ed
with the Common Councell. And that the same waye is most convenient still
to bee continued."

(M521)

The matter was not allowed, however, to rest here. Petitions were sent in
by the livery companies, and debate followed debate until the 7th
December, when the court put a stop to further discussion by ordering that
"this busines shalbee wholey laid aside."(1012) A year later (4 Nov.,
1651) the Common Council passed an Act much to the same effect as the
above resolution. Elections in Common Hall were thenceforth to be by the
aldermen, common councilmen and "a like number of other honest men" of
each ward, and not by the companies.(1013)

(M522)

Although the kingly office as forming part of the Constitution had been
declared by parliament to be abolished immediately after the execution of
Charles, emblems of royalty might still be seen displayed in the city and
elsewhere many months afterwards. On the western facade of St. Paul's, for
example, there remained statues of James and of Charles. These the Court
of Aldermen had been ordered to remove (31 July, 1650). They were further
ordered to see that the head of Charles's statue at the Royal Exchange was
struck off, the sceptre in the effigy's hand broken, and an inscription
set up hard by proclaiming the abolition of tyranny--_Exit Tyrannus Regum
Ultimus_--and the dawn of liberty. On the 14th August the entire statue was
ordered to be removed.(1014) This was done, and on the following day a
certificate to that effect, under the hand of the Town Clerk, was
forwarded to the Council of State.(1015) Nevertheless there were many
places, many churches and companies' halls in the city, where the royal
arms and portraits of the late king had been allowed still to remain, and
these the Council of State directed the mayor and aldermen in December to
search for and cause to be removed.(1016) In February, 1651, the Court of
Aldermen showed greater activity in the matter, and the lord mayor was
directed to issue the necessary precept for the removal of all
"monarchichal armes."(1017)

(M523)

In the meantime, oppressed as the citizens were with constant demands on
their purses, they contributed what they could toward the relief of the
sick and poor of the army in the North,(1018) and on the 7th March, 1651,
their efforts were rewarded by a letter of thanks from the lord general
himself.(1019)

(M524)

To such an extent were they ground down by taxation (the city alone be