living in 16th century england

Chapter 16 It's All For Gold Coins
Matthew came to London, and the two followers were not chosen at random.

The boy was the same age as him, and he was a hardcore who grew up together.The middle-aged man was originally an executioner in a certain place in Wales. After offending local powerful people, he escaped and became a tramp.

The wanderings are long, and the roads between Wales, London, and Cornwall are clear.Live map belonging to the West of England.

What these two have in common is that they are courageous and not soft-handed.In London, though, they couldn't help.

Matthew believes that it is not easy to find a way to meet the king.Although he has a... letter written by the clerk of Plymouth Sheriff, but he must first find someone who can contact the king, right?

Matthew walked around London for a day, holding his nose and going in and out of various public places.What pubs, churches, hotels, and squares, chatting with all kinds of passers-by who look well-dressed.

He was surprised to find that there was no special commodity exchange in London.Businessmen, big and small, stand on the square no matter it is windy or rainy to reach their intentions and purchases.Even church yards became trading grounds.Just like the old English Corner.

Language is fine though, English is based on a London dialect.In fact, the scope of English use at this time also reached Calais.A small language belonging to backward areas.

To do business in continental Europe, you must first know various "dialects".Interestingly, people of this era considered French to be too vulgar and an everyday language for the lower classes.It is said that the upper class and those who can write use Latin.

But no one uses Latin nowadays.In the absence of population extinction, this language and script, which is said to have been widely used, died out in hundreds of years.Therefore, some people in modern times believe that the so-called Latin is a forgery.

But that has nothing to do with the book, and it's assumed to be true.

Matthew decided to go to the mayor first.

London, similar to Plymouth, is also a city of merchants. In recent years, most of the mayor and members of the council are also merchants and people with various guild backgrounds.

Of course, meeting the mayor is much easier than meeting the king. The so-called mayor still has to do business.This smelly city elects a mayor once a year.It is said that there were exactly one hundred mayors in the 16th century.I don't know if it's true or not, it's weird enough.

So Matthew understood why London was dirtier than Plymouth.It's completely unplanned and managed.

There are at least a few toilets in Plymouth, sponsored by the Hawkins family.

According to records, someone once reported to Edward I that "the rotten smell of this place overwhelmed the frankincense burned in religious ceremonies, and many monks and brothers were smothered to death."

This record is a bit "bizarre". The author thinks (_?)... Maybe it should be "nature" that formed the poisonous gas... right?

So don't think that Henry and his son will live in the city of London, the king is not that stupid.He lives in Greenwich, east of London, where there is a royal palace.That's right, the one at Greenwich Mean Time.Without Buckingham Palace, that house would be another 200 years away.

The mayor was very enthusiastic: "Welcome, this handsome gentleman, I think! Only silk is worthy of everything about you."

Matthew confessed his intentions.The mayor was also unambiguous, with a look of urgency and righteousness, he readily agreed.

Then the two chattered for a while, and finally the mayor wanted Matthew to buy his silk.Silk is extremely expensive in this era. Of course, Matthew would not be taken advantage of by such a person, and he was able to escape after repeatedly refusing.

After seeing London, Matthew decisively rejected the suggestion of his followers.I went to the suburbs of London and bought ten acres of undeveloped wasteland from a small landowner at a price of three pounds and five shillings per acre.

10 acres does not sound small, but it is actually a square of about 200 meters, which may not be as big as a stadium.The land is rough, but it doesn't matter if you didn't buy this to farm.

It is more than five kilometers away from the royal palaces of London and Greenwich, and two kilometers away from the Thames River.There is no shortage of trees, and there is still a road passing by.The reason why they are in this wilderness is entirely because of the clean water.There are also many small animals, and Matthew even saw a rabbit running around.

Buying land is not buying vegetables, a formal contract is required.But that's all.Witnessed by the local "squires", several parties signed their names and fingerprints, and paid for it.

Matthew: "I will camp on that slope tonight, I don't want to go to London to stay in a hotel..."

Erin said, "What if it rains?"

Matthew's face was a little crooked: "It's raining and I can't go to London!"

A few days have passed, and I don't know how the mayor is doing.Matthew decided to go to him again.

Matthew: "Mr. Mayor, what happened last time..."

Mayor: "Welcome, handsome sir, I think! Only silk is worthy of... eh?"

"……Who are you?"

Matthew: "..."

Matthew wanted to kill, so he grabbed the mayor.As a smooth businessman, the mayor suddenly softened, and then he remembered that he was a mayor, and suddenly hardened again.

