Men told the time by sundials, some of which were
portable and could be carried in one's pocket. London could defend
itself, and a ringing of the bell of St. Paul's Church could shut
every shop and fill the streets with armed horsemen and soldiers
led by a soldier portreeve. Across the Thames from London on its
south side was Southwark, a small trading and fishing settlement.
The Conquerer did not interfere with landholding in London, but
recognized its independence as a borough in this writ: "William
the King greets William, Bishop of London, and Gosfrith the
portreeve, and all the burgesses [citizens] of London friendly.
Know that I will that you be worthy of all the laws you were
worthy of in the time of King Edward. And I will that every child
shall be his father's heir after his father's day. And I will not
suffer any man to do you wrong. God preserve you." The Norman word
"mayor" replaced "portreeve".
So London was not subjected to the Norman feudal system. It had
neither villeins nor slaves. Whenever Kings asserted authority
over it, the citizens reacted until the king "granted" a charter
reaffirming the freedoms of the city and its independence.
Under pressure from the ecclesiastical judges, the Conquerer
replaced the death penalty by that of the mutilation of blinding,
chopping off hands, and castrating offenders. Castration was the
punishment for rape.
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