All taverns had to be closed, all lights put
out, and all fires banked or covered when the bell of the church
of St. Martin le Grand rang at 9:00 pm. Anyone found on the
streets after this curfew could be arrested. Gangs of young nobles
or gangs of thieves, cutpurses, and looters roamed the streets
after dark and sometimes rioted. Offenders were often beheaded and
their heads placed on spikes on London Bridge.
Men in London had begun weaving cloth, which formerly had been
done by women. Some of the cloth was exported. The weavers guild
of London received a charter by the King in 1155, the first
granted to any London craft: "Know that I have conceded to the
Weavers of London to hold their guild in London with all the
liberties and customs which they had in the time of King Henry
[I], my grandfather; and that none may intermeddle with the craft
within the city, nor in Southwark, nor in other places pertaining
to London except through them and except he be in their guild,
otherwise than was accustomed to be done in the time of King
Henry, my grandfather ...So that each year they render thence to
me two marks [26s.8d.] of gold at the feast of St. Michael. And I
forbid that any shall do injury or contumely to them on this
account under penalty of 10 pounds [200s.]. Witness T[homas],
Chancellor, and Warinus, son of Gerard, Chamberlain, at
Winchester." The liberties obtained were: 1) The weavers may elect
bailiffs to supervise the work of the craft, to punish defaulters,
and to collect the ferm [amount owed to the King].
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