the meantime
had been given up to poor petty trades.(358) It was easier to trace lost
property when all the goldsmiths were congregated together in one spot.
This order, however, was so ineffectually carried out that another order
was issued by the lords of the council ten years later directing all
goldsmiths to find shops for themselves either in Cheapside or Lombard
Street within the next six months, inasmuch as the practice of setting up
their shops in obscure places in different parts of the city offered
facilities for abuses, and more especially "in passing away of stolen
plate."(359)

(M139)

On the occasion of the king's departure for Scotland in May, 1633, the
Court of Aldermen voted him a present of L2,000 "in two severall purses of
velvett or sattin," as a pledge of the City's true loyalty, love and
obedience to his majesty.(360) After he had gone the mayor and aldermen
proceeded in State to Richmond to pay their respects to the queen and to
offer her a bason and ewer of gold of the value of L800, with her arms
engraved thereon.(361)

(M140)

In the following November the Duke of York was christened, the ceremony
being attended by the mayor, aldermen and sheriffs, as well as the chief
officers of the City. The infant prince was presented with a gilt cup and
cover weighing sixty ounces, and containing the sum of L500 in gold.
Similar fees were paid to the midwife, nurse and "rockers" to those paid
on the occasion of the baptism of his elder brother.(362) During the
absence of the mayor and aldermen at St. James', where the ceremony took
place, a double watch was ordered to be kept in the city.(363)

(M141)

Five years had now elapsed since the dissolution of the last parliament,
during which time the country had submitted to the personal government of
Charles. Matters might have continued on the same footing for some time
longer had not Charles conceived the idea of claiming the sovereignty of
the seas as a pretext for raising a fleet. The difficulty then arose as to
how to equip a fleet without summoning a parliament. It had been the
custom ever since the time of the Plantagenets to call upon maritime towns
to furnish ships ready manned for the defence of the realm at a time of
threatened invasion. This custom had been rendered sufficiently elastic to
comprise the port of London, and the City had frequently been called upon
to furnish a contingent of vessels in time of war. Occasionally a protest
may h