The king's letters patent granting forgiveness to the citizens for harbouring the Earl of Gloucester(272) were followed in the spring of the following year by another charter to the city.(273) But inasmuch as this charter did not restore the mayoralty, the citizens had little cause to be thankful and looked upon it as only an instalment of favours to come.
Towards the end of this year or early in the next (1269), the city was committed by the king to his son Edward, who ruled it by deputy, Sir Hugh Fitz-Otes being again appointed Constable of the Tower, and warden of the city.(274) It was through the good offices of the prince, that the citizens eventually recovered the right to elect their mayor, so long withheld. "About the same time, that is to say, Pentecost, 1270," writes Fitz-Thedmar, "at the instance of Sir Edward, his lordship the king granted unto the citizens that they might have a mayor from among themselves in such form as they were wont to elect him."(275)
He further allowed them to choose two sheriffs who should discharge the duties of sheriff, (_qui tenerent vicecomitatem_) of the City and Middlesex, as formerly; but instead of the yearly ferm of £300 in pure silver (_sterlingorum blancorum_), formerly paid for Middlesex, they were thenceforth to pay an annual rent of £400 in money counted (_sterlingorum computatorum_.)(276)
The citizens lost no time in exercising their recovered rights. Their choice fell upon John Adrian for the mayoralty, whilst Philip le Taillour and Walter le Poter were elected sheriffs. After they had been severally admitted into office--the mayor before the king himself on Wednesday, the 16th July, and the sheriffs at the Exchequer two days later--the king restored the city's charters, and the citizens acknowledged the royal favour by a gift of 100 marks to the king, and 500 marks to Prince Edward, who had proved so good a friend to them, and who was about to set out for the Holy Land.(277)
Adrian was succeeded in the mayoralty by Walter Hervy, who had already served as sheriff or bailiff on two occasions, once by royal appointment. He made himself so popular with the "commons" of the city during his year of office, that when October, 1272, came round and the aldermen and more "discreet" citizens were in favour of electing Philip le Taillour as his successor, the commons or "mob of the city"--as the chronicler prefers to style them--cried out, "Nay, nay, we will have no one for mayor but Walter Hervi."(278)