ntent. To whom Sir Richard Whittington
making a low obeysance made answer, It much rejoyceth me dread Soveraign
that any that remaineth in my power can give your highness the least
cause to be pleased, but since you praise this fire already made I
purpose ere your sacred majesty depart the house to entertain you with
one (I hope) that shall content you much better. The King not thinking
it could be possible desired him to make a proof thereof, when he
(having before provided himself for that purpose) brought a great bundle
of Bonds, Indentures and Covenants under his arm, said thus to the King,
Royal Soveraign to whom I owe both my fortunes and my life, I have here
a faggot of purpose left for this fire, which I hope will smell much
more sweetly than the first in your nostrils, for saith he, here is
first your Highness security for ten thousand marks, lent you for the
maintainance of your royal wars in France, by the Right Worshipful
Company of the Mercers, which I here cancel and cast into the fire,
fifteen hundred lent by the City to our Majesty I send after the former,
two thousand marks borrowed of the Grocers Company, three thousand of
the Merchant Taylors, one thousand of the Drapers, one thousand of the
Skinners, one thousand of the Ironmongers, one thousand of the Merchant
Staplers, of the Goldsmiths three thousand, of the Haberdashers as much,
of the Vintners, Brewers and Brown Bakers three thousand marks. All
these you see are cancel'd and burnt, saith he, with divers other bonds
for money lent by my father in law Aldermen Fitzwarren for the payment
of your souldiers in France, which coming unto me by executorship I have
taken in and discharged.

Others there likewise due to me of no small sums by divers of your
nobility here present, all which with the former I have sacrificed to
the love and honour of my dread sovereign, amounting to the sum of three
score thousand pounds sterling, and can your Majesty (saith he) desire
to sit by a fire of more sweet scent and savour? At this the King was
much extasi'd and the rather because it came unexpectedly and from so
free a spirit, and embracing him in his arms said unto him that he
thought never King had such a subject, and at his departure did him all
the grace and honour that could descend from a King to a subject,
promising him moreover that he should ever stand in the first rank of
those whom he favoured. And so the Lord Mayor bearing the sword before
their two m