Nicholas Brembre

Proving that "what goes around comes around"—although we should probably just allude to the medieval concept of the Wheel of Fortune—one-time Nicholas Brembre, who had persecuted former mayor John Northampton, would himself be persecuted by the Merciless Parliament, mentioned here.

Brembre started as a member of the Grocers' Company, one of the Great Twelve Liveries in London, and made a lot of money in the wool trade. Like many other important and active male citizens, he was an alderman, a sheriff, and became mayor (for four terms). 

His origins are unknown, but he married the daughter of a wealthy vintner, and became the guardian of his father-in-law's youngest daughter upon the elder man's death. Brembre owned property in London, including "two large houses and several blocks of shops, four cellars, eleven chambers, two stables, a wharf, and a crane" [source] His many connections to other important guild members and his dominance in the wool trade made him very wealthy and very important to the city. The Comptroller of Customs at the time was Geoffrey Chaucer, who would have overseen Brembre's accounts.

His first term as mayor was in 1377. John of Gaunt had proposed a bill that the mayor of London be replaced with someone appointed by the king. This caused great unrest in London, and riots. The mayor, Adam Staple, was deposed, and the city put Brembre forward as a candidate that Gaunt might approve. That turned into Brembre's first term as mayor. He was succeeded by William Walworth in 1381, but Walworth was succeeded by Northampton.

Brembre defeated John Northampton for mayor in 1383.

Northampton had challenged the established order and made helping the common people his goal. At a time when the merchant guilds were some of the most powerful political as well as economic influences, Northampton broke up their monopolies, which made the guild leaders his enemies.

Brembre's return to the office meant overturning Northampton's reforms and restoring monopolies. Northampton led a large protest against the changes brought about by Brembre, an assembly of about 500 people marching through the city. Brembre and his people confronted them, and Northampton was told to accompany Brembre. Northampton refused, and was arrested for sedition and imprisoned in Brembre's house.

Northampton's friend John Constantine organized a general strike: several shops closed in protest of Brembre's policies. Brembre had Constantine executed for insurrection. (The illustration is Brembre's petition to the Crown in April 1384 to have his decision about Constantine's fate ratified.)

As for Northampton, we'll follow up on his fate next time with a third installment on the man who tried to help his fellow man against the power of the wealthy.