[1] [2] [3] The king about this season sent to the Londoners,The Londo|ners refuse to lend the king a thousand pounds. requesting to borrow of them the summe of one thousand pounds, which they vncourteouslie refused to lend: and moreouer they fell vpon an Italian or Lombard (as they termed him) whom they beat and néere hand slue: bicause he offered to lend the king that monie. Whereof when the king was aduertised, he was sore mooued against them, and calling togi|ther the most part of the péeres and noble men of his realme, declared vnto them the froward dealings of the Londoners, complaining sore of such their pre|sumption. The lords and great men, séeming not greatlie to fauour the Londoners, gaue counsell that the insolent pride of those presumptuous per|sons might with speed be repressed. The citizens of London in those daies (as should appeare) vsing their authoritie to the vttermost, had deuised and set foorth diuerse orders and constitutions to abridge the liber|tie of forreners that came to the citie to vtter their commodites. Religious men that wrote the dooings of that age, seemed also to find fault with them, for that they fauored Wicliffes opinions, & therefore did [page 478] charge them with infidelitie, and mainteining (I know not how) of Lollards & heretikes: but howso|euer the matter, went they fell at this present into the kings heauie displeasure.