deposed. London chose Kings Edmund and
Harold Harefoot, before the Conquest. After the Conquest, they elected
Stephen at a folkmote, a gathering of all the citizens. They put him on
the Throne and they kept him there. The power of the Londoners is very
well put by Froissart, who wrote in the time of Richard II. and Henry
IV., and was an eyewitness of many things which he relates. 'The
English,' he says, 'are the worst people in the world: the most
obstinate and the most presumptuous: and, of all England, the Londoners
are the leaders; for, to say the truth, they are very powerful in men
and in wealth. In the City there are 24,000 men completely armed from
head to foot and full 30,000 archers. This is a great force and they are
bold and courageous, and the more blood is spilled, the greater is their
courage.'

Take the deposition of Edward II., also described by Froissart. He says
that when the Londoners found the King 'besotted' with his favourites,
they sent word to Queen Isabella that if she could land in England with
300 armed men she would find the citizens of London and the majority of
the nobles and commonalty ready to join her and place her on the Throne.
This the Queen effected: the citizens joined the little army thus
collected--without their assistance, Froissart says, the thing could not
have been done--and made Edward prisoner at Berkeley Castle.

Or there was the capture of Richard II. This also was effected by an
army composed entirely of Londoners 12,000 strong, led by Henry of
Lancaster. Afterwards, when Henry of Lancaster was Henry IV., and a
conspiracy was formed against him, the Lord Mayor said, 'Sire, King we
have made you: King we will keep you.' The City played almost as great a
part against Henry VI.--half-heartedly at first, because they thought
that as he had no children there would be at some time or other an end.
Moreover, they could not readily forget his grandfather, their own King;
and his father, the hero of Agincourt. When, however, a son was born,
the Londoners became openly and unreservedly Yorkists. And the Yorkists
triumphed. The election of Richard III. was made in London. When Lady
Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen, it was not by the Mayor and Aldermen,
but by the Duke of Northumberland, and the City looked on in apathy,
expecting trouble. The greatest strength of Elizabeth lay in the
affection and support of London, which never wavered. Had Charles I.
conciliated the City he might h