"Let go, you reckless boy... I remember... Who told you to change your clothes... If you want to see the king, go to Greenwich. Why do you want me?"

Matthew lowered his fist and asked in wonder, "I can see the king just by going to the door?"

Mayor: "Others can't, but you should be able to."

Matthew said angrily: "You didn't say that last time."

The mayor smiled awkwardly: "Didn't I want to know more about Devonshire and Cornwall... You know, we businessmen must be sharp-eyed, the more we know, the better our business will be... Besides, the king and us It doesn't matter."

London is not so much an English city as an autonomous city-state.As long as they pay their taxes to the king, the king has nothing to do with them.

This is not an isolated phenomenon.The more well-known autonomous cities include the United Provinces of the Netherlands, the cities of the Hanseatic League, Venice, and Florence.But not all cities are like this.

In 2002, a certain old lady celebrated the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the throne.When she reached the gates of the Old City of London, she would get out of the carriage and ask the mayor for permission to enter the city.Of course, this is a symbolic ceremony.She is the only Brit who needs such permission.

On the way back, Matthew had some understanding of this phenomenon.To put it bluntly, European kings need supporters, money and supplies, and armed troops compete for territory to maintain their rule.This mentality led to their eventual mascot status.

Crowns in Europe were never really strong, and in the early days of the bourgeoisie kings had to rely on them and limit them.In order to compete for land, they will also borrow money from businessmen, sometimes repaying the money, sometimes not.Maybe it will kill the creditor.

This is the reason why there is a constitutional monarchy.Everything else is bullshit.Nothing is for progress, it is all about preserving one's own property.

For kings to play by the rules, capitalists have to bridle them.

Until modern times, Western countries have followed this model, and it is the capitalist group, not the government, that plays a leading role.The government is all wage earners.

Human nature, liberation, and freedom are all "tricks" attached to capitalists' struggle for power.Because ordinary people love to hear this, it is easy to motivate them with these.Think this is the truth, and then work for it.And thought it was a revolution.

The most tragic era for the British was the disorderly period after the Tudor dynasty died out and the capitalists took power.At its worst, 16-hour days abound, including children.The child laborers were arranged to sleep in a bed in turn, and they had to go to work when they woke up.Put another child laborer who is exhausted to sleep, as long as he is not dead.

Therefore, the bed is always hot.

In Matthew's view, they were the same breed.

Those who run factories are more civilized than those who farm?This is so funny.

The reason why capitalists form groups is because there must be a division of labor.A close chain of interests will naturally be formed.It can be seen that the role of the king is basically zero.

Once the king has no economic chips in his hands, the army alone will not be an opponent of capital at all.Because they used to be part of the existence of royal power, and the biggest feature of the army is that they have to eat and get paid, and there is no shortage of these two capitals.It's like cancer.The king eventually became a loner, ready to fall at the slightest push.

This process is called constitutional monarchy.To some extent, it is inevitable.

It is very important to cultivate the vision of his subordinates. Sometimes Matthew will tell them how society works.There are no schools in this day and age that teach such things.If his subordinates are all illiterate and stupid, he will probably die of exhaustion in the future.

Irene asked a few questions at first, but then gave up, and just listened to the scriptures.Cohen couldn't help asking: "Is it inevitable that the knight system will disappear?"

Matthew: "Of course, when supplies are readily available and a farmer can easily kill a knight, this military system will disappear."

Cohen was immediately dissatisfied: "Farmer? You mean using a crossbow?"

Matthew smiled and said, "Bows and crossbows can also be counted... That's why the lords forbid farmers to own bows and crossbows. However, I think it will be muskets."

When martial arts are no longer important, it is meaningless to practice martial arts since childhood.

During the French-Spanish War in the 16th century, many well-known knights were killed on the battlefield... These masters were almost all killed by muskets.

Cohen was silent for a moment: "You know, you broke my ideal."

Matthew wondered, "What ideal?"

Cohen: "Allegiance to the king, continue to be a knight."

Matthew said with a smile: "If you are not a knight, you can still serve the king."

Cohen: "Are you loyal to the king?"

Matthew thought for a while: "...Of course."

Cohen wondered: "Aren't you a businessman? Will you be the same as those businessmen in the end?"

Matthew smiled and said: "No, the process is still very early. Besides, at present, only the king really cares about the life and death of ordinary people. Based on this alone, the king is worthy of allegiance."

Cohen Daqi: "Only the king cares about the life and death of ordinary people?"

(End of this chapter)