Mercers of London. Council. The mercers of London make various accusations of intimidation,...

Petitioners

Mercers of London.

Addressees

Council.

Nature of request

The mercers of London make various accusations of intimidation, corruption, misgovernment, and usurpation of royal power, against Nicholas Brembre, formerly Mayor of London, and his officials, and against Nicholas Exton, the current Mayor; and they state that more could be said before an impartial judge and mayor. They request that the crimes of which Nicholas Brembre has accused them be tried by an impartial judge. They also ask the lords to make their complaints and their loyalty known to the king; request that if any of them, individually or collectively, are accused by anyone, they may be allowed to exonerate themselves; and request that the statute made in the parliament held at Westminster in the sixth year of the king's reign - which forbids victuallers from holding office in cities, boroughs, towns and ports, unless there is no other sufficient person, and then only if they cease to be victuallers while in office - might be in force and put into execution in London as elsewhere.

Nature of endorsement

[None].

Places mentioned

London.

People mentioned

Nicholas Brembre, Mayor of London

John Northampton, Mayor of London

Nicholas Exton, Mayor of London.

A similar petition from the painters is SC 8/21/1004

A similar petition from the cordwainers is SC 8/20/998

A similar petition from the cutlers, bowyers, fletchers, spurriers and bladesmiths is SC 8/21/1006

A similar petition from the goldsmiths is SC 8/198/9882

A similar petition from the armourers is SC 8/21/1005

A similar petition from another guild is SC 8/199/9925

A similar petition from the leathersellers and white tawyers is SC 8/21/1001B

A similar petition from the pinners is SC 8/21/1003

A similar petition from the founders is SC 8/21/1002

A similar petition from the embroiderers is SC 8/20/1000

A similar petition from the saddlers is SC 8/20/999

• A Book of London English, 1384-1425, Ed. R.W. Chambers and M. Daunt, (Clarendon Press, 1931), pp.33-7 (full edition of petition)
• An Anthology of Chancery English, Ed. J.H. Fisher, M. Richardson and J.L. Fisher, (University of Tennessee, 1984), pp.194-197 (no.161) (full edition of petition, omitting Latin lines at end)
• Rotuli Parliamentorum; ut et Petitiones, et Placita in Parliamento, vol. III, Ric II and Hen IV, (Record Commission, 1783), pp.225a-226a (no.1) (full edition of original petition) & pp.229a-238b (record of judicial process against Nicholas Brembre and others on roll of parliament)