ceremony was repeated, but this time it was "the common folk" who
joined in the procession, which returned by Newgate, and finished
at the Church of St. Michael le Querne.[5] And once more they went
through the ceremony, the "common folk of Essex" this time assisting.
There could not be fuller proof of the sense of religious duty in
civil and commercial life. The history of the City Guilds is full of
the same interweaving of the life of the people with the duties of
religion. There is an amusing incident recorded of one of these
Pentecostal functions. On Whitsun Monday, 1382, John Sely, Alderman of
Walbrook, wore a cloak without a lining. It ought to have been lined
with green taffeta. There was a meeting of the Council about this, and
they gave sentence that the mayor and aldermen should dine with the
offender at his cost on the following Thursday, and that he should
line his cloak. "And so it was done."

At one of these Whitsun festivals (it was in 1327) another procession
was held, no doubt to the delight of many spectators. A roguish baker
had a hole made in his table with a door to it, which could be opened
and shut at pleasure. When his customers brought dough to be baked he
had a confederate under the table who craftily withdrew great pieces.
He and some other roguish bakers were tried at the Guildhall, and
ordered to be set in the pillory, in Cheapside, with lumps of dough
round their necks, and there to remain till vespers at St. Paul's were
ended.

[Illustration: MONUMENT OF JOHN OF GAUNT AND BLANCHE OF LANCASTER.
_After W. Hollar._]

[Illustration: MONUMENT OF BISHOP ROGER NIGER. _After W. Hollar._]