thstanding the growing unpopularity of Buckingham, the king
absolutely refused to abandon his favourite, against whom all kinds of
rumours were astir. Nothing was too bad to be believed of him, and popular
fury spared neither him nor his friends. Dr. Lamb, an astrologer and quack
doctor, was set upon in the city as being one of the latter, and was
nearly done to death one night whilst returning home from supper. None
would receive into his house the almost lifeless body of the
necromancer--the duke's devil, as he was called--who supplied him with love
potions wherewith to corrupt women. He was at last removed to one of the
compters, where he died the following day.(340) Charles was highly
incensed on hearing of the occurrence, more especially as some of the
murderers had been heard to say that if Lamb's "master"--the duke
himself--had been there they would have handled him worse and so minced his
flesh that every one should have had a bit of him. He forthwith summoned
the mayor and sheriffs to court and threatened to take away their charter
if the murderers were not quickly discovered.(341) The lords of the
council also wrote to the mayor (15 June) reprimanding him for not taking
steps to repress the riot and ordering him to seize the principal actors
and abettors and commit them to prison.(342) These were not so easily to
be discovered, but the Court of Aldermen (17 June) committed to Newgate
two of the City Marshal's men for neglecting to give notice of the
disturbance to the mayor or sheriffs, or even to the alderman or deputy of
the ward, as in duty bound.(343) Others were taken on suspicion but were
shortly afterwards set at liberty by order of the lords of the council (23
June).(344) The matter eventually ended by the City being fined
L1,000.(345) In the meantime libellous placards(346) appeared stuck up in
Coleman Street, and the Court of Aldermen committed a man to prison for no
other reason than because he took one down to read and after reading it
put it up again. That at least was the man's own story.(347)

(M132) (M133)

Early in July the balance of the second instalment of L60,000 (part of the
late loan of L120,000) was due from the City, but Charles could not wait
so long. An expedition to Rochelle under the Earl of Denbigh had recently
proved a failure. Determined not to give way, Charles sent orders to the
earl to refit his squadron and remain in England until the whole available
maritime force of the co