London in the Reign of Henry II.

Te Aroha News, 26 November 1887, Page 5

London in the Reign of Henry 11.

During the reign of Henry IT. the commerce of the country recovered from the depressed condition into which it had previously fallen. From remote parts of the East, as well as from the Continent and from Ireland, trading vessels of foreign merchants brought articles of convenience and 1 uxury to London. The wines of France, the furs of Normandy, the spices of Arabia were among the merchandise imported at this time into England, and were employed to minister to that taste for pomp and magnificence that prevailed in the Court of Henry 11. London was already a populous city, noted for the wealth and luxury of its citizens, and in this reign it first became generally recognised as the capital of the kingdom. In the city and suburbs there were about thirteen monasteries, and more than a hundred churches, with a mixed population of about 40,000 inhabitants. Industry and the arts were making rapid progress, and labourers and artificers of many different kinds were to be found in the city. Ludgate was at this time the western extremity of London, and where the Strand now pours east or west its stream of busy life, the ground "was then divided into fields and orchards, which extended to According to Filzstephen, the biographer of Beckett, the citizens of London received the title of baron- -a statement which, to fcay the least of it, is improbable, but there can be no doubt that their wealth and intelligence at this period placed them in a higher position than is generally supposed.

While not approving of the present method of distributing the proceeds ef licensing fees, the Government cannot see their way to bring in a Board of Inland Revenue Bill, to which shall be paid all license teet} received by the local authorities.