Monday morning (11 May). Archbishop
Laud was a special object of hatred to the citizens, and against him the
mob directed their attack. As soon as the trained bands, which kept order
during the day, had retired for the evening, the rabble marched to
Lambeth. Laud, however, had been warned in time, and had made good his
escape across the river to Whitehall. The rioters finding themselves
baulked of their prey retired with threats of returning to burn down the
palace. For the next few days the city was under martial law. A double
watch was kept in its streets. The companies looked to their store of
powder and match. A strict guard was kept over servants and apprentices,
and a warrant issued for raising 1,000 men of the trained bands, or as
many more as the lord mayor should think necessary "to suppress, slay,
kill, destroy and apprehend all such as should be tumultuously assembled
in or about Southwark, Lambeth, Blackheath or elsewhere in parts
adjacent."(406)
(M161)
If the royal warrant was to be effectually and loyally carried out some
concession to the citizens was necessary, and accordingly, on the same day
(15 May) that the warrant appeared, the four aldermen were released.
(M162)
Pending the negotiations for a loan, payment of ship money had not been
strictly enforced; but now that threats and entreaties had failed to open
the purse-strings of the citizens Charles made a desperate effort to exact
ship money. On the 9th June, 1640, the lord mayor and both the sheriffs
were summoned to attend the council to give an account of the ship money
due from the city. Why had it not been paid in? The mayor replied that he
had sent his officers to collect, but few or none would pay.(407) Upon the
king telling him that he should have distrained, the mayor remarked that
one of his predecessors in office, Sir Edward Bromfield, was still a
defendant in a suit in the King's Bench brought against him by Richard
Chambers for acting in that manner, and was likely to be cast. "No man,"
said Charles peremptorily, "shall suffer for obeying my commands." Thus
encouraged the mayor himself made a house-to-house visit the next day,
accompanied by the sheriffs, for the purpose of collecting the money.
Throughout the whole city, however, only one man was found ready and
willing to pay. When the mayor ordered the sheriffs to distrain they
refused on the plea that it was the mayor's business, not theirs. Entering
a draper's shop the mayor
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