l was set to the letters patent.(373)
They did not mind this so much as they did the annoyance caused by the
king's justiciars eighteen months later.

(M226)

Early in 1321 commenced a memorable Iter at the Tower which lasted
twenty-four weeks and three days. No such Iter had been held before,
although the last Iter held in 1275 had been a remarkable one for the
courageous conduct of Gregory de Rokesle, the mayor. This was to surpass
every other session of Pleas of the Crown in its powers of inquisition,
and was destined to draw off many a would-be loyal citizen from the king's
side. Its professed object was to examine into unlawful "colligations,
confederations, and conventions by oaths," which were known (or supposed)
to have been formed in the city.(374) The following particulars of its
proceedings are gathered from an account preserved in the city's records
and supervised, if not compiled, by Andrew Horn, the city's Chamberlain,
an able lawyer who was employed as Counsel for the city during at least a
portion of the Iter.(375) The annoyance caused by this Iter, the general
stoppage of trade and commerce, the hindrance of municipal business, is
realised when we consider that for six months not only the mayor, sheriffs
and aldermen for the time being, but everyone who had filled any office in
the city since the holding of the last Iter--a period of nearly half a
century--as well as twelve representatives from each ward, were called upon
to be in constant attendance. All charters were to be produced, and
persons who had grievances of any kind were invited to appear. Great
commotion prevailed among the citizens upon receiving the king's writ, and
they at once addressed themselves to examining the procedure followed at
former Iters. It is probable, as Mr. Riley suggests, that for this purpose
they had resort to the "Ordinances of the Iter" already mentioned as set
out in the city's Liber Albus.(376) When the dreaded day arrived and the
justiciars had taken their seat at the Tower, the mayor and aldermen, who,
according to custom, as already seen in Rokesley's day, were assembled at
the church of All Hallows Barking, sent a deputation to welcome them, and
to make a formal request for a safe conduct to the citizens on entering
the Tower. This favour being granted, the king's commission was read.

(M227)

The opening of the Iter did not augur well for the city. Fault was found,
at the outset, by Geoffrey le Scrop, the ki