In  1375,  when  the  Great  Plague  had  induced  all. the  social  and


ASSESSMENTS  IN  .1341,  1375,  1453,  1503.  147

•eoonbmical  effects  which  were  derived  from  it,  when  the  machinery
which  Wiklif  had  devised  was  in  full  operation,  and  the  peasants
were  perfecting  that  brganizationwhich  was  to  exhibit  its  formidable
power  in  the  revolt  of  1381 ;  Edward,  now  sinking  into  prema^ture
decay,  and  having  lost  nearly:  aU  his  conquests,  and  even  his
hereditary  possessions '  in  Guienne,  appealed  to  his  iParhament  for
an  extraordinary  grant.  Parliament  gave  him  a  fixed  sum  of
money,  and,  as  before,  assessed  its  contribution  on  every  one  pf  the
'Counties,  and  on  five  cities  and  townsj  London,  Bristol,  York,
Eingston-oniHiU,  and  Bath.
'  '  In  1453,  after  the  loss  of  all  those  English  possessions  in  Franee*
which  had  been  gained  by  the  second  war  of  succession,  the  Gascons
hadTevolted,  and  pledged  themselves  to  restore  the  English  king's
■authority  in  Aquitaine.  The  old  Earl  of  Shrewsbury  and  his  son
were  sent  to  assist  them,  and  an  appeal  was  then  made  to  Parlia-
ment. The  Commons  determined  on  granting  a  considerable  army  of
English  archers,  and  send  ifc  to  Talbot's  assistance.  They  agreed  to
pay  these  archers  sixpence  a  day  for  six  months,  and  again  distributed
the  number  bf  atchets  among  the  Enghsh  counties.-  On  this  occa-
ision  they  assessed  Durham,  and  ten  cities,  or  towns— London,  York,
Norwich,  Bristol,  Coventry,  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  .Hull,  Lincoln,
:  Southf  mpton,  and  Nottingham.  The  force  was  never  raise'd,  and
the  tax  was  never  paid,  for  Talbot's  expedition  came  to  ruia  almost
before  the  grant  was  even  made.  Nineteen  years  later,  the
■  Commons  made  the  same  offer  to  Edward  IV.,  but  on  cpiuditions
which  also  were  never  fulfilled.
