il toward you;
declaring with all confidence and assurance that if you appear not against
us in these our just desires to assist that wicked party that would
embroil us and the kingdom, nor we nor our soldiers shall give you the
least offence." It was true, they went on to say, that a rich city like
London offered a tempting bait for poor hungry soldiers, but the officers
would protect it with their last drop of blood from the soldiery provided
no provocation were offered by the citizens themselves. Their men valued
their own high character above any wealth, and the citizens would act like
fellow subjects and brethren by using their influence with parliament on
their behalf. On the other hand, "if after all this you, or a considerable
part of you, be seduced to take up arms in opposition to or hindrance of
these our just undertakings, we hope by this brotherly premonition, to the
sincerity thereof we call God to witness, we have freed ourselves from all
that ruin which may befall that great and populous city, having thereby
washed our hands thereof."

(M366)

This letter was laid before the House with a request that it would
endeavour to prevent Fairfax quartering his army on the city, thereby
enhancing the price of provisions, and this request was acceded to. At the
same time a new committee of safety, composed of members of both Houses,
was appointed to join the reformed Committee of Militia of the city in
taking all necessary steps to secure "the safety of the parliament and the
city."(759) The committee established itself at the Guildhall and
commenced preparing lists of disbanded officers willing to serve the
parliament.

(M367)

The City in the meantime drafted a reply(760) of its own, and this was
despatched to the army on the 12th, after receiving the approval of the
House. In it the City disavowed any animosity towards the army. The
citizens had only put themselves into a state of defence against unlawful
violence. So far were they from opposing the just demands of the army,
they had themselves presented a humble address to parliament that these
might be granted. If the officers would only keep the army at a distance
of thirty miles from London, and so give no occasion for disorder or rise
in the price of victuals in the city, it would go far to prove the
sincerity of the intentions expressed in their letter.

(M368)

This letter found the army at St. Albans. The deputation that carried it
thither retur