ves which led the
"agitators"(779) to demand of the council of war an immediate march on
London, a step which would most certainly have been undertaken but for the
strenuous opposition of Cromwell and Ireton.(780)

(M379)

A week later (21 July) a mob of apprentices, reformadoes, watermen and
other disaffected persons met at Skinners' Hall, and one and all signed a
Solemn Engagement pledging themselves to maintain the Covenant and to
procure the king's restoration to power on the terms offered by him on the
12th May last, viz., the abandonment of the episcopacy for three years and
the militia for ten. An endeavour was made to enlist the support of the
municipal authorities to this engagement, but a letter from Fairfax (23
July) soon gave them to understand that the army looked on the matter as
one "set on foot by the malice of some desperate-minded men, this being
their last engine for the putting all into confusion when they could not
accomplish their wicked ends by other means."(781) On the 24th both Houses
joined in denouncing the Solemn Engagement of the City, their declaration
against it being ordered to be published by beat of drum and sound of
trumpet through London and Westminster, and within the lines of
communication.(782) Anyone found subscribing his name to the engagement
after such publication would be adjudged guilty of high treason.

(M380)

In the meanwhile the army council had forwarded (19 July) certain
recommendations to the city which they proposed to submit to parliament,
among them being one for removing the command of the city's militia out of
the hands of the municipal authorities and vesting it in parliament.(783)
This proposal was accepted in due course by both Houses.(784)

(M381) (M382) (M383)

On Saturday, the 24th July, the day after the Lords had given their assent
to the proposal touching the militia, two petitions were presented to the
Common Council praying it to take steps for retaining the militia in the
hands of the city committee.(785) Both petitions were well received by the
court, and a draft of another petition from the court itself was at once
made for presentation to both Houses on the following Monday, together
with the petitions presented to the court. The sheriffs and the whole
court, or as many of them as could go, with the exception of those
actually serving on the militia committee, were ordered to carry the
petitions to Westminster. When Monday came an excited crow