Evil May-Day.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 12

Evil May-Day.

I By J. R. Hcnslowe. | © ©

When Jin Vin and Frank Tiinsta.ll | (vidn "The Fortunes of Nigel"), lounging nt their master's door, saw Richio Mouiplies wandering up tho street in the days of gentle King Jamie', tho "flat caps" were still n power in the good City of London; but they were scarcely tho turbulent community who brought disaster on themselves just u hundred years before. London was tho London of King Hal; : when Charing was a village; when tho Strand was a long array of stately dwellings fronting the broad river; when good Sir Thomas More uiused in the "pleached alleys" of his garden at "Cliel6cy," or talked therein of all heaven aud earth with Erasmus, or his best-loved daughter Margaret, long before that dark time when his wise and lioble head was to fall for Anne Botoyn's worthies; sake. Tho prentices and the fair maids of the wards went forth as was their wont to gather garlands for the great maypole set uji before tho south door of St. Andrew lindershaft; but a gloom hung over everything, and tho mirth was toreed. 11l this year, 1517, the eighth King Henry's reign, there was bitter jealousy of tho foreign artificers who dwelt in London, and, as her citizons believed, stole the bread out of their mouths; "a great heart-burning," as Holinshcd Ins it, "and malicious grudge." In truth, great numbers of "aliens" had pcltled in the city, and especially so many Flemings, that in a Sunday in Lont of this year no fewer than six hundred had assembled to shoot the popinjay, their national game; but their industry was too important to the realm to be interfered with by tho Government. A stututo passed about this time provided that tho London citizens bore greater charges for scot and lot, and paid a higher price for rent and provisions than any others in tho kingdom, while tho hated- aliens wnro exempt from the burdens of citizenship, such as "skavenship" or street-cleaning. It was said that one Williamson, an honest carpenter, buying two pigeons in Cheapsidc, a Frenchman- took tliem from his hands, saying "they were not meat for a carpenter," and many such talcs flew from mouth to mouth, till the discontent thus, kindled was : 'ready to blazo up into • a devouring flame. John Lincoln, a broker, camo in Easter week to Dr. Staudisli to preach tho Spital ■Sermon, bidding him therein convey tho wrath of the citizens against tlio foreigners. Standish wisely dcclmed, but Dr Bell consented, and mOrever read a "bill" furnished by Lincoln, setting forth theso grievances in no measured tonus. "No man," said he, "almost buyetli of an Englishman," and that, were it not for the Dutchmen who brought over wrought goods, "Englishmen might have some work aud living." On April 28 some young men of tho city provoked a quarrel with certain foreigners, for which the Mayor committed several to prison. A. rumour -now arose, and flew far and wide, that on May Day the people would rise. Orders, therefore, camo from Wolsey, as Chancellor, that in every ward no man should stir out of his house after seven -o'clock in the evening, but koep within, ho. and his, until nine tho next morning. | Now John Mundic, an alderman, coming from his ward at nine that spring evening, found two young men ill Chepo playing at "the bucklers" after immemorial custom. Greatly incensed, he coui--.manded them to desist, and on one of tho lads asking "Why?" ordered him into custody. ■; ' .- It needed but ■ a match to kindle tho smouldering tow. At once arose tho ominous cry of "Prentices and clubs!" and London was in an uproar. The terrified alderman fled, and by oleven o'clock . .seven hundred,-rioters,were;in Chepe, to . be joined by, th^ee ;i hun.dred more out of .' -St.- PduL's-.-Cliurcliyard."-r No .-one heeded Mayor Sheriffs, but at St. Martin's Gate Sir Thomas More and others met the mob, and would have reasoned with them, but a stone flung by one of them struck a sergeant-at-arms called Nicholas Dennis, who forthwith raised tho cry of "Down with them!" and all hope .of a peaceful solution was at an end. The excitcd orowd next tried to find Mewtas, a Pioard, who seems to have been specially odious to them, at his house at Greengato in Cornhill, but without 1 success. Thence, in Blanchapelton (now Wliifechapol), they destroyed several houses inhabited by alien shoemakers. On their Way back from these depredations, they wero encountered by forces led by tho : Lords Surrey and Shrewsbury, overpowered, and sent, Some to tho Compter, some to Newgate, and others to tho Tower, whence Sir Roger Cholmlie, the lieutenant, had already fired on them with cannon. On May 2 the rioters were indicted in Guildhall, and oleven pairs of gallows were set up, wher.etipon Lincoln and twelve others were executed as traitors; but the rest, being respited, were sent for by the King to Westminster Hall. Thither, bound with cords, and having halters round their nooks, went four hundred men and eleven women,' a forlorn band "pooro younglings" some of them, as the chronicler says with reason, since many were only thirteen years of age. ' Henry, whose temper was none of tho sweetest, appears to have rated these "yonge persones" soundly, and Wolsey gave them "a good exhortation," but tradition says that the King forgave tliem only on the intercession of Katherinc and her sister Queens, Margaret of Scotland and Mary of France, who besoujht pity on their knees. Be that as it may, the. hapless prentices were-pardoned, and ill their.joy, unawed by the presence they wero in, "shouted at once and altogether cast up their halters into the hall roof." It appears that others who had escaped imprisonment, hearing a pardon was likely, came well apparelled to the palace, ivherc, stripping to their shirts and wearing halters, they mingled with their companions, and so were received to the royal mercy. But the mirth of the Londoners was checked and sobered for many a long day. The great shaft lay for years unregarded over tho doors of Shaft Alley, and in the third year of F.dward VI a fnnatic preacher, having some reason to believo that it would be restored, delivered a violent sermon against the May Day Sports at Paul's Cross. His hearers, inflamed with zeal, took the maypole from its. Testing place of thirty-two. years, and sawed it asunder in many nieces. An abiding memorial of Evil Mav Day survives in the Tower, where the Rebus of Dr. Bell may still be seen on the wall of his prison where he carved it — The "Treasury."