enjoyed a degree of prosperity unknown to the rest of the kingdom.
The comparative peace and security which distinguished the happy lot of
the citizens of London, have been justly attributed to the maintenance
of their ancient institutions, which may be said to have grown out of
the habits, requirements, thoughts, and feelings characteristic of the
Anglo-Saxon race. Nor were the Londoners unconscious of their power,
or ungrateful to their benefactor. It was chiefly through their
influence and exertions that the empress was finally driven out of the
kingdom, and Stephen established on the throne. Henry II. confirmed
the purport of preceding charters, and added some further immunities,
concluding with the declaration that their ancient customs and
liberties were to be held as of inheritance from the king and his
heirs. They became, therefore, the property of the citizens, and were
bequeathed from father to son, as a cherished heirloom. It is true
that under Richard I. they were exposed to some extortion, for which
they received ample amends during the reign of his weak and inglorious
successor. Not only did they obtain five different charters
confirmatory of their ancient privileges, together with the
restoration of the sheriffwick, usurped by the last three monarchs,
but also the first formal recognition of the mayoralty. These favours,
however, did not render them untrue to the general interests of the
nation, or betray them into a corrupt acquiescence with the absolute
tendencies of the Crown. At that time, as at all others, while duly
reverencing the royal prerogatives, they resolutely opposed themselves
to the undue aggrandizement of the kingly power at the expense of the
other estates of the realm. It was within the precincts of the City,
at the metropolitan church of St. Paul's, that the articles of Magma
Charta were first proposed and accepted by acclamation, the citizens
binding themselves by oath to defend and enforce them with their
lives. Nor was it for themselves alone that they were prepared to shed