king's return to England in March (1298), the warden of the
city, Sir John Breton, the aldermen, and a deputation from the wards met
together and resolved that every inhabitant of the city, citizen and
stranger, should pay to the king's collectors the sum of sixpence in the
pound of all their goods up to L100.(332) In the following month Edward
issued letters patent (11th April), restoring to the citizens their
franchises and the right of again electing their mayor.(333) The choice of
the citizens fell upon Henry le Waleys, who was duly admitted by the
Barons of the Exchequer after presentation to the king.(334)

(M210)

In the summer Edward marched to Scotland for the purpose of putting down
the rising under Wallace. An account of the battle of Falkirk, fought on
the 22nd July, was conveyed to the mayor, aldermen, and "barons" of
London, by letter from Walter Langton, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry,
or, as he was then styled, Bishop of Chester, who wrote as an eye-witness,
if not indeed as a partaker in that day's work.(335) It was the first
battle of any consequence in which the English long-bow was brought into
prominence. Edward's victory was complete. The enemy's loss was great, the
number that perished, according to the bishop's information, being two
hundred men-at-arms and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Edward was unable,
however, to follow up his success for want of supplies, and so retreated.
In 1304, he again marched northward, notwithstanding the defection of many
nobles. He had previously resorted once more to the questionable practice
of talliaging the city of London,(336) levying from the citizens the
fifteenth penny of their moveable goods and the tenth penny of their
rents.(337) The campaign was eminently successful. Sterling surrendered
after a siege of two months, and Wallace himself shortly afterwards fell
into his hands, having refused the terms of an amnesty which Edward had
generously offered.

(M211)

He was carried to London, where a crowd of men and women flocked out to
meet one, of whose gigantic stature and feats of strength they had heard
so much. He was lodged in the house of William de Leyre, an alderman of
the city, situate in the parish of All Hallows at the Hay or All Hallows
the Great. Having been tried at Westminster and condemned to death on
charges of treason, sacrilege and robbery, he was hanged, drawn, and
quartered, and his head set up on London Bridge.(338)

(M212)

No