the sad remembrance of them to posterity to the
reproach and dishonour of this city."(1243) This resolution was made on
the king's own suggestions, but although a committee was at once appointed
to carry it out, it remained a dead letter for twenty years.

(M641)

The Common Council had previously (7 Feb.) shown its compliance by
acceding to a demand for a loan of L200,000.(1244) But although the
security offered was undeniably good, and every effort was made to get the
inhabitants of the city to subscribe, no more than L60,000 or L61,000 at
the most was collected by the 14th March,(1245) and a month later scarcely
L100,000 had been subscribed. The king made no attempt to disguise his
annoyance, and ordered the mayor to call a Common Council and request them
to take steps for the collection of the whole sum.(1246)

(M642)

According to Pepys, who got his information from a city alderman, the
finances of the Corporation were at such a low ebb that considerable
difficulty was experienced in raising so small a sum as 1,000 gold pieces
and the price of a gold cup to be presented to Catharine of Braganza on
her arrival in England "and that they were fain to call two or three
aldermen to raise fines to make up the amount."(1247)

(M643)

Whilst the civic authorities were vainly struggling to raise the last loan
for the king, the House of Commons came to his assistance and voted him a
tax of two shillings upon every chimney.(1248) The inquisitorial nature of
the tax made it very offensive. Returns were to be made of the number of
hearths and stoves in each dwelling by the end of May. As they did not
come in as quickly as was desired an extension of time was granted until
Midsummer Assizes.(1249) Even when sent in many of the returns were
manifestly untrue. The returns made for the city of London and Bills of
Mortality drew forth a remonstrance from Charles, who refused to attribute
it to anything else but gross negligence or deceit.(1250) He was afraid
lest the ill example set by London should influence the rest of the
kingdom. He expressed himself as willing to bear the expense of finding
two or three honest persons in each ward, if required, to join the
constable in an "ocular view." But in spite of every precaution fraudulent
returns continued to flow in, and the collection of the tax to be slow and
precarious.(1251)

(M644)

The passing of the Uniformity Act(1252) which condemned every minister to
lose his benef