wer being given unanimously
in the affirmative, he at once took steps to obtain the king's writ of
confirmation, and caused them to be proclaimed throughout the city. He
made a perambulation of the city and abated all nuisances and
encroachments. He went further than this. For some time past the streets
had been rendered unsafe to pass after dark by bands of rioters who at
that day were known by the _sobriquet_ of "roreres." A few years later,
the same class went under the name of "riffleres." They were the
precursors of the "Muns," the "Tityre Tus," the "Hectors," and the
"Scourers,"--dynasties of tyrants, as Macaulay styles them, which
domineered over the streets of London, soon after the Restoration, and at
a later period were superseded by the "Nickers," the "Hawcubites," and the
still more dreaded "Mohawks," of Queen Anne's reign. By whatever name they
happened at the time to be known, their practice was the same,
viz.:--assault and robbery of peaceful citizens whose business or pleasure
carried them abroad after sundown.

During Refham's mayoralty, a raid was made on all common nightwalkers,
"bruisers" (_pugnatores_), common "roreres," _wagabunds_ and others, and
many were committed to prison, to the great relief of the more peaceably
disposed.(351)

His strictness and impartiality were such as to raise up enemies, and an
excuse was found for removing him not only from the office of mayor, but
once again from his aldermanry.(352) On this point, however, the city
archives are altogether silent, they only record the appointment of his
successor to the mayoralty chair at the usual time and in the usual
manner.

(M219)

In January, 1312, the king returned to the north, and as soon as he had
arrived at York ignored the ordinance touching Gaveston, and instead of
sending his favourite into exile, received him into favour and restored
his forfeited estates. Foreseeing the storm that he would have to meet
from the barons, the king wrote from Knaresborough (9th Jan.) to Refham's
successor, John de Gisors, enjoining him to put the city into a state of
defence, and not allow armed men to enter on any pretext whatever.(353) On
the 21st he wrote again, not only to the mayor, but to nineteen leading
men of the city, exhorting them to hold the city for him.(354) Other
letters followed in quick succession--on the 24th and 31st January and the
8th February--all couched in similar terms.(355) When, however, he saw how
hopeless