Nicholas de Farndone

Nicholas de Farndone was a 14th century English merchant, goldsmith, and politician who served four non-consecutive terms as Mayor of London in 1308, 1313, 1320, and 1323. He was born Nicholas le Fevre, but assumed the surname of Farndone after marrying the daughter and heiress of William de Farndone, a goldsmith and alderman.

On 13 April 1314, on behalf of King Edward II (r. 1307 – 1327), Nicholas issued the first ban of the game of football ostensibly due to the noise and disturbance (“many evils”) caused by the game:

“Forasmuch as there is great noise in the city caused by hustling over large footballs in the fields on the public from which many evils arise which God forbid: we command and forbid on behalf of the King, on pain of imprisonment, such game to be used in the city in future.”