r and aldermen that they would take care of the city during his
absence.(1629) He reached Salisbury, but soon found himself deserted by
officers and friends. Among the former was Lord Churchill, afterwards
known as the Duke of Marlborough, and the greatest soldier of the age.
Left almost alone, James returned to London, having been absent from the
capital less than ten days. Like his name-sake the Conqueror, William made
no haste to reach London, but advanced by slow marches, putting up at
various gentlemen's houses on the way. It was agreed that both armies
should remain at a distance of forty miles from London in order to allow
the new parliament to meet in safety.

(M834)

Since the news of the prince's landing there had been a renewal of the
attacks made on Roman Catholics and their places of worship in London. On
the 11th November the mob broke into St. John's, Clerkenwell, where rumour
declared there were stored gridirons, spits and other instruments for
torturing Protestants. The troops were called out and one or two of the
rioters killed. It was deemed advisable to close all the Roman Catholic
chapels except the royal chapels and those belonging to foreign
ambassadors.(1630) Another sign of the times was the fact that the sceptre
belonging to the statue of Queen Mary set up in the Royal Exchange had
either accidentally fallen or (as was more probable) had been forcibly
struck out of her hand.(1631) On the 7th December the mayor issued a
precept to the aldermen of each ward for a careful search to be made in
the city for all Papists and suspicious persons. He did this because he
understood that the inhabitants of the city were much alarmed at the great
resort of Papists to the city who were believed to be meditating some
attack upon London.(1632)

(M835)

The negotiations which had been opened with William were only intended by
James to serve the purpose of giving the latter time to place his wife and
child in a place of security before he himself should seek safety in
flight. On the 11th December he attempted to make good his escape. As soon
as it was known that the king had left London a great number of lords,
both spiritual and temporal, came to the Guildhall, as to a place of
security, the better to consult and take measures for the common weal.
Having informed the Court of Aldermen of the king's flight the lords
retired into the "gallery adjoining to ye councell chamber," and there
drew up a Declaration,