to attend a public thanksgiving
service to be held that day week (2 April) at Christ Church, Newgate
Street. The invitation was graciously accepted, and the City returned the
compliment by asking both Houses to dine the same day at Grocers'
Hall.(728)

(M350) (M351)

On the 19th May, whilst virtually a prisoner in the hands of the Scots,
Charles wrote to the City(729) declaring his readiness to concur in
settling truth and peace, his desire to have all things speedily concluded
to that end, and his hope that his return to his ancient city might be to
the satisfaction of parliament and his people. The Commons were angry with
the civic authorities for opening the king's letter without their leave,
and returned a curt answer to a remonstrance presented to them by the City
calling upon them to suppress heresy, to unite with the Scots and to come
to a speedy arrangement with the king.(730) The Lords, to whom a similar
remonstrance had been presented, expressed themselves more graciously.
They acknowledged the fidelity and constant services of the City to
parliament. They were satisfied with the resolutions of the citizens to
settle the Protestant religion and to preserve the rights and privileges
of parliament, the liberties of the kingdoms and the person and authority
of his majesty. As for their lord mayor (Thomas Adams), whose character
the petitioners had declared to have been aspersed by certain members of
the Commons (for opening the king's letter without leave?), they (the
Lords) held him in high esteem, and declared that nothing had been said or
done in their House to his prejudice. As soon as they should be informed
of the nature of his grievance they would be found ready in a
parliamentary way to do him right.(731) The Common Council received a
formal address of thanks for presenting this remonstrance from a large
body of "citizens of the best rank and qualitie," as well as from the
General Assembly of Scotland.(732)

(M352)

On the other hand an attempt was made to minimise the effect of the
remonstrance by getting up a counter-petition on the pretext that the
remonstrance had not fairly represented the wishes of the majority of the
citizens. This counter-petition, which is said to have been backed up with
5,000 or 6,000 signatures, was duly presented to the Commons, who by a
small majority passed a vote of thanks to the petitioners (2 June).(733)

(M353)

In the meanwhile the king's letter of the 19th May