ested with a band of pirates, who, having already
made a successful descent upon Scarborough, were now seeking fresh
adventures. Philipot fitted out a fleet at his own expense, and putting to
sea succeeded in capturing the ringleader,(628) a feat which rendered him
so popular as to excite the jealousy of the Duke of Lancaster and other
nobles. His fellow citizens showed their appreciation of his character by
electing him to succeed Brembre in the mayoralty in October (1378).(629)

(M340)

The citizens were, however, split up into factions, one party, with
Philipot and Brembre at his head, maintaining a stubborn opposition to
Lancaster, whilst another, under the leadership of Walworth and John de
Northampton, favoured the duke. These factions were continually plotting
and counter-plotting one against the other. At Gloucester, to which the
duke had brought the parliament in 1378, in the hope of escaping from the
interference of the "ribald" Londoners,(630) Brembre was arraigned on a
charge of having connived during his recent mayoralty at an attack made on
the house of the duke's younger brother, Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of
Buckingham, and although he succeeded in proving his innocence, the earl
and his party continued to use threats, and Brembre, in order to smooth
matters over, consented to be mulcted in 100 marks. When the matter was
reported to the Common Council at home (25 Nov.), that body not only
signified its approval of his conduct--"knowing for certain that it was for
no demerits of his own, but for the preservation of the liberties of the
city, and for the extreme love which he bore it, that he had undergone
such labours and expenses,"--but recouped him what he had disbursed.(631)

(M341)

In course of time the earl and his followers succeeded in persecuting
Brembre to a disgraceful death. At present they contented themselves with
damaging the trade of the city, so far as they could, by leaving the city
_en masse_ and withdrawing their custom. The result was so disastrous to
the citizens, more especially to the hostel keepers and victuallers, that
the civic authorities resolved to win the nobles back to the city by
wholesale bribery, and, as the city's "chamber" was empty, a subscription
list was set on foot to raise a fund for the purpose. Philipot, the mayor,
headed the list with L10, a sum just double that of any other subscriber.
Six others, among them being Brembre (the earl's particular enemy) and
Wa