And surely the good men of London might well
have done this at their ease, for they had in their houses secretly
their friends and servants ready in harness, and also sir Robert
Knolles was in his lodging keeping his treasure with a sixscore ready
at his commandment; in like wise was sir Perducas d'Albret, who was as
then in London, insomuch that there might well (have) assembled
together an eight thousand men ready in harness. Howbeit, there was
nothing done, for the residue of the commons of the city were sore
doubted, lest they should rise also, and the commons before were a
threescore thousand or more. Then the earl of Salisbury and the wise
men about the king said: 'Sir, if ye can appease them with fairness,
it were best and most profitable, and to grant them everything that
they desire, for if we should begin a thing the which we could not
achieve, we should never recover it again, but we and our heirs ever
to be disinherited,' So this counsel was taken and the mayor
countermanded, and so commanded that he should not stir; and he did as
he was commanded, as reason was.
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