s and tenements in the city,
and their consent would first have to be obtained before the municipal
authorities could levy such a tax. Thirdly, the citizens held the city by
grant of former kings, at a fee ferm for all services payable into the
exchequer, and on that account ought not to be talliaged. Under these
circumstances the council was asked to delay the talliage until Parliament
should meet.

This request the king and council expressed themselves as ready to comply
with on condition that the city made an immediate advance of 2,000 marks.
The city refused, and the king's assessors appeared at the Guildhall, and
read their commission. They were on the point of commencing work, when the
city obtained a respite until the meeting of Parliament by a loan of
L1,000. More than eighteen months elapsed, and at last a Parliament was
summoned to meet at York (Sept. 1314); but the country was in such a
disturbed state, owing to the renewal of the war with Scotland, that the
talliage question was not discussed. Nevertheless the king's officers
appeared again in the city to make an assessment, and again they were
bought off by another loan of L400. The king took the money and broke his
word, and the record of pledges taken from citizens for "arrears of divers
talliages and not redeemed," is significant of the hardship inflicted by
this illegal exaction on a large number of inhabitants of the city.(364)

(M223)

Out of this sum of L400, nearly one-half (L178 3_s._ 4_d._), was allowed
the city for the purpose of furnishing the king with a contingent of 120
arbalesters, fully equipped for the defence of Berwick. Edward had been
defeated by the Scots at Bannockburn (24 June, 1314), and Berwick was
threatened. On the 21st November, Edward wrote from Northampton, asking
for 300 arbalesters if the city could provide so many; but the city could
do no more than furnish him with 120.(365) The fall of Berwick was only
postponed. In 1318 the great border fortress against Scotland was captured
by Bruce. Edward was forced soon afterwards to come to terms with the Earl
of Lancaster and the barons with whom he had so long been in avowed
antagonism, and a general pacification ensued, which received the sanction
of Parliament sitting at York in November.(366) On the 4th December, the
king sent home the foot soldiers which the city had furnished, with a
letter of thanks for the aid they had afforded him. They were immediately
paid off and disb