nation for the second time. His first
coronation had taken place at Westminster (3 Sept., 1189,) soon after his
accession, and the citizens of London had duly performed a service at the
coronation banquet--a service which even in those days was recognised as an
"ancient service"--namely, that of assisting the chief butler, for which
the mayor was customarily presented with a gold cup and ewer. The citizens
of the rival city of Winchester performed on this occasion the lesser
service of attending to the viands.(169)

The second coronation taking place at Winchester and not at Westminster,
the burgesses of the former city put in a claim to the more honourable
service over the heads of the citizens of London, and the latter only
succeeded in establishing their superior claim by a judicious bribe of 200
marks.(170)

(M115)

Richard was ever in want of money, and cared little by what means it was
raised. He declared himself ready to sell London itself if a purchaser
could be found.(171) The tax of Danegelt, from which the citizens of
London had been specially exempted by charter of Henry I, and which had
ceased to be exacted under Henry II, mainly through the interposition of
Thomas of London, was practically revived under a new name. The charter
already mentioned as having been granted to the citizens by Richard after
his return from captivity was probably purchased, for one of the king's
regular methods of raising money was a lavish distribution of charters to
boroughs, not from any love he had for municipal government, but in order
to put money in his purse. As soon as Richard had collected all the money
he could raise in England, he again left the country, never to return.

(M116)

The pressure of taxation weighed heavily on the poor, and occasioned a
rising in the city under the leadership of William Fitz-Osbert. The cry
was that the rich were spared whilst the poor were called upon to pay
everything.(172) Accounts of the commotion differ according as the writer
favoured the autocratic or democratic side. One chronicler, for instance,
finds fault with Fitz-Osbert's personal appearance, imputing his
inordinate length of beard--he was known as "Longbeard"--to his desire for
conspicuousness, and declares him to have been actuated by base
motives.(173)

Others describe him as a wealthy citizen of the best family, and yet as
one who ever upheld the cause of the poor against the king's
extortions.(174) Whatever may hav