surprise at the late prorogation "whereby the prosecution of the public
justice of the kingdom ... have received an interruption," and after
referring to the action taken by parliament for the defence of his
majesty's person and the preservation of the Protestant religion, prayed
that the House might be allowed to resume its session on the day to which
parliament had been prorogued as being "the only means to quiet the minds
and extinguish the fears of your Protestant subjects."(1444) This
petition, and more especially that part of it which spoke of the
interruption of justice, was highly resented by Charles, and was one of
the causes which led to the issue of the writ of _Quo Warranto_ against
the city in the following year. In the meanwhile it served only to make
the king more determined than ever to dissolve the parliament, which he
did by proclamation on the 18th January. A new parliament was summoned for
the 21st March; it was not however to sit in London, but in the royalist
city of Oxford.(1445)

(M734)

The City sent up to Oxford the same members that had represented them in
the last two parliaments. The election took place at a Common Hall held on
Friday the 4th February, but no record of the proceedings is to be found
in the city's archives.(1446) From other sources, however,(1447) we learn
that after an opening speech by one of the secondaries, or under-sheriffs,
Henry Cornish, one of the sheriffs, addressed the meeting and explained
how the mayor (Sir Patience Ward) had been asked to allow himself to be
put in nomination but had declined. One or two aldermen were nominated for
form's sake, but the choice of the citizens was unanimously in favour of
the old members--Sir Robert Clayton, Alderman Pilkington, Sir Thomas
Player, the city chamberlain, and William Love. The election over, the
Common Hall presented an address to the members, acknowledging their past
services and promising to support them in their determination to grant no
money supply until they had effectually secured the city against Popery
and arbitrary power. To this address Sir Robert Clayton made a brief
reply, promising, on behalf of himself and colleagues, to continue their
endeavours to attain the ends desired. The fact that the new parliament
was to sit at Oxford, a stronghold of the Tory party, caused no little
alarm, and this alarm was increased when it became known that Charles was
bringing his own guards with him. The city's represen