Mayor Northampton

Despite his past as a troublemaker being involved in public brawls, even being imprisoned in the Tower for a time because of one, John Northampton became an Alderman for the Cordwainer Ward in 1375 to 1377, and was a member of Common in 1376 during the Good Parliament, helping to impeach Richard Lyons. In 1376 he also became one of the two annually elected sheriffs of London.

Then he became Mayor of London in 1381 for two years. He was a populist at a time when the common people felt they were being neglected and taken advantage of by the ruling class and the wealthy. John's term was distinguished by attempts to help the citizens. He opposed monopolies in the selling of fish, bread, ale, wine, and poultry, allowing tradesmen from outside the city to compete with London merchants.

He also made a decision directly affecting currency. He had £80 minted as 76,000 farthings. A farthing was a quarter of a penny (discontinued in 1961). He insisted that bread be sold in measures that allowed a person to buy an amount of bread for a single farthing. This was a huge boon to those at the bottom rung of the economic ladder. Tradesmen were ordered to accept farthings as payment.

He also made ordinances against fraud and deceit in business; see recent posts here and here for examples of his administration punishing fraud and unfair business practices. He also made laws against prostitution.

Unfortunately, populist policies are difficult to maintain in a monarchy, even after the enormous movement that we call the Peasants' Revolt. In the mayoral election of 1383, Joh Northampton was replaced by Nicholas Brembre, who was an ally of King Richard II, the boy king who had survived and suppressed the Peasants' Revolt.

Brembre had Northampton arrested for sedition, that is, speaking out against the established order of things. Northampton was accused of provoking an insurrection.

Before we go on and see Northampton's fate, I want to talk about Brembre, who was a very influential figure in London. See you next time.

(In lieu of any available pictures of John Northampton, the illustration is of one of the most famous historical mayors of London, Dick Whittington.)