been the actual owner of Baynard Castle.

This has an important bearing on the reality of the dual or reciprocal
obligations, which were apparently embodied in a compact between the
Mayor and Citizens of London on the one part, and their military chief
or champion on the other. Thus it will be necessary to glance at the
personal history of the elder Robert Fitzwalter, on which something has
been already said. According to the Chronicle of Dunmow and other early
records, the principal reason of Fitzwalter's insatiable hatred of King
John was that the monarch had attempted the chastity of Matilda,
Robert's fair daughter, who, by the way, is identified by Anthony Munday
and other Elizabethan playwrights with the Maid Marian of Robin Hood.
Dugdale is disposed to accept this story; but, granting that it is true,
it hardly suffices to explain Fitzwalter's pre-eminence in the forces of
the rebellious Barons. This seems to have been due to his influence with
the wealthy citizens of London, who were among the staunchest opponents
of the astute and tyrannous sovereign. On May 24, 1215--the Sunday next
before Ascension Day, when many of the inhabitants would have been in
attendance on Divine service--the army of the Barons, marching from
Ware, were permitted to enter the City, unopposed, through the gate of
Aldgate. Fitzwalter's position as Castellan, and his connexion with the
Priory of Holy Trinity at Aldgate, furnish an easy and natural
explanation of this proceeding. In 1217 the citizens of London raised a
force of 20,000 men for the assistance of the Dauphin of France against
King Henry and his guardian William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, and
Robert Fitzwalter acted as commander. He died in 1234, and was buried
before the high altar in the church of Dunmow Priory.

In the description of the banner delivered to Fitzwalter by the Mayor we
have the earliest mention of the assumption of any sort of arms by the
City of London. It may be noted that the sword is stated by some
heraldic authorities to have been argent, whilst by others this detail
is omitted. In Saxon times York also had its standard-bearer. The "Great
Gate" of St. Paul's was probably the Northern Gate.

Still keeping to the military aspects of the subject--at the
commencement of the fourteenth century there was at the west end of St.
Paul's Cathedral a waste piece of ground, which was the property of the
City; and here it was the custom for the citizens to make a mu