1324-09-21, Porchester

To the mayor, sheriffs, and community of the city of London. Order to cause 300 footmen to be chosen in the city, if they have not yet been chosen according to the king's previous order, and to provide suitable arms for them by the view of two of the citizens of each ward of the city, so that the arms shall be provided between now and Martinmas, and shall be ready at such time as the king shall cause the said men to come to him, the king desiring to make himself strong by land and sea to resist the king of France, who has assembled an army to make war upon the king in his duchy of Guyene and has assembled a great navy in the parts of Normandy and Zeeland to aggrieve the king and his subjects by land and sea. The king wills that after the footmen shall bave returned from his service, the arms shall be restored to the mayor, sheriffs and community, and shall be kept in safe guard by certain men of the city for the defence of the realm in like case. French. By K. [Parl.