Petition from John Bret complaining of taxes levied by Simon de Whixley, mayor of York
The petitioner asks that no further charges or bonds should be made on the king's liegemen. He states that a writ was directed to the mayor and bailiffs of York such that no imposition or tax other than the subsidy granted to the king was to be levied in the city, as appears in the attached copy. Whixley then encroached on the royal power to levy after the said writ two taxes, and a third now being levied, against the ban and in contempt of the king and the laws of the land, to the oppression and ruin of the city with only the agreement of leaders.. who use the dreaded hoods and number forty and more, in likeness to those in boroughs and various places who obstruct the king's orders. For loss of the said taxes the petitioner brings true information.. the expenses.. the destruction.. of the loyal people. And beyond this the said Simon has demanded sums from the said city for making assessments in.. of their errors that from some should be taken £20, and from others £10, and from others 100s and from [others].. in this dreadful manner to collect the sum of.. and more, and after the uprising has ordered.. the common seal to levy prests of 1000 marks, to which many other of the king's liege citizens have not assented.
