nly, as pleased God Almighty, were
ready upon the heath, every man with their best weapons; so as by good
chance every householder being at home, Sunday morning, eager as lions,
made show almost even like to the number of the captains and all their
soldiers.... After the battle array [which was efficacious in staying
the conflict] Mr. Captain showed all gentleness and courtesy to the
Mayor, and came up to the town in friendship and amity."

Trained bands formed part of the equipment of a well-appointed mediaeval
town--a description to which, as we shall show, Liverpool possessed
exceptional claims. But the Crown did not benefit solely in this way.
The burgages erected numbered 168, each of which paid a ground rent of
one shilling per annum into the royal exchequer. The custom dues of the
Duchy of Lancaster were another source of profit, and retainers of the
King were occasionally quartered on them. Thus in 1372 one Rankyn, a
follower of John of Gaunt, was retained on condition that he "in time of
peace shall be at board at court ... and that he shall have and take for
the term of his life, in the whole, twenty-five marks sterling from the
farm of the town of Liverpool."

The object of all towns was to acquire the fullest measure of
self-government, and in this respect, despite probable exactions arising
from the system of fee-farm leases, Liverpool must be reckoned
extraordinarily fortunate. The term "commune" also--word of sinister
import since 1871, but used in mediaeval England in the innocuous sense
of "borough"--seems to have special point in reference to the trading
regulations of that ancient port, if compared with the greater
individualism of other places, though commercial transactions were
universally the subject of manifold restrictions designed to protect the
interests of the native against the intrusive and vexatious rivalry of
the foreigner. At Liverpool matters went far beyond that.

The Corporation itself for a long time farmed the custom dues, and also
levied tolls on, all merchandise that passed through the port. Much land
and other property belonged to it, as well as the ecclesiastical
patronage, which included the appointment and dismissal of incumbents,
wardens, and other church officers. The hanse, composed of the entire
body of freemen and burgesses, required that all produce, upon
importation, should be first offered to it, and it was then inspected by
"prizers" or appraisers, who gave an estim