aordinary expenditure the City was the more
anxious to get its weekly assessment reduced. On the 1st March Colonel
Venn, one of the city's members, informed the Common Council that the
application to have the assessment reduced had been made too late, but the
House would allow the City an additional monthly sum of L3,000 in aid of
its defences so long as the ordinance for a weekly assessment should
continue in force.(583)

(M258)

On the 10th March a deputation from both Houses, including Pym, informed
the Common Council of a message that had recently arrived from the Earl of
Essex to the effect that Prince "Robert" (Rupert) had arrived with a large
force within four miles of Bristol, and the earl intended forthwith to
make an advance. His army, however, was sadly in arrears of payment; he
wanted both men and money, and this fact he had desired to be represented
to the citizens of London. Pym, therefore, in the name of both Houses
desired the Common Council to hasten as far as possible the payment of the
residue of the L60,000 already promised, and to furnish such forces as the
city could spare.

(M259)

As far as the first part of the request went the council promised its
ready assistance.(584) It frankly acknowledged that little more than
one-third of the whole amount promised had come in, but there were
difficulties in the way of getting it in. A large sum of money--as much as
L30,000--which ought to have been repaid to the lenders out of the estates
of malignants was still owing, and lenders were thereby discouraged. Men
of ability refused to lend, and there were no means of forcing them;
whilst divers rich men had left the city, carrying with them what property
they could, and leaving their houses empty. Nevertheless, the council
assured the deputation that it was well affected to parliament, all but a
very few of its members having already contributed, and it would forthwith
take steps to get the money in. Touching the furnishing of soldiers, the
council remarked that there were but three regiments in the city besides
the trained bands, two of which were on active service and the one
remaining was on outpost duty.(585)

(M260)

Soon after the outbreak of the war it was seen that the weak point of the
parliamentary army lay in its cavalry. Already something had been done
towards remedying this defect. Volunteers had offered themselves for the
formation of a troop of horse at their own expense, and a "seminar