Text Size

Article Index

 

MONOUX AS LORD MAYOR OF LONDON.


Monoux became a member of the Drapers' Company in 1507, and was Master no less than seven times, viz.: in 1508-9, 1516-17, 1520-21, 1526-27, 1532-33, 1539-40, and in 1544, the year of his death. He was Alderman of Bassishaw from 1507-41, Sheriff of the City of London in 1509- and Lord Mayor in 1514-15.'~ Monoux was re-elected Lord Mayor in 1528, and on the l5th October following it was necessary to address a letter to him to take upon himself the office. On 28th October he was ordered three times to appear and take the oath of office, and on his failing to do so he was fined £1000. On the 6th May the next year, he petitioned, owing to ill-health, to be discharged from both the offices of Mayor and Alderman. His request was agreed to by the Common Council, but does not appear to have been carried into effect, as we find from the City Records that the Lord Mayor would not give his assent thereto. Eventually, however, Monoux agreed to continue to be an Alderman, and the City undertook to release him from the Mayoralty. He continued Alderman until his resignation in 1541, or seventeen years after he had described himself as "aged and feble yn his lymes." It is evident, however, that Monoux did not concern himself about his Ward towards the end of his Aldermanry, for we find in 1540 that there was complaint of "moche evyll and vycyous rule" in Bassishaw. He had previously been Merchant and Mayor of Bristol.

MONOUX AS M.P. FOR LONDON.


George Monoux was M.P. for the City of London in 1523. The Parliament of that year was memorable. Sir Thomas More was Speaker of the House of Commons, and the members refused to give the King the subsidies he requested. We may well believe that Monoux voted against the encroachments of the King just a~ strongly as he refused to be Lord Mayor the second time.

MONOUX AND KING HENRY VIII.


The sturdy character of George Monoux was well known in the City, for in 1538 Sir Richard Gresham and some other citizens were wanting some of Monoux' city property about Lombard Street in order to build a City "Burse." There is a letter extant in which 'Gresham describes Monoux to Thomas Cromwell as "of noe gentyll nature," and asks that a letter "sharply made" should be sent to Monoux requesting the sale of his property. On l3th October, 1538, Henry VIII himself wrote to Monoux asking him to dispose of his property, which was required for the commonweal of merchants of the City, and he urged him to come to terms with Gresham. Monoux was offered twenty marks per annum, but he refused the sum. Another letter from the King followed, urging Monoux not to stand in the way of a project " to the beautifitye " of the City. Monoux at length gave way, and received the cordial thanks of the King on the 25th November, 1538.