriers and bladesmiths, petitioned the king and
parliament against the violence with which the election had
been conducted, and alleged that the election of the mayor
ought to be ‘ in the freemen of the city by good and peaceable
advice of the wisest and truest.’ Brember was supported by
the grocers, who numbered at the time not less than sixteen
aidermen in their company1. His fall in 1388 probably
prevented any judicial proceedings which might have put a
stop to the usurpations of the greater companies. The growth Final victory
of their pretensions is however as yet unchronicled ; their final panics,
victory was gained in the reign of Edward IV.
One further change, and this nearly at the close of the period,
completes this curious chapter of history. Edward IV had
found good friends among the Londoners ; his father had
succeeded to the popularity of duke Humfrey, and Henry VI
had had none to lose. Edward too had the instincts of a
merchant, and sympathised, as much as he could sympathise
with anything, with the interests of trade. It is however
unnecessary to suppose that he had any personal share in the
alteration, which may have been desired simply in the interests
of order. The usage which had prevailed in the elections had
left the number of electors quite indeterminate ; it was
necessary, according to the idea of the time, that the number
should be fixed, and it was certainly inexpedient to leave the
mode of summons and the exercise of the right at the discretion
of the officials. In the seventh year of Edward IV it was Progress
enacted that the election of the mayor and sheriffs should be in Edward ɪv.
the common council, together with the masters and wardens
of the several mysteries ; in the fifteenth year of the same king
this body was widened by an act of the common council, who
directed that the masters and wardens should associate with
themselves the honest men of their mysteries, and come in their
last liveries to the election2. The discretionary power of the
1 Rot. Parl. iɪl. 225, 226.
a Norton, Commentaries, pp. 126, 127.
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