ion an important chapter in
the early administration of the city.

Confining ourselves to the facts as there stated, we find that the duty
of providing for the safety of London devolved on the hereditary
castellans, the Fitzwalters, Lords of Wodeham, who discharged the office
of Chief Standard-bearer in fee for the castlery of Castle Baynard
within the City. When war loomed on the horizon Fitzwalter, armed and
astride his horse of service, and attended by twenty men-at-arms, who
were mounted on horses harnessed with mail or iron, proceeded to the
great door of the Minster of St. Paul with a banner of his arms
displayed before him. There he was met by the Mayor, Sheriffs, and
Aldermen, who came armed and afoot out of the Minster, the Mayor
bearing his banner which was _gules_ and charged with the image of St.
Paul, _or_, the head, hands, and feet _argent_, and in the hands a sword
also _argent_.

On perceiving their approach, Fitzwalter dismounted, saluted the Mayor
as his comrade, and, addressing him, said: "Sir Mayor, I am come to do
my service, which I owe to the City." The Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen
replied thereupon: "We allow you here, as our Standard-bearer of this
City in fee, this banner of the City to carry and govern to your power,
to the honour and profit of the City."

Fitzwalter then took the banner in his hand, and the Mayor and the
Sheriffs, following him to the door, presented him with a horse of the
value of L20, garnished with a saddle of his arms and covered with a
sendal of the same. They also delivered to his chamberlain L20 sterling
for his charges of that day. Holding the banner in his hand, Fitzwalter
mounted the horse presented to him, and, as soon as he was seated,
desired the Mayor that a marshal might be chosen straightway out of the
host of London. This request having been complied with, he preferred
another--namely, that the common signal might be sounded through the
City, when it would be the duty of the commonalty to follow the Banner
of St. Paul, borne before them by the Castellan, to Aldgate.

In the event of Fitzwalter marching out of the City, he chose from every
ward two of the sagest inhabitants to superintend the defence of the
City in his absence, and form a council of war, holding its sittings in
the Priory of the Trinity adjoining Aldgate. It was supposed that the
Army of London might be engaged from time to time in besieging towns or
castles; and should a siege exceed a