d been recognised. For the Thursday of Ascension Day, for the Friday
and Saturday following, it remained there guarded by certain of the
clergy and by many pious citizens. Each day it was solemnly visited by
a procession from the Cathedral, accompanied by a sympathising crowd
that daily grew larger and more vehement. By the Sunday morning the
Baillage gave in, and the canons released the prisoner with a ceremony
that was more than usually impressive after the opposition that had
preceded it.

Such quarrels were the more probable just now, because the
ecclesiastics were thus tenacious of their "privilege" just when the
infant commune was beginning to feel its strength, when commerce was
becoming regular, and even a town militia makes its appearance; for
the "Compagnie de la Cinquantaine," sometimes called the Arbaletriers,
were able to trace back their foundations to 1204, when an inquiry was
held and their privileges confirmed more than five hundred and fifty
years afterwards. The commune itself was also fully approved by Philip
Augustus, who confirmed its possession of certain common lands in the
suburbs which had been granted by Duke Richard. By the same date the
"bourgeois" or sworn freemen were exercising the free choice of their
twelve councillors and twelve aldermen, and sent up to the King from
among them three candidates out of whom His Majesty selected the Mayor
of Rouen; and this civic constitution lasted until 1320. It was
revised by St. Louis, in 1255, and the same king reformed the civic
expenditure by establishing the Chambre des Comptes which held its
sittings in later centuries in the Renaissance building north-west of
the Cathedral. In 1220 the commune obtained from the King for an
annual rent of 40 livres, the house and land of the Earl of Leicester
close to the Porte Massacre, and the Church of Notre Dame de la Ronde,
and there they built the Belfry Tower and the Hotel de Ville, which
lasted until 1449 and is still represented by the buildings in the Rue
de la Grosse Horloge above the famous archway near the Hotel de Nord.

This fief of the Earl of Leicester was but one of the many
acquisitions by which Philip Augustus gradually bought out the feudal
barons and made sure of Normandy. Other property of the Montforts, and
of William the Marshal[25] are examples. And if the King allowed his
burgesses their Hotel de Ville, we may be sure he destroyed the
castles of the barons whenever it was possible. Ev