nown, these five lords--who, from having been associated in
appealing against Richard's counsellors, were styled "appellant"--hastened
to London, and drawing up their forces outside the city's walls, demanded
admittance. After some little hesitation, the mayor determined to admit
them, defending his action to the king by declaring that they were his
true liege men and friends of the realm.(692)

(M372)

On the 18th January, 1388, the lords appeared at the Guildhall,
accompanied by the Archbishop, the Bishops of Ely, Hereford, Exeter, and
others. The Archbishop absolved the citizens of their oaths of allegiance,
whilst the Bishop of Ely, the lord treasurer, deprecated any remarks made
to the disparagement of the lords. The lords and the bishops had been
indicted on an iniquitous charge, and there were some among the citizens
who had been similarly indicted, but whether justly or unjustly he (the
bishop) could not say. That would be decided by parliament. In the
meantime they were ready to assist in settling the trade disputes in the
city, for it was absurd for one body of the citizens to attempt to
exterminate another. The citizens, however, showed no desire to accept the
proffered mediation.(693)

(M373)

When parliament met (3 Feb.), a formidable indictment of thirty-nine
charges was laid against the king's late advisers, of whom Brembre alone
appeared. On the 17th February, he was brought up by the constable of the
Tower, and was called on to answer off-hand the several charges of treason
alleged against him. He prayed for time to take counsel's advice. This
being refused, he claimed to support his cause by wager of battle, and
immediately the whole company of lords, knights, esquires, and commons,
flung down their gages so thick, we are told, that they "seemed like snow
on a winter's day."(694) But the lords declared that wager by battle did
not lie in such a case. When the trial was resumed on the following day,
so much opposition arose between the king, who spoke strongly in Brembre's
favour, and the lords, that it was decided to leave the question of the
prisoner's guilt or innocence to a commission of lords, who, to the
surprise and annoyance of the majority of the nobles, brought in a verdict
of not guilty. Brembre was not to be allowed thus to escape. The lords
sent for two representatives of the various crafts of the city to depose
as to Brembre's guilt; but even so, the lords failed to get any definite
ve