s appellant, who were now complete masters of the situation,
insisted upon the proceedings of this "merciless" parliament, as its
opponents called it, being ratified by oath administered to prelates,
knights, and nobles of the realm, as well as to the mayor, aldermen, and
chief burgesses of every town. On the 4th June--the day parliament rose--a
writ was issued in Richard's name, enjoining the administration of this
oath to those aldermen and citizens of London who had not been present in
parliament when the oath was administered there.(699)

(M378)

In the meantime the continued jealousy existing among the city guilds--the
Mercers, Goldsmiths, Drapers, and others, objecting to Fishmongers and
Vintners taking any part in the government of the city on the ground that
they were victuallers, and as such forbidden by an ordinance passed when
Northampton was mayor to hold any municipal office(700)--had led parliament
(14 May) to proclaim free trade throughout the kingdom.(701) A party in
the city tried to get parliament to remove Exton from the mayoralty on the
ground of his having connived at the curtailment of the City's liberties
and franchises. The attempt, however, failed, and he remained in office
until succeeded by Nicholas Twyford (Oct., 1388).(702) Although Twyford
belonged to the party of Northampton as distinguished from that of Brembre
and Exton, his election raised little or no opposition, such as had been
anticipated. When he went out of office in October, 1389, however, party
strife in the city again showed itself. The majority of the citizens voted
William Venour, a grocer, into the mayoralty, but the choice was strongly
opposed by the Goldsmiths, the Mercers, and the Drapers, who ran another
candidate, one of their own body, Adam Bamme, a goldsmith.(703)

(M379)

Some months before the close of Twyford's mayoralty, Richard had succeeded
in gaining his independence (May, 1389), which he was induced by
Lancaster, on his return after a prolonged absence abroad, to exercise at
length in favour of Northampton, by permitting him once more to return to
London, although only as a stranger.(704) This was in July. In December,
letters patent granting him a free pardon were issued, containing no such
restriction.(705) His re-appearance in the streets of the city revived the
old party spirit, and Adam Bamme, who had succeeded Venour in the
mayoralty, found it expedient to forbid all discussion of the rights and
the w