far exceeding the smell of juniper, for it was mixed with mace, cinnamon, and other rare and costly spices, which did cast such a pleasant and delightful savor through the room that it pleased his majesty to call him unto him and say, my good Lord Mayor, though your fare be choice, costly and abundant, yet above all things I have observed in your noble entertainment this fire which you have provided for me gives me more content.  To whom Sir Richard Whittington making a low obeysance made answer, It much rejoyceth me dread Soveraign that any that remaineth in my power can give your highness the least cause to be pleased, but since you praise this fire already made I purpose ere your sacred majesty depart the house to entertain you with one (I hope) that shall content you much better.  The King not thinking it could be possible desired him to make a proof thereof, when he (having before provided himself for that purpose) brought a great bundle of Bonds, Indentures and Covenants under his arm, said thus to the King, Royal Soveraign to whom I owe both my fortunes and my life, I have here a faggot of purpose left for this fire, which I hope will smell much more sweetly than the first in your nostrils, for saith he, here is first your Highness security for ten thousand marks, lent you for the maintainance of your royal wars in France, by the Right Worshipful Company of the Mercers, which I here cancel and cast into the fire, fifteen hundred lent by the City to our Majesty I send after the former, two thousand marks borrowed of the Grocers Company, three thousand of the Merchant Taylors, one thousand of the Drapers, one thousand of the Skinners, one thousand of the Ironmongers, one thousand of the Merchant Staplers, of the Goldsmiths three thousand, of the Haberdashers as much, of the Vintners, Brewers and Brown Bakers three thousand marks.  All these you see are cancel’d and burnt, saith he, with divers other bonds for money lent by my father in law Aldermen Fitzwarren for the payment of your souldiers in France, which coming unto me by executorship I have taken in and discharged.

Others there likewise due to me of no small sums by divers of your nobility here present, all which with the former I have sacrificed to the love and honour of my dread sovereign, amounting to the sum of three score thousand pounds sterling, and can your Majesty (saith he) desire to sit by a fire of more sweet scent and savour?  At this the King was much extasi’d and the rather because it came unexpectedly and from so free a spirit, and embracing him in his arms said unto him that he thought never King had such a subject, and at his departure did him all the grace and honour that could descend from a King to a subject, promising him moreover that he should ever stand in the first rank of those whom he favoured.  And so the Lord Mayor bearing the sword before their two most sacred Majesties as far as Temple Bar the King for his former service and his most kind and loving entertainment at that time, and the noble men for that extraordinary courtesie offered them all unitely (sic) and unanimously commended his goodness, applauded his bounty and wished that he might live to perpetual memory and so bid both him and the City for that time adieu.