addressed to both Houses (24 April) demanding his execution on the ground
that he had advised the plundering of the city and putting it to fine and
ransom.(444) The Peers deemed it advisable to give way. They passed the
Bill of Attainder and on the 12th May Strafford was beheaded.

(M182)

The Lords had another pressing reason for giving way, for until the
citizens were assured that the full penalty of the law would be executed
on Strafford they determined to stop payment of the loan. Writing to
Matthew Bradley on the 3rd May, the treasurer of the army tells him "a
strange story." "There is," he says, "money ready in the city, but none
will be delivered until justice be done upon my lord of Strafford."(445)
On that very day, the letter continues, there had been a crowd of 10,000
well-to-do persons at Westminster--"citizens of very good account, some
worth L30,000, some L40,000" demanding justice against Strafford and
threatening to send their servants the next day unless justice were
speedily executed. "Truly these unsettled times do much trouble me."

(M183)

The discovery of the so-called "army plot" had in the meanwhile led to a
preamble being drawn up to a document known as the "Protestation," or
declaration in favour of the reformed religion, in which the danger from
the army was for the first time clearly mentioned. The Protestation passed
the Commons on the 3rd May,(446) and on the following day received the
assent of the House of Lords. On the 11th May a printed copy of this
document was introduced into the Court of Aldermen, when it received the
willing assent not only of the aldermen present, but also of the Town
Clerk and the City Remembrancer.(447) On the 29th it was accepted by the
Common Council, and two days later the mayor issued his precept for a
house-to-house visitation to be made in every ward for the purpose of
getting all the inhabitants of the city to give in their adherence to
it.(448)

(M184)

Although the execution of Strafford somewhat allayed the nation's fears of
having "two armies brought into the bowels of the kingdom," they were soon
revived by a second army plot. The armies thus became a constant source of
danger as well as expense, and it was determined to disband them. Charles
could not withhold his assent, and a poll tax was established for the
purpose of raising the necessary funds. This was in July (1641).(449) The
masters and wardens of the livery companies were forthwith cal