e committee then
present. Certain questions were thereupon put to the vote, when it was
decided (1) that Chetwyn had done the alderman a wrong by his speech, (2)
that what the alderman had spoken at a former council was warranted by the
Militia Committee, and (3) that the action by the committee on that
occasion had been for the safety of the city, which was then in
danger.(901) On the 27th November the Militia Committee reported to the
council the steps taken to satisfy parliament that better protection would
be afforded to the Houses in the future.(902)

(M459)

Before the end of November the army, now at Windsor, had entirely lost
patience both with king and parliament, and on the last day of the month
issued a declaration to the effect that it was about to appeal "unto the
extraordinary judgment of God and good people." The existing parliament
must be dissolved to give place to a succession of reformed parliaments.
Those members who agreed with the army were invited to leave the House and
join the army to form a kind of provisional government until elections for
a new parliament could take place, when the army would willingly disband.

(M460)

That same night (30 Nov.) whilst the mayor was going the rounds inspecting
the city watches a letter was put into his hands by a trumpeter of
Fairfax, addressed to the lord mayor, aldermen and common council.(903)
Strictly speaking, the mayor had no right to open a letter thus addressed.
Reynardson, however, who had not long been in the mayoralty chair, and who
afterwards displayed strong royalist proclivities, thought otherwise and
broke the seal; a proceeding which received the approval of the Common
Council specially summoned for the next day (1 Dec.)(904) The letter
announced the general's intention of quartering his army on London, and
demanded a sum of L40,000 out of the arrears of assessment to be paid to
the soldiers by the following night.(905)

(M461)

The council at once decided to lay the letter before both Houses, and in
the meantime took steps for the immediate payment of an instalment of
L10,000 to Fairfax, to whom a deputation was despatched to assure him that
the City would do its utmost to execute his commands.(906) Both Houses
assented to Fairfax being provided with the money demanded, the Commons
giving the City liberty to communicate direct with the general by
committee or letter as they should think fit.(907)

(M462)

In spite of a request by